NORMLESS

#35 Dean Gardiner: Nine-Time Molokai World Champion

Episode Summary

Oceanpaddler founder Dean Gardiner is regarded by his peers as the best Australian downwind paddler of our time, his reputation founded on countless victories internationally at the world-renowned Molokai Challenge, at the ICF World Cup, world regattas and countless races in Australia. A nine-time Molokai World Champion, Dean’s first Molokai was in 1989, and since then he has raced almost every one of the 53 km Hawaiian enduros. The most revered ocean ski race in the world, paddlers are faced with an ocean crossing, traversing the Kaiwi Channel from Molokai island to Oahu. So dominant was Dean, that the race record that was set in 1994 – and he bettered in 1998 – held strong for 24 years, only broken in 2018 by his good friend and fellow Fenn paddler, Cory Hill. Perth born and bred, Dean was the founder of the iconic Doctor race, a 27 km downwind race from Rottnest Island to Perth. He staged his first Doctor in 2001, won it in 2022, and has built it over the last two decades to the legendary event it is today. In 2002, Dean introduced ocean paddling to Australia through the introduction of Fenn skis to our shores, and the development of the first ocean racing series. Two decades of hard work and financial risk by Dean, has seen the sport flourish in Australia and now Oceanpaddler organises the Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing Series, a 16-race championship across five Australian states. Dean’s a pioneer of ocean ski racing, and along with a handful of passionate paddlers from around the globe, is largely responsible for the popularity of the sport today.

Episode Notes

A nine-time Molokai World Champion, Dean’s first Molokai was in 1989, and since then he has raced almost every one of the 53 km Hawaiian enduros. The most revered ocean ski race in the world, paddlers are faced with an ocean crossing, traversing the Kaiwi Channel from Molokai island to Oahu. So dominant was Dean, that the race record that was set in 1994 – and he bettered in 1998 – held strong for 24 years, only broken in 2018 by his good friend and fellow Fenn paddler, Cory Hill.

Perth born and bred, Dean was the founder of the iconic Doctor race, a 27 km downwind race from Rottnest Island to Perth. He staged his first Doctor in 2001, won it in 2022, and has built it over the last two decades to the legendary event it is today.

In 2002, Dean introduced ocean paddling to Australia through the introduction of Fenn skis to our shores, and the development of the first ocean racing series.

Two decades of hard work and financial risk by Dean, has seen the sport flourish in Australia and now Oceanpaddler organises the Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing Series, a 16-race championship across five Australian states.

Dean’s a pioneer of ocean ski racing, and along with a handful of passionate paddlers from around the globe, is largely responsible for the popularity of the sport today.

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