After months of preparation the day was finally here. Molokai 2 Oahu is more than just a 52km paddle island to island, its a hybrid logistical nightmare and arms race. As people say year after year, just getting to the start line is an achievement. For me it involves flying from Australia with all my nutrition, paddles and 18ft unlimited Sunova to Hawaii.
I like to spend at least two to three weeks on Maui to hone in my downwind skills, get a few races under my belt and get used to my board in the Hawaiian bumps.
This year Vinnicius Martins and Penelope Strickland , 5th place Mens Overall and 1st place Women Overall, were scrambling to find a boat captain in the last moments before the race started, luckily they both managed to find a back up in time to race.
Some lucky enough will get to stay right there in the middle of the action while others stay on the other side of the island a 30 minute drive away.
Finally, food for the few days on Molokai is tricky. Equipment is always a hot topic for Molokai 2 Oahu. Personally I think its because its the most competitive long distance race on unlimited boards. Unlimited means you can use whatever length you like, generally the boards range between 17ft and 18ft but there are some who prefer shorter lengths closer to 16ft as they believe they work better in the bump and people on the other side who prefer longer boards such as Dave Kalama and his 19ft board who feels the extra waterline gives more glide.
