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A group of young Aucklanders have safely raced across the ‘Channel of Bones’ and managed to snag some of the top spots, including a first place finish.
Lucas Forbes, Tom Lowe, Harry Hickey and Joe Wilson all competed in the Molokai2Oauhu race, which saw them paddle board 52km across one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world.
The race takes place on the Ka’iwi Channel, also known as the Channel of Bones – which is widely considered one of the most dangerous stretches of ocean in the world.
“The culmination of foul weather and open ocean swells pushing through the narrow canyon that is created by the two land masses of Molokai and Oahu has resulted in the destruction of entire ancient canoe fleets and claimed the lives of modern-day fisherman and watermen”, the event page explains.
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The boys, who all finished within five minutes of each other, despite the race being over six hours long, said the weather conditions were with them in the first half of the race – but that the wind died off in the second.
Having battled it out to the finish to take home 1st place in his age division and 7th overall, Forbes said he had to dig deeper than he had ever done before.
RYAN ANDERSON/Stuff
The group trained in very different conditions to the warmth of Hawai’i – having spent most of their time in the cold of Mairangi Bay
At the halfway mark, with flying fish swimming all around him, Forbes managed a glance over at his Dad in the support boat, which was “a very special moment”.
Forbes said he crossed the finish line and just broke down.
Lowe, who was paddling as part of a team with Hickey, had finished just ten seconds earlier and was paddling over to him.
There were two special moments for Lowe during the race: One was thinking of his Dad, who is his biggest inspiration, during the tough times, and the other was paddling right next to Forbes as they headed to the finish line and ‘screaming’ encouragement at him.
“To finish less than 10 seconds in front of a young man who you’ve coached, who you really respect, was pretty all time”.
Hickey said the event felt bigger than just an endurance race.
Doing something on that scale, with a group who had made such an impact on him, was an incredible feeling, he said.
RICKY WILSON/STUFF
L to R: Harry Hickey (25), Tom Lowe (25), Joe Wilson (22) and Lucas Forbes (16)
Hickey and Lowe were paddling as a duo, and during the changeovers gave each other quiet words of inspiration.
Both are currently waiting to see if they finished either 3rd or 4th in their category.
Wilson found that race day ‘wasn’t his greatest day’, but managed to take out the 2nd spot in his category.
“My body just shut down… It became a battle for survival.”
RICKY WILSON/STUFF
Being in Molokai, surrounded by legends of the sport, Wilson said the group found themselves fanboying a little bit.
The race has made him hungry to come back again and again and to become part of the regulars of the competition, he said.
Most of the group has some free time to spend in Hawai’i since the race has finished – with plans to spend a lot of time in the son and surf.
Forbes on the other hand is having to jump back on a plane to make it to school.
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