Paddle IMUA Post Race Finisher Fun and Interviews Video
Maui, Hawaii May 7, 2016
This video is about all the fun at the recent but GRUELING, 2016 Paddle IMUA Event presented by BLUESMITHS to help the children and community of Maui with special needs.
The local community really comes together at all levels for this special, hugely successful fund raiser to help the kids enjoy the annual Camp IMUA. This race day paddlers faced one of the most difficult course conditions in Maui downwind history as you will watch the interviews just how brutal the race was. I’ve paddled this race several times in sweltering heat and no wind. This year I chose to greet our paddlers in and help cheer them on as they finished their last strokes. I said strokes as in paddle strokes!
The spirit at the this local event is off the charts touching all ages and everyone no matter if you paddle or do an ocean sport. Although this event is touted as a “fun” paddle, you can be sure there is a big field of competitors seeking to cross the line first.
This year one could not guess they were in Maui. The start at Maliko Bay was a mess, cold, rainy, dark and ominous. With little to no wind, dark skies and ocean and ground swell out of the north made for a very challenging, slow 10 miles. For the first couple of miles many lost sight of the coast line and had no idea where they were. Some found themselves way off their course.
Since i did not paddle I decided to do this video, donated my book and training services as a raffles my way of contributing.
It was really a lot of fun seeing the finishers come in and everyone at this event was a winner in life when you complete such an amazing goal. Congrats to everyone who participated. For the full results, click here.
A special shout out to the Paddle IMUA crew: Andrea Moller, Devin Blish, January Asbury, Mai, Julia, John Smalley and so many more who do such an amazing job to make this such a success.
Mahalo for watching and please share this video and the stoke of Paddle IMUA.
Suzie Cooney
