Paddler up with world best

ON A HIGH: Steve Roulston claimed a top-20 finish in the Kaiwi Channel Solo World Championships in Hawaii, an event which is considered the pinnacle of open water paddling.PHOTO/FILE

NORTHLAND waka ama paddler Steve Roulston is modest about his long-distance racing successes. But his latest efforts - in what is considered the pinnacle of open water paddling - have spoken volumes about his talents.

The Mitamitaga Club member, from Whangarei, beat some of the best international paddlers in the sport at the Kaiwi Channel Solo World Championships in Hawaii last week by finishing 20th out of 102 competitors.

Race officials said the strongest field in the history of the prestigious event had gathered for this year's gruelling 52km race.

Roulston admits to being a bit intimidated by the calibre of the paddlers at the race briefing. But once on the start line that quickly dissolved.

"With 102 of us on the start it was a buzz all right. They're all such good paddlers over there. It was good because you want to race against all the best guys," said Roulston.

The Tahitian paddlers - the All Blacks of the sport - were in the mix and eventually filled four of the top five places.

The Kaiwi Channel between the two Hawaiian Islands of Molokai and Oahu is widely regarded as one of the most treacherous pieces of open water in the world, due to its trade winds and strong underlying currents.

The race is a "downwind" event and is timed each year to coincide with the annual trade winds that blow between the Hawaiian Islands, which gives paddlers the best chance of a fast and exciting crossing and the thrill of surfing the ocean swells.

But the trade winds held off last Sunday and produced relatively flat conditions.

Roulston reckons it may have played into his hands as most of the Hawaiian paddlers were good surfers in big conditions.

"It was tough because it was so long. It was enjoyable to the four-hour mark and then after that ... yeah.

"It wasn't hot and there was some wind even though it was a headwind."

He said while it was a "solo" race each paddler was followed by a support boat. Roulston said his partner, Michelle Chapman, was on the boat and he couldn't have completed the race without her help.

Due to the long distance he was required to eat and drink at 15-minute intervals.

Chapman, also a paddler, had to plunge into the water at least six times during the crossing. She had to tread water while holding a special carbohydrate drink above her head for Roulston, who paddled past and grabbed the necessary sustenance.

"It's quite important to have someone who knows what to say and when to say it. You can't do that race without good support."

Roulston finished the race in 4 hours 48 minutes and 25 seconds. The winner, Tahitian Steeve Teihotaata, crossed the line in 4 hours 33 minutes 13 seconds.

The race record is 3 hours 30 minutes, however conditions vary greatly.

Hot and steamy conditions and a strong head wind last year made the average race time around 7 hour mark.