Old Man of the Sea – Dean Gardiner takes on Molokai again
In the world of ocean paddling there is few that rate alongside the 46 year old Dean Gardiner. For the last twenty five years Gardiner has built a reputation as the best in the world in big downwind ocean paddling events.
He has won the World Championship of ocean paddling an incredible nine times and still holds the record as the fastest man powered craft ever to cross the infamous Molokai Channel in Hawaii.
Reaching speeds of up to 30km an hour Dean has made the 54km crossing on his surf ski in an astonishing 3h 21mins. 
Dean will be taking on the very best in the world once again this weekend on Sunday 15th May as the annual Molokai event rolls around. After a solid second placing behind Olympian Clint Robinson last year Gardiner is keen to make amends.
Since 1994 Dean has held the record for the prestigious event. Over the last 17 years many have tried but none have come close to his time, except Dean, who lowered the record himself in 1997.
Molokai is the pinnacle of every ocean paddlers sporting career. The Molokai channel hosts a number of crossings each year with paddleboards, stand ups and outrigger canoes each vying for their own separate title.
It’s the surf skis that take the limelight as the only craft that can link the big ocean swells with the strong following seas to reach the extraordinary speeds across the open body of water.
We will have updated information on our website on Monday morning when the race is run in Hawaii.
Good luck Dean!
