JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Kai Bartlett, of Hawaii, celebrated after crossing the finish line to take first in the men's outrigger canoe division.

Chalupsky takes title

The 42-year-old South African
finishes first overall at the
Molokai World Championship

It can be addictive.

Just ask three of the four winners of the 29th annual Kona Brewing Co. Molokai World Championship. All have won before and seem to never tire of it.

Winning never gets old, as South African Oscar Chalupsky proved yesterday. The 42-year-old crossed the finish line with a big smile as he completed the 32-mile race from Papohaku Roadstead to the Koko Marina Center in 3 hours, 28 minutes and 38 seconds.

The 11-time winner of the men's surfski division edged 2004 Olympian Nathan Baggaley (3:30:52) by mere minutes.

In the women's surfski division, Jasmin Cohen glided across the finish line well ahead of her nearest competitor in a time of 4:08:02.

Hawaii's Kai Bartlett (3:52:37) captured his second victory since 2002 in the men's outrigger canoe division.

Experience was the difference for Chalupsky, who was competing in his 13th Molokai championship. He overcame falling out of his kayak 90 minutes into the race, cramps in his forearms in the final 600 yards, and a major challenge from Baggaley.

It was nearly unlucky No. 13 until Chalupsky chased down Baggaley and caught a good bump coming off China Wall to take the lead.

"It was tough. I can't say it was easy," said Chalupsky, who didn't have a seat pad for the last 2 hours of the race. "It was probably one of the hardest. You lose a lot of time when you fall off and the other guy's on a run catching a wave. It's annoying. ..You try to keep your composure in the face of difficulty."

Baggaley, a world champion sprinter, proved a worthy opponent in his first Molokai race. The Australian pushed Chalupsky neck and neck through the Kaiwi Channel but ultimately succumbed to cramps and inexperience.

Baggaley wasn't fully prepared for a race of endurance as he stood for several minutes leaning on a supporter after the race.

"The last 50 minutes of the race I was cramping really badly," said Baggaley, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the K1 500. "(Through) three quarters of the race I was feeling great. I led the whole way. It's just unfortunate, but the combination of heat and the distance, I think it all got to me. ... I think you have to do a few of these races and condition your body.

"For me to get so close in my first race, I'm really happy with the results. I did everything I could've done."

The distance may have been long for some competitors, but for paraplegic John Maclean, it was one of his shorter races. Maclean has completed the Ironman Triathlon and swum the English Channel. He and partner Dave Wells placed second in the two-man surfski division with a time of 5:01:41.

"It's a very tough event. No regrets. It was great to be here," said Maclean, who is paralyzed from the waist down. "I'm very happy to be part of the event. ... This is the Mecca of the sport, so I wanted to have a go of it. It's nice to be part of it and I hope to open the doors for other challenged athletes to come over, participate and enjoy the fun as well."

Fun was the sentiment echoed by Cohen.

While the course record wasn't the focal point for Chalupsky, it certainly was for Cohen. The Australian wasn't sure that she would be back next year, but after coming close this year, she's tempted to return.

"It was unreal. It was good fun out there," Cohen said. "I got to race a lot of the guys, so they ended up pushing me the whole way.

"I was really trying to go for the record there, but I missed it by a couple of minutes. It was still a really good race. ... I think I'm a bit addicted to this race."

Bartlett let out a long whoop of exhilaration after he crossed the finish line. Despite being a previous winner, Bartlett puts a figurative asterisk next to his 2002 title.

That year, he set the course record, but the field was without five-time winner Karel Tresnak Jr., who was on the mainland for college.

Yesterday's victory with a full field was still just as satisfying even after Bartlett learned that Tresnak withdrew when the nose of his canoe broke.

"I was going out there to try and have fun," said Bartlett, who was 13th overall in the field of 124 entries. "I had great fun surfing out there. I'm totally blown away. ... I'm kind of speechless. The ocean was really nice."

Lisa Curry-Kenny won the women's OC-1 division in 4:46:39. Maui's Lauren Spalding, the winner of the last three Molokai races, didn't compete yesterday.

Notes: Stu Gaessner (3:47:12) was the first Hawaii paddler to cross the line and was 11th overall. ... Chalupsky's last win was in 2003. His brother, Herman Chalupsky, won his first title last year. ... Australian Dean Gardiner, a nine-time winner, finished third in 3:31:45.