Molokai 2012

You would at least think the organisers would start a thread to promote some interest pre the event. The last few yrs the whole promotion/ spectacle/ available info has been beyond poor.


eg Who's registered so far, forecasted conditions, Oscars back etc

Shame for what was the worlds premier event to now appear to be glossed over and nearly forgotten.

Goodluck to all that are going and hope you get great conditions.

Stellar is a major sponsor of the race. Designers and usa owners dave thomas and ed hoffmeister will be at the race. 4 or 5 guys are paddling stellar skis, 4 are from australia and one from canada richard germain who i know. Richard will finish near the back and this is his 4th molokai. Matt ogarey a stellar paddler will be racing also. All guys will be in sel or ses. I will be doing post race stories. Next week i will be doing more promo on my site surfskiracing.com. when i get home fm holiday i will be doing my part. I agree for a major race not a whole lot of buzz. Stellar had 2 new dealers in hawaii also. I expect all
These guys to do well since they all have been training like crazy. Say hello to dave and ed for those going over. Dave and ed are stellar and wintech designers who live in massachusetts,usa. Dave also is amherst college rowing coach, smart guys who know how to design boats. Thanks ted for getting this going. Wesley, stellar and surfskiracing.com

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Here's a fairly comprehensive intro to this year's race...

Can Oscar make it a 12th victory?

That is an AWesomE article, Thanks Rob

Great article Rob, thanks. At the moment the forecast is for light trades and a 4ft NW swell running against the trades. Anyone paddled the Molokai in similar conditions? I'm starting to get worried!

Local forecast (only goes as far as Saturday so far, but tomorrow, Sunday will come into the frame): Kaiwi Channel Forecast

Norwegian forecast(!): YR.no Kaiwi Channel Forecast

Windguru (Diamond Head - does anyone know which is the most accurate?):
Windguru Diamond Head Forecast

Updates from the race will be broadcast on twitter:
@molosurfski2012
and on the event's facebook page(s):
Facebook event page
and
Facebook race "persona" page

Windguru is notoriously unreliable for the areas they claim to cover, and they don't even try to call the channel. NOAA's "Hawaiian Coastal Waters" forecast is the only game in town for decent Kaiwi predictions. 5 days out is still sketchy, it often changes quite a bit within the 48 hours prior.

So who is your money on?
Usual big names or maybe an underdog can slip in under the radar?

I reckon Clint Robinson is favourite.
But the Big O has been training hard and if it turns into a downwind fest, I wouldn't count him out; he truly is a magician in the waves.
Matt Bouman is brilliant too and he and Bruce Taylor will be up there.
But local knowledge counts hugely in Hawaii, and Oscar and Clint have that in spades.
Matt Bouman hasn't paddled the race before. I think Taylor was there in 2007, but that was an extraordinary (flat) year. Not sure if he's been since.
Pat Dolan? Nah, I'd be surprised, just because he hasn't seen much in the way of international competition.

Pat Dolan may not have had much surfski competition under his belt this year but he came 3rd in the Molokai OC1 Solo a few weeks ago in a time of 3:33 only 1min 30 secs behind the winner. He's also very fit having just come off an Olympic training program for kayak. He's also local and knows the waters.

The local NOAA forecast is now showing 15kt with 5-6 wind waves in the channel... That's enough to create excellent conditions...

So... my bet is that Deano will be in the mix (he'll confirm tomorrow whether he's taking part).

Michael Booth (Aus) is confirmed paddling. He'll be well up there.

Lucky Aussies to be able to make the decision to take part or not at the last minute. From SA, you have to commit and get there 10 days ahead of time if you want to recover from the 12hour jetlag.

I really hope the race gets fabulous conditions... it's time.

Is Rambo going to be there doing his awesome videos?

No unfortunately, I did all I could to get there, only x amount of funds in the race organizers buckets. Sorry.

Maybe Rambo should just send a bunch of GoPro's over with the Aussie contingent, edit it all later.

At least the front part of the field would get good coverage.......