FIELD NOTES: MOLOKAI 2 OAHU WITH STOCK WINNER LACHIE LANSDOWN
The 32-mile Molokai 2 Oahu race is a grueling physical feat for any endurance athlete. Winning the race is a lifetime achievement. Claiming that victory while stricken with the flu? That’s downright legendary.
We asked Molokai 2 Oahu’s Stock Winner, Lachie Lansdown to give us a quick review of his prototype AIRTEX CORDURA Boardshorts he wore during the race – and this is what we got.
SHOP OCEANIC GEAR
photo: Mike Ito
“When I was asked to be on the next Test Pilot cycle I was pretty stoked on the fact I’d have the opportunity to thrash the boardies at Molokai 2 Oahu Race. A real place where you receive the opportunity to get rash and sunburn on places of your body you never knew existed.
Molokai has been a huge part of my life and this year would be my 8th crossing of the Channel of Bones. The week leading up was a total s**t show. The two boys I was training and traveling with both got really sick. A few days later, I thought I had missed the illness until waking up the morning before the race and feeling absolutely terrible. I then proceeded to spend the whole day trying every medical center on Molokai to realize nothing was open, and ended up in the hospital for a few long hours. Come the next morning I decided I felt good enough to start the race (Even though I was told not to by a few doctors, haha). It worked out fine in the end, but boy am I paying for it now a few days later.
photo: Jared Butler
I was able to use the shorts a few times before the race, but ultimately set them aside for the big day. It’s just a pet peeve of mine – I always have to have clean gear to race.
Material was amazing, light and stretchy, but not to the point where it was catching on things as I got thrown ‘round. I used the pocket the whole race and it’s the perfect size for a Cliff Bar, pack of Cliff Blocks, and a handful of Advil. Real easy to access while dropping 4ft runners in the middle of nowhere. I believe it’s the only year I’ve done Molokai and wasn’t bleeding at the waistband from rash. With knee paddling you’re bending at that crease a lot. So in my eyes, these shorts are amazing!
The only issue I had – and I doubt a lot of people will have this issue – and I really hope they don’t.
Being sick prior to the race kinda made it a little difficult to go to the toilet. So, to spare you the details, the only issue I had with the shorts was I couldn’t get them off quick enough and s**t my pants mid-channel about 10 miles off Oahu…nothing against the design of the shorts. I just had a shocker.
Thank you for the opportunity. Amazing product and looking forward to using them for the Catalina Classic in a few weeks!”
– Lachie Lansdown, Test Pilot, Molokai 2 Oahu Stock Winner
No, thank you, Lachie. We hope no one has that issue either.
Leave a comment