Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race has a Bend, Oregon Connection

Jack Gillen sent us this photo and the note, (Here's) "The owner of rainbow sandals, my wife and some dude from Bend, Oregon." Of course, that "dude" is Gerry Lopez of Bend, Oregon. From left to right are Jay Longley (Sparky), the ever-gorgeous Terry Gillen and Gerry Lopez at the:

13th Annual
RAINBOW SANDALS - MOLOKAI to OAHU PADDLEBOARD RACE
Presented By Honolua.

Jack Gillen entered the race. Here's a photo of him paddling during his 8+ hour race. He was the only solo stand up paddler on a fixed-fin stand up paddleboard.

To get his stand up paddle board to the race venue on Molokai, Jack and his friend Ekolu Kalama paddled the boards from Maui to Molokai three days before the race. Then. . . they raced!

Because of the side-winds during the race, Jack had to paddle on one side the entire course. The other solo competitors were on SUP paddleboards with rudder fins. Rudder fins allow the paddler to paddle on both sides while steering with the rudder rather than using only the paddle stroke to steer. Jack feels that a fixed fin stand up board is pure and true to the sport of stand up. So he chose a fixed fin in homage to Stand up paddling's surfing roots.

Jack came in last in the solo category for his efforts and told Randall that he spent 80% of the race thinking how he would never do the race again.

Several days later, Jack was back training for next year. We love this guy!
Here's how the race shook out. Jamie Mitchell claimed the 8th consecutive Rainbow Sandals Molokai to Oahu Paddlebaord. Hawaii's Kanesa Duncan Claims the Women's race.
 Ekolu Kalama Takes Standup Honors . . . READ MORE at Rainbow Sandals;

Read more about Jack Gillen (Terry's husband)

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com