Vince Bechet snapped this great photo of Surfski.info editor Rob Mousley gasping in the heat as he crosses the finish line. Rob was totally exhausted, I phoned him at 10pm Hawaii time and he groggily said that he had been asleep since 8pm - "what a way to spend your birthday". He said he spent the last two hours of the race trying to think of an acceptable reason to get on the escort boat. Dehydration and heat exhaustion prevented his brain from finding an answer.

During the live coverage I watched with interest the 'Celebrity Race' unfold between two of Surfski.info's best loved writers - Rob Mousley and Joe Glickman. These are two paddlers I can relate to. Rob and Joe aren't elite paddlers, and they prove to me that if you can put in the training between your day-job and family commitments then you too can finish the Molokai. 

At the end it was Adventure writer Joe who beat Editor Rob by some 30 minutes. In the picture Joe looks as fresh as the flowers strung around Lewis' neck. He is sniffing the wind as if he is considering paddling back to Molokai once he has finished his ice water. Joe lives in New York and trains amongst the wakes of tugs and ferrys, while Rob lives in the "Cape of Storms" and is no stranger to big downwind paddling. Had the conditions been "big" I think we would have seen a different picture and a different result.

Joe Glickman ponders his paddle

Look out for Rob and Joe's race reviews coming up soon.

Comments (17)

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And a great deal humbler for it!
written by Rob Mousley, May 19, 2008

This was the toughest paddle I have ever done. I'll be writing a full report on the plane as I make my way home - but essentially:
- My ski arrived at Molokai 30min before the race began - I then had to get out to the escort boat that it arrived on, paddle it back to the beach thru a massive shore break; set it up; paddle OUT through the shore break again to the start. Those who know me know that I don't like big surf at the best of times!
- I was slow for the first section of the race, starting some 200m back (my watch didn't agree with the starter's and I thought we had two minutes to go.
- The second hour was fun: there was some wind and there were runs to catch.
- Somewhere around the 2 1/2 mark the wheels fell off - I started feeling weak & out of breath; the wind died and the sea was sloppy. And the current was working against us. For the next 1 1/2 hours I tried to think of some valid excuse to get onto the escort boat; I was so stuffed I couldn't come up with anything!
- I woke up a bit towards the end with the aid of an energy bar, gel, juice, anything I could lay my hands on.
I went to bed at 8pm and slept for ten hours!

So, yep, I'm a little disappointed with my result, but very relieved that I finished.

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written by Damian Feuilherade, May 19, 2008

Well done gadget man. I am proud of you. It does however look as though you needed me to be there (just in front)with the sea spray from my paddle gentling cooling your burning face.

Well done my friend!!

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Big Effort
written by Ash Nesbit, May 20, 2008

Well done Rob big effort at Molokai!!

Special metion to Mark Nathan a local guy from Margret River (WA near Perth), for completing his first Molokai and first major ocean paddle event......well done Mark!!

Now imagine a head wind, tide against you - plus an extra 6km - 9km on the paddle and you have last years Molokai race.....pain i did feel!!!!

Cheers Rob well done!!

Ash Nesbit

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written by Christo Tromp, May 20, 2008

what a race, and what a bummer for a b.day present Rob...... it is awesome to see you completed the race, and that the experience will stay with you for the rest of your life...... will i still see you there next year my friend

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Great work Rob
written by John Sanderson, May 20, 2008

Well done on the Molokai crossing Rob.

It's an inspiration to see someone else choosing to balance family, work and paddling. Hopefully you will continue to see the benefits of completing such a mission when the pain wears off

I'll look forward to your report, it'll be good to hear how the Epic V10 Sport went for you.

Cheers
John

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Puffing the candles.
written by Jamii Hamlin, May 20, 2008

I have seen happier birthday boys but I never seen one this tired!
Well done Rob we look forward to a stroke by stroke report when you have regained some energy!

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written by wesley, May 20, 2008

I was flipping through Outside Go magazine and they have an article on Hawaiian surfers, lifeguards, paddlers, and have a full page pic of Kai Bartlett in the lastest fashion paddling an oc1. I assume this is Lauren Bartletts husband.

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Nice work Lewis
written by andy, May 21, 2008

Awesome work lewis...you did Tahiti proud!...there are more photo's of the finish at Y2kanu.com.

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written by Houston S. Park, May 21, 2008

Thank you for providing such great coverage of the race, It was better than watching the NFL Super Bowl, I also found the coverage very inspiring and motivating. It?s awesome to see how many paddlers are in their 40?s that do so well. My goals are set high and next year I hope to paddle the Molokai at 44 years old. Keep up the great work.

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written by Richard Hart, May 21, 2008

A Great Effort.

Its great to see so many 40 paddles do well and I guess for most of the non-elte paddlers a finish is a 'win'!
Congratulations

PS belated Happy Birthday

PPS If you are after a race that is a little cooler, why not come over to Perth and have a go at the Avon Descent - the first weekend in August!

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Well done Bullet.
written by Gavin Dickinson, May 21, 2008

My very best to you.

It is not easy to do it & you kept your head down.

For me the reason this race is so hard in tough conditions is that you are nowhere near land - ie you are just pulling in the middle of the ocean.

Still the greatest show on earth for paddlers - even when it is flat.

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Just Finishing is a Win
written by Kenneth Moore, May 22, 2008

Aloha Rob and Congratulations.
It was great to finally meet you, and I hope the 4 or 5 GPS's I found not-yet turned on on the beach at Molokai helped with the coverage of the race.
The shore-break at Kaluakoi is mean, ins't it? Thought you did quite well with it - I nearly broke my boat just before the race there in 2006.
So, will you be back in 09? I'm planning on being there, and possbily the oldest competitior @ 63 - you'll sure a hell outrun me, but it's not about the time so much is it? Leave that for the top 50. Or, do I do you injustice in assuming you won't covet the top 50 in a race that looks like it will have 150 next year? Perhaps we will someday have a "KUPUNA" section - the 60 & group - maybe they will give us a hour's head start so we all arrive before dark!
Congratulations again! Interested to see what you thought of the Sport versus the Pro 70 you were considering paddling.
Warmest Aloha,
Ken Moore

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Rob tired - no way
written by Alain Jaques, May 22, 2008

When Rob checked out of the hotel the morning after the race the hotel staff reportedly found 37 condoms and wrappers in the bin. He clearly made a remarkable recovery between finishing the Molokai and checking out the next morning.

Any comment Rob?

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Condomise...
written by Rob Mousley, May 23, 2008

It is true - the morning before the race, they found 37 wrappers; the morning after the race they found 37 condoms...

(They were used as an insurance policy - on the GPS units to make sure of the waterproofing!)

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Thanks for all the help with the GPS units...
written by Rob Mousley, May 23, 2008

Many thanks to Robyn Singh whose team helped get the units onto the skis - and especially Ken Moore who made sure that they were switched on! I think we only had two that didn't work in the end.

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Thanks
written by Alain Jaques, May 23, 2008

My thanks go to Vince Bechet and Marshall Rosa for taking calls to update the live coverage. I had plenty numbers of people to phone but Vince and Marshall were the only ones who answered the a calls. Thanks guys for keeping us up to date.

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So there I was...
written by Jeff Ransdell, May 24, 2008

Definitely mega-kudos to Rob for his triumph and to Alain for battling thru the technological carnage on race day. You guys provide an important lifeline for our sport, and Surfski.info has become the first site many of us hit in the morning, and then again throughout the day.

So when do we get to hear the war stories, see some extended pics, and get the scoop on how the various boat brands performed in the day's conditions?

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