Jamie Mitchell - Australian

Jamie Mitchell - Member of the World Paddle Awards Academy

Jamie Mitchell is the ultimate waterman. Not only is he a ten time consecutive winner of the gruelling Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships but he is also an accomplished big wave surfer, tow-in surfer, stand-up paddle boarder, surf life saver, professional lifeguard and now runs a successful surf craft manufacturing company.

The Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard championships is the ultimate test for any waterman and is therefore at the top of Jamie’s list of achievements. Paddlers are required to traverse the 32-mile Ka’iwi channel, nicknamed the Channel of Bones, between the North Shore of Molokai, Hawaii to the South Shore of Oahu which is arguably the most unpredictable and wildest stretches of ocean in the world. For a paddler to finish this race once is a remarkable achievement in itself, but to win it 10 consecutive times is completely astonishing. His record time of 4 hours, 40 minutes and 31 seconds that he set in 2011 to take his 10th win still stands as the fastest crossing ever.

He won the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race in 2002. A 32 Mile race from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach.

Whilst Jamie sees the Molokai race as his everest, it is the mountainous walls of water that he conquers that has caught the eyes of many. In 2007 Jamie earned a nomination in the ‘Monster Paddle In’ category in Billabongs XXL Big Wave awards after his ride in Todos Santos, Mexico. Surfer Magazine in the USA named this as arguably the heaviest paddle session ever, cementing Jamie among the worlds elite big wave riders. [see video 2009]

But it’s not all fun and games. In 2014 Jamie earned a nomination for ‘Wipeout of the Year’ after taking off on a 60 foot wave in Belharra, France. In 2015 he won the WSL Big Wave Awards for the Biggest Paddle in Wave of the Year. The wave was at the notorious Mavericks break. Whilst it takes a lot of skill to conquer these waves, it is Jamie’s heart that sees him continue his search for bigger and better

On top of this Jamie has been a big driving force behind the success of Stand Up Paddleboarding worldwide. As the winner of the 2009 Battle of the Paddle Mitchell has dominated it competitively for more than a decade and been a great advocate for the new sport.

After retiring from the Molokai race in 2012 Jamie concentrated on launching his manufacturing company, JM Paddleboards. Specialising in Surf Life Saving racing Mals, Nipper Boards, SUP’s and Prone Paddleboards this boutique brand is going from strength to strength. Quickly becoming one of the main brands in Surf Life Saving, there is a push to make it a legitimate player on the international SUP market.

Jamie Mitchell is one of the most qualified, respected and humble watermen in the world. A true legend of the water. His passion, tireless dedication and knowledge both on and off the water makes him a great asset to the World Paddle Awards as a member of the academy.