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1 April 2008: Honolulu, Hawaii.
B.S. Forshore, the newly appointed race director, announced today that 2008 will feature a special change for the world-famous Molokai World Championship event: the course is going to be reversed for the first time ever.
 Can they be serious?
"We've been thinking for months about coming up with something new," Forshore said. "After all, the race has been run from the island of Molokai to Oahu for 32 years. The guys are simply tired of it."
Secret Meeting
Last weekend Surfski.info learned that the decision was made after a secret meeting at an undisclosed location on the North Shore of Oahu. The meeting, Forshore admitted, included a high-ranking official with the ICF. The presence of the ICF official raised a few significant questions, especially after the controversial course change that saw only eight men crack six hours last year.
ICF Involvement?
Foreshore denied that rumors of a cash incentive were offered by the ICF. "We thought why not run it backwards? The consensus was that an upwind race would be completely different. That way we'll have really challenging conditions. The trade winds should give us a steady 20-25kts wind with waves up to 10ft. That should sort the men from the boys!"
Mixed Reaction
The course change has been met with mixed reviews. Last year's winner Lewis Laughlin, the first man not from South Africa or Australia to win since 1979, said he looked forward to the challenge. Dean Gardiner, the nine-time winner, said, "Give me a 100 grand and free beer for the rest of my life and I wouldn't start. Only a South African would be insane enough to participate." Even more surprising was the response of 11-time winner Oscar Chalupsky. Incredibly, after learning of the fateful switch, Chalupsky said nothing. When pressed for a comment, the ever-loquacious downwind specialist replied: "I'll call you back," his voice choked with emotion. Fifteen minutes later, Chalupsky fired off a profanity-laced e-mail to every human being he's ever met. "I'll still win the $*(##$(#$ race," he said.
Chalupsky's churlish reply left B.S. ("Call me B.S.") Forshore unfazed. "Not only have we come up with a novel concept, the last time Oscar was at a loss for words was...well, I can't recall it ever happening. That alone has to be good for the sport."
Entry Fees Doubled
Incredibly, Forshore said since the race is likely to take the winner more than twice as long, they plan to double the entry fee. Stay tuned for details...
 Bodyboarders enjoy the shore break at the proposed Molo 2008 start location
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