For the champ, it’s all about the challenge

Jamie Mitchell quit chasing the question marks a long time ago.

The whys of what he does no longer matters.

At 34, the Australian doesn’t see Sunday’s 15th Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championship as an ocean of numbers … even though he has won a record nine straight and has five of the top-10 times, including the fastest.

What Mitchell sees every time he has done the 32-mile event is the challenge of besting the Kaiwi Channel. Because, as anyone who has ever made the crossing knows, on any given day, the channel can win.

"The race is something special to me," said Mitchell, who set the record of 4 hours, 48 minutes, 23 seconds in 2007. "I like coming back because I enjoy what I do and I love doing it. It’s not about nine or 10.

"I love the challenge, of competing in the channel and against the channel. And you try to win as well."

In the beginning, Mitchell and several of his fellow lifeguards would save up all of their vacation time and come to Hawaii. Now, what used to be a six-week holiday from work has turned into a job that pays the bills.

"I’m lucky with that," Mitchell said of his endorsements and sponsorships, "but it doesn’t change the reason for wanting to compete. The draw is in the experience and the friends you make.

"Actually I am surprised you can make money. From when I first started until now, it’s become surreal. You can see the next generation being able to make a living as pro athletes. It’s exciting for the kids who will do what they love and get paid for it."

Growing up near the beach in Currumbin, Queensland, Mitchell was a water baby. His father was a surfer and fisherman, and "I got tossed in the water at a young age," Mitchell said. "I had asthma so I was made to swim to help it. Joined junior lifeguards, learned to paddle and it snowballed.

"I just got married and my wife is a water person, too. Loves to paddle and surf. We both enjoy the lifestyle."

Mitchell has been enjoying this extended holiday in Hawaii. He prepped for Sunday by winning two other paddleboard races this month: the 17-mile Cline Mann on Oahu and last week’s 9-mile Maliko Gulch off Maui.

There is a record field of more than 250 athletes competing in the paddleboard and stand-up paddleboard divisions. Mitchell said he can’t single out who might be his biggest competition.

"There’s a couple of Australian guys coming on strong, a couple from California and, of course the Hawaii guys like Brian Rocheleau and Keoni Watson," he said.

And, of course, there are the channel conditions.

"I trained to paddle in any condition," he said. "I like it rough but not out of control. Winds maybe 20-25 (knots), waves 8-10 feet.

"I definitely think my surfing background has helped me see the ocean in a different light. The more time you spend on the water, the more you learn. I definitely feel I’m in the best shape of my life but flat conditions will make it really hard. ‘Touch wood’ we get some wind."

Mitchell said eventually he’d like to do the channel races on a stand-up paddleboard, OC-1 and OC-6.

"I want to be like guys like (70-year-old) Nappy Napoleon who are still paddling the channel," he said. "You want to keep doing it whether you’re getting paid or not.

"At the end of the day, it’s all about the challenge of how much more can you do."