ISLE FILE
Mitchell, Duncan paddle to victory
Advertiser Staff
World champion Jamie Mitchell of Australia captured the Hennessey's International Paddleboard Race yesterday, covering the 7-mile course from Turtle Bay to Waimea Bay in 1 hour, 3 minutes, 57 seconds.
Mitchell, who was the race's defending champion, has now won four events since arriving in Hawai'i three weeks ago to prepare for the 32-mile QuiksilverEdition Moloka'i to O'ahu Paddleboard Race, which will be held next Sunday.
"Hard work is what keeps you on top, to tell you the truth," said Mitchell, 31, who is also the six-time defending champion in the Moloka'i race. "Train harder and harder each year. I just keep looking for new and fun ways to train and raise the bar, and hopefully, that brings the whole field up to another level."
Inconsistent tradewinds turned much of the course into a hot, flat race for a field of 186 paddlers.
"My time was a little slower (than in years past)," Mitchell said. "But I think we were paddling faster."
Mitchell, who earned $800 for yesterday's victory, was followed by two other Australians — Jackson English, who finished in 1:06:14, and Nathan Henderson, who clocked 1:06:27. Brian Rocheleau was the top Hawai'i finisher, placing fifth in 1:08:08.
Honolulu's Kanesa Duncan was the fastest in the women's division, finishing in 1:16:49. She was followed by Shakira Westdorp (Australia) in 1:19:01 and Sarah Herrington (Hawai'i) in 1:42:08.
Duncan, who has spent much of the past year rehabbing from knee surgery, was happy to beat Westdorp, the defending Moloka'i champion.
"(Westdorp is) everything our sport is about," said Duncan, who won $500. "She's a total water athlete ... she trains so hard, so it's way better to race against somebody like that who can motivate you."
Guy Pere of Hale'iwa won the men's standup paddleboard division in 1:08:30, Candice Appleby of Honolulu won the women's standup division in 1:27:16 and Christian Bradley of Hawai'i took the C4 Waterman 17-under-division in 1:18:01.
BASKETBALL
LOJESKI, LOW IN ACTION
Former University of Hawai'i guard Matt Lojeski scored 14 points as his Milwaukee Bucks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 81-67, yesterday in an NBA summer league game at Las Vegas.
Lojeski, who played 22 minutes, 35 seconds, hit 5 of 7 field goals and 4 of 5 free throws.
Elsewhere, former 'Iolani All-State guard Derrick Low scored two points as his Dallas Mavericks summer league team beat the Iranian national team, 79-62, in Salt Lake City.
Low, who started and played 17:08, also had one steal and one assist.
BASEBALL
HILO LOSES FIRST GAME
Nick Hanger hit a three-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the eighth as Southern California defeated Hilo, 7-4, yesterday in a Little League Big League (ages 16-18) Western Regional game at Silverdale, Wash.
Kolten Wong batted 2 for 4 and Brian Alben had a two-run single for Hilo (1-1), which plays Oregon (1-1) today in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.
SAILING
SLEEPING DRAGON LEADS
Sleeping Dragon, a Hobie 33 from San Francisco, was leading the fleet yesterday in the 15th biennial Pacific Cup yacht race from San Francisco Bay to Kane'ohe Bay.
Sleeping Dragon, skippered by Dean Daniels, was 1,498.4 miles from the finish.
