Shaw and Partners congratulates Australian Cory Hill on winning the legendary ocean paddling race from Molokai to Hawaii Kai, Oahu in a record time of 3:15:09 and breaking the 21-year old record of fellow Australian and Oceanpaddler Director Dean Gardiner. 

The 2017 ICF Ocean Paddling World Champion and Shaw and Partners Race Team member won the 2018 Maui Jim Molokai Challenge title ahead of South African duo of ICF Marathon World Champion Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocke in the 43rd edition of the event on Sunday 27 May 2018.

Cory Hill led the fast pack into Koko Marina, crossing the finish line just 20 seconds ahead of defending champion Hank McGregor of South Africa. It was Hill’s second victory of the 53km race — the 29-year-old finished in 3:22:17 in 2015 — and over 30 minutes faster than his 3:45:50 last year when he finished third.

“To come in first in this race, with so much history, is something special,” said Hill, paddling in his sixth Molokai Challenge. “We had some of the greatest conditions the race has seen. The last five years all we’ve heard about is the good years, and to finally get a taste of that, to see what it is all about, is just an honour to be out in that channel.”

The Kaiwi Channel delivered swells and favourable tide to see a record-breaking race with the top five paddlers staying under the record pace with gold medallist at the Sydney Bridge to Beach 2018, Mackenzie Hynard finishing overall sixth and second in the 19-29 age group in what he called his “toughest race to date."

On social media Hynard added “I couldn’t be more wrapped with a sixth spot in my first Molokai crossing, definitely leaving everything I had in the channel. I hope it’s the start of many more to come. Well done to everyone that made the crossing in what were most likely the best conditions in history. A huge congrats goes to Cory, who is my best mate and training partner and who showed yet again his class taking the win and smashing the 21 year old record in the process.”

Another record was smashed in the women’s field, where Shaw and Partners’ Race Team members Hayley Nixon (South Africa) and Rachel Clarke (New Zealand) took first and second place respectively on the podium. The Australian Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series Champion Jordan Mercer finished third in her first ocean ski race.

The 2018 Maui Jim Molokai Challenge saw a record field of 178 paddlers registered competing on solo, double surfskis and one-man outriggers with Victorian State Manager Mal Cameron and Wealth Adviser Peter Foster finishing the race in second position in the Mens 51+ Surf Ski Relay.