Home Services Events Sponsorships Travel Merchandise
Ky Hurst streaks away from a world-class field of paddleboarders to win
Four times Australian Ironman champion Ky Hurst with the spoils of victory at the Hennessey's International Paddleboard Championships held on the Gold Coast
Back-to-back Coolangatta Gold champion Hayley Bateup
Group
Hurst Makes Waves At The Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championships
Coolangatta Gold Champion Takes Title In Wahines Division
(Saturday, 28th October 2006) Four times Australian Ironman champion and 2008 Beijing Olympic hopeful Ky Hurst (Tugun, Aus) has used his brilliant surf skills to win the Hennessey’s International Paddleboard Championships in epic paddling conditions on Australia’s Gold Coast today.
With an elite field of over 80 world-class competitors paddling the 17-kilometre open-ocean race between Southport Spit and Burleigh Heads, it was Hurst who reigned supreme, continuing an impressive run of results for the waterman over the weekend.
Hurst, 25, earned himself a special place in swimming history last night,
breaking Olympic swimmer Kieren Perkin's record by winning the 1000-metre Ocean Swim at Noosa for a sixth time.
After a wobbly start to the race, the undeniable champion re-grouped to take the lead halfway
through the course to convincingly win in a time of 1 hour, 27 minutes and thirteen seconds.
Competing in his first ever paddleboard race, Hurst crossed the line ahead
of 2001 Molokai to Oahu champion Aaron Bitmead (1:29:41, Nth Burleigh) and paddleboarding legend Mick Dibetta (1:32:46, Burleigh).
“I started off a bit shaky,” said an exhausted Hurst after the race.
“I actually rolled my board
in the first five metres. My balance just wasn’t there. By halfway I had warmed up and I just got better and better.”
“I just tried to keep my line
to stay up with the frontrunners. Luckily I scored a few great runners and just skipped away.”
Interestingly, the experienced ironman’s first attempt at riding a paddleboard was less than a week ago and coupled as his first paddle on an ocean-based surf-craft in more than two years.
“It was only my fourth time on this board,” added Hurst.
“They’re a whole new ball game those 18-footers. But it’s just a privilege to be apart of the race and I’m just elated to win.”
In the women’s open stock race, two-times Coolangatta Gold champion Hayley Bateup capped off a successful month, crossing the line ahead of top American competitor Kanesa Duncan (Hawaii) and
fellow Gold Coaster Shakira Westdorp (Burleigh Heads).
Bateup, 26, recorded a time of 1:42:12 to finish ahead of Duncan 1:47:28 and
Westdorp 1:50:00 over the 17-kilometre course.
The undisputed king of world paddleboarding Jamie Mitchell (Currumbin, Aus) was unable to compete in the event due to sponsorship commitments.
Mitchell’s unprecedented domination of the sport has seen him win all but one of the international events that he’s entered during the past five years, including five consecutive Molokai to Oahu Paddlbeboard race wins as well as multiple U.S. Championships .
Fellow Gold Coast paddleboarder Bruce Taylor (Nth Burleigh) claimed the overall men’s stock title with a time of 1:29:00 and overall second place
.
Competitors were greeted with perfect paddling conditions today for the arduous paddle from Southport Spit to Burleigh Heads.
