Kaenon

PADDLEBOARD
Rainbow Sandals Moloka’i to O’ahu Presented by Honolua Surf Co – July 26, 2009 – Jamie Mitchell and Kaenon Polarized Team Dominate!

Hard Kore Domination – There’s no other way to state it. Kaenon waterman, Jamie Mitchell wearing Hard Kore G12 during the race, paddled his way to win his 8th consecutive title of the world paddleboarding championships. Where competitors in this most grueling of events – cross the famed Kaiwi Channel on paddleboards in giant seas and trade winds, Jamie Mitchell set the pace, finishing more than 20 minutes and the distance of a mile and half ahead of the next runner up. The Moloka’i Crossing is one of the most prestigious paddling events, running from the Hawaiian Island of Moloka’i to O’ahu. Jamie’s time this year was 4 hours 58 minutes to cross the 32 mile channel. This kind of consistent domination from Jamie puts him in the class of Kelly Slater, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan – where they dominated for years – winning consecutive titles. In addition to dominating paddleboarding and stand up paddling, Jamie Mitchell is known for surfing big waves all over the world, demonstrating the diversity of his athletic abilities.

“I definitely like to get a lead and see if the guys want to come with me,” said Mitchell, 32. “After a while, you sort of just forget about everyone and it’s sort of survival on your own.”
Read the full story in the Honolulu Advertiser online.

This year’s race conditions were great for the first 2 hours of the event, where it looked possible that records may be broken, but soon after the conditions got rough with waves building up from every direction. Kai Bartlett and his partner did the team challenge in the Stand Up Paddle division and won. In the Stand Up Paddle solo division, Guy Pere finished 2nd. Jamie wears Gauge Abalone G12 and Hard Kore Tobacco G12, Kai wears Lewi Black G12 and Guy wears Jetty Black G12. In catching up with Jamie after the event, he said “there were a lot of blood shot red eyes at the end of the event, but my eyes are fine and feel great.” Jamie wears Hard Kore Tobacco G12 sunglasses by Kaenon Polarized on the water while racing.

CANOE – HAWAII
To mark how big of an event this is in the Hawaiian culture and sports scene, Kai Bartlett’s victory was celebrated on the front page of the Honolulu Advertiser supported with pictures and features of the Bartlett’s as winners and the dominant male and female outrigger canoe paddlers.

Lauren and Kai Bartlett, married, and quite possibly the two most dominant Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe specialists won their respective divisions in this grueling World Championship. Kai, wearing Jetty Black C12, claims fourth men’s OC1 title and Lauren, wearing Georgia Tobacco C12, won her sixth women’s title at the Steinlager Kaiwi Solo OC1 World Championship Regatta. This open ocean championship is a 32 mile race between the islands of Moloka’i to Oahu.

Lauren having fun and making it look easy in the big waves and wind of the Molokai Channel.