The Steinlager Kaiwi Channel OC-1 World Championships came down to a photo finish Sunday, with Danny Ching of California (4:58:03) and Daniel Chun from the Big Island of Hawai‘i (4:58:05) battling each other, from the Kalanianaole Highway bridge, to the
The Steinlager Kaiwi Channel OC-1 World Championships came down to a photo finish Sunday, with Danny Ching of California (4:58:03) and Daniel Chun from the Big Island of Hawai‘i (4:58:05) battling each other, from the Kalanianaole Highway bridge, to the finish at The Shack, Hawai‘i Kai. Ching held off Chun during the final sprint to the finish, winning his second World Championship title, the last one in 2010. Pat Dolan of Kailua 4:58:29 was a close third.
The Kaiwi channel, between the island of Molokai and O‘ahu, saw over Seventy-one competitors start the 32 mile treck with its extreme & brutal conditions, of heat, headwinds and no sign of any following seas. The race conditions were described as “Brutal” finished with sixty-three finishers.
Race director Manny Kulukulualani, also a top 5 competitor, did not race the Channel, and it was his first absence from the Solo race in 13 years.
The womens winner was again Lauren Spalding of Maui, 5:30:06, winning her Eighth Kaiwi Channel OC-1 World Championship. Runner-up was Coral Darbishire 5:32:51 with Lindsey Shank 5:34:06
Top 10 Men Finishers:
1) Danny Ching (4:58:03)
2)Daniel Chun (4:58:05)
3)Pat Dolan (4:58: 29)
4)Billy Lawson (5:01:49)
5)Makana Denton (5:04:54)
6)Greg Long (5:07:08)
7)Aaron Creps (5:07:57)
8)Justin Banfield (5:08:03)
9)Kai Chong (5:08:24)
10)Simeon Ke-Paloma (5:10:49)
Top Women Finishers:
1)Lauren Spalding (5:30:06)
2)Coral Darbishire (5:32:51)
3)Lindsey Shank (5:34:06)
4)Claire Townsend (5:39:55)
5)Rachel Bruntsch (5:48:49)
6)Nahoku Keala (5:59:08)
7)Nikki Radford (6:05:42)
8)Leilani Shackelford (6:08:32)
9)Ingrid Seiple (6:16:51)
10) Noelani Sawyer-Auger (6:24:08)
