Queensland paddlers gather for 43km Marlin Coast Challenge
Paddlers from across Queensland have gathered to compete in a brutal race from Yorkeys’s Knob to Port Douglas, read on to find out what 43km of ocean racing does to the body.
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Mother nature served hot and cloudless conditions this weekend as more than 150 canoe and ski paddlers from across Queensland surfed their way up the coast.
The 2022 Marlin Coast Challenge hosted by Port Douglas Outrigger Canoe Club capped off the Far North racing calendar with a 43km epic stage race with six-man crews and single and double craft dukeing it out for glory in relays or the full 43km iron.
Lucky for paddlers the stiff south-easterly breeze meant that they could chase the ocean bumps up the coast and take some respite by surfing their craft.
The race was split up into four legs with stops between each leg to ensure the field of paddlers did not become too spread out and to ensure paddlers could fuel and hydrate in the stifling conditions.
Vicki Levin, a Cairns paddler who competes with Hekili Outrigger Canoe Club completed the event iron with her crew in a light weight six man canoe, the only crew in the six-man race to complete the course iron.
She explained the toll long distance ocean racing can take on the body.
“Bit stiff, but the blisters and sunburnt hands and eyeballs are the real pain. Stoked with our achievement though,” she said.
“Love how the sport pushes you well outside your comfort zone. When you are in the middle of the ocean I guess there is no giving up or you'll just float out to sea.”
The race was well supported with a large contingent making the long road trip with their craft from Bayside outrigger canoe club based near Brisbane, as well as the diehard Far North paddling community coming out in droves.
The quickest time was set by Cairns ocean ski paddler Alexander Pawlow who completed the course in three hours and 10 minutes.
Innisfail Farmer Matt Abbot was close behind as the first OC1 (single Outrigger canoe) competitor in a time of three hours and 17 minutes.
First in the female division was Capricorn Coast Outrigger canoe club’s Sam Price-Rees in a time of four hours and three minutes.
Outrigger Canoe is a traditional sport originating in the Pacific Islands from Tahiti, Hawaii and New Zealand.
The sport was brought to Australia through the cultures of these islanders and has flourished in the spectacular coastlines of Australia especially FNQ.
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