A volunteer lifeguard who helped save a woman attacked by a shark on a Sydney beach has won the world paddleboarding championship amid hurricane conditions.
Charlie Verco competed in the 27th Moloka’i 2 O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships in Hawaii on Sunday.
Almost 100 participants from around the world paddleboarded a 52-kilometre stretch of open ocean from Moloka’i to O’ahu in the central Pacific.
It included crossing the Kaiwi Channel, known as the “Channel of Bones”, which is home to sharks, jellyfish and other marine life.
The organisers described it as being “widely regarded as the sport’s ultimate open-ocean endurance challenge”, testing paddlers’ skills, endurance and ocean knowledge.
The 24-year-old from Sydney won the event for the fourth time, finishing in 4 hours, 18 minutes and 3 seconds, breaking the world record.
The elite paddleboarder walked out of the water on foot smiling after finishing the race. (Supplied: Moloka’i 2 O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships)
“I’m so stoked, it’s so incredible. I’ve never felt so good in body and mind after the race and it’s extra special that I was able to set a record at the same time,” he said in a post-race interview.
“I’ve put years and years of work into it, training two to three time a day, six days a week.”
Verco, who regularly trains in the northern beaches and Sydney’s east, was training when he helped save shark attack survivor Leah Stewart at Coogee Beach in June.
“It has definitely helped remind me that the ocean is something you have to respect,” he said.
“I’m hoping Leah is doing alright and I feel incredibly grateful that I get to have an experience like this in the ocean.“
Hurricane conditions
Verco had to navigate through “really big swells” and “strong winds” caused by category one Hurricane Fausto, which was heading towards the Hawaiian Islands.
Throughout the week, organisers had been monitoring the hurricane forecasts from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in coordination with the United States Coast Guard and local emergency management partners.
“I think with the cyclone we were a little worried about impacting, but it managed to stay far enough away that there was just good wind behind us,” Verco said.
Supporting him along the way in the escort boat was his brother and his father, Jamie Verco, who said the beginning of the race was “quiet”.
Mr Verco was supported by his father and brother in the escort boat. (Supplied: Moloka’i 2 O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships)
“The swell wasn’t lining up with the wind at all and you have to be very patient not to burn a lot of energy trying to chase the swell that would take you in the wrong direction,” he said.
“Through the middle of the channel he started to speed up and by the end he was really flying.
“About an hour and a half out he said he’d have a crack at the record and his brother just said, ‘Yeah, go for it’.“
The paddleboarder’s mother and sister were watching from home.
Jamie Verco said he was “so proud” of his son.
“He’s worked so hard and he’s a humble kid who’s put in the hard yards and does all the work and he’s got the rewards today,” he said.
“He’s been quietly pleased with himself, I think.”
Race organisers said more than 35 Australians competed in the prone paddleboard competition with Verco, with 38-year-old Stewart Mclachlan coming in second and 28-year-old Stone Harrison in third.
Verco said this year’s focus was to not “get ahead of himself”.
“My goal was just to have fun with it. It was the same attitude I had throughout all my training, is not to be so stressed out.”
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