Jordan Mercer, Matt Bevilacqua star in Molokai paddle as ironman Matt Poole stuns with podium finish

MATT Pool has praised ironwoman Jordan Mercer and mate Matt Bevilacqua’s domination of the Molokai to Oahu paddle race but his own feat is equally hard core.

Jordan Mercer has two big wins this year - in the Nutri-Grain series and the Molokai to Oahu race.

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IRONMAN Matt Pool has praised ironwoman Jordan Mercer and mate Matt Bevilacqua’s domination at the Molokai to Oahu paddle race as “extraordinary” but his own feat in going from a hospital bed to third place in the torturous event is equally hard core.

Surf lifesavers Bevilacqua, Daniel Shade and Poole all finished under course record time in the world championship prone event to make it an all-Australian podium in the gruelling 53km annual paddleboard race regarded as one of the toughest events in the world.

Matt Bevilacqua and Matt Poole training together for the ironman series earlier this year.

Mercer, who competes with Poole and Bevilacqua on the Nutri-Grain surf series, won her sixth Molokai crown by holding off fellow Australia ironwoman Liz Pluimbers.

Mercer, who won the Nutri-Grain ironwoman crown this year, is now just two wins away from equalling the most victories by a woman in the Molokai to Oahu paddle held by local and eight-time winner Kanesa Duncan.

“What she and Matty did was just awesome,’’ said Poole from Hawaii after the race. “It’s great to see such an Aussie domination.’’

But Poole’s feat in going from a hospital bed to the podium after two hours vomiting on his board at the start of the race across the Ka’iwi Channel is also remarkable.

Matt Poole and Matt Bevilacqua racing in the surf together.

Poole, who had a Staph infection and bursitis in the lead-up to the event, told The Daily Telegraph he suffered “the worst pain of my life” in the 53km race.

“I’m not feeling too good, I have to admit,’’ Poole said.

“I’m pretty sore, rashed-up, sun burnt and my shoulders are killing me. My knees are pretty sore as well.

“It was a bit of a killer that race. But if you had told me two weeks ago when I was in hospital that I would be here today I would have laughed at you so it’s all good.’’

Tasmanian Bevilacqua, who now lives and trains on the Gold Coast and finished third in the Nutri-Grain series earlier this year, broke fellow Australian Jamie Mitchell’s 4hr 40min 31 sec course record with his astounding 4:29.32 effort in favourable winds.

Shade (4:33.28), from Avoca, and Poole (4:38.13) also finished under the old mark.

While the men smashed the record, Mercer, 22, finished in 5:32.42 — around 10 minutes outside her own record set back in 2011.