The Pambula Club 2 Pub race kicked the summer season off and the MAKAI Paddlers crew did not disappoint, with outstanding results all round.

In choppy conditions, competitors paddled from the surf club at Pambula south along the coastline before turning and heading back to cross the treacherous Merimbula Bar to finish up river.

Damo Staunton led from start to finish and demolished the opposition by winning with a gap of several minutes over his nearest competitor.

Next in was Dion Carter and Paul Burton, who each paddled well to gain third and fifth respectively.

Paul Watkins, who only recently switched from outrigger to ski paddling, achieved an outstanding result in his first race on a surf ski to grab eighth.

Ty Graham also won the OC division by the narrowest of margins (although he was the only OC paddler).

Race two saw the team head to Sydney to compete in the Lion Island Challenge at Palm Beach.

This is always a testing event and constantly attracts over 200 paddlers.

In very warm, calm conditions Damo recovered from a less than ideal start to finish 10th in this hotly contested field with a time of one hour 14 minutes, with the amazing improver Watto only two minutes behind in one hour and 16 minutes.

Chris Welsh had a great paddle finishing in one hour and 27 minutes followed by Jon Tucker from Mollymook Fine Wines, who was awarded fourth outrigger in a time of one hour 35 minutes, and Jodie Watkins in a personal best time for this course, giving her a well earned second place female in the outrigger division.

Only one week later, and without any MAKAI team mates, Damo raced in the Australian Ocean Racing series event held at Manly beach.

The event, known as ‘The King of the Harbour’, attracts many big names in the sport, and this year was no different, with a large Queensland contingent making the journey.

The course was set as a testing one, with paddlers leaving Manly beach, following the cliff line around to Manly Cove in the harbour and then returning the same way.

Massive side chop and humpback whales were the order of the day with one particular 13 metre whale taking a liking to all the action and getting a little too close for comfort.

Damo revelled in the testing conditions, and was able to grab 11th in his division against many national champions past and present.

The MAKAI Paddlers train several times per week on beautiful Burrill Lake and around the Mollymook/Ulladulla area and welcome paddlers at any level of expertise.

MAKAI is once again gearing up for next year’s famous MAKAI Cup held in February, and has gladly welcomed confirmation from BIG4 Bungalow Park as the major event sponsor for 2015. 

For more information visit www.makaipaddlers.com