Name: Dean Hanmer
Hometown: Gold Coast, Australia

Age: 21
Years Paddling: 6

Weekly Mileage:
About 30 miles at the moment

Preferred board length to paddle:
18 ft

Favorite Paddle route:
Snapper Rocks to Currumbin on a good day can be heaps of fun.

Favorite race:
Molokai. Everything about it is just awesome, especially standing on the beach at Kaluakoi and you can just see the mountains of Oahu, and you're like “that’s where we are paddling to?”

I Started Paddling Because:
I started paddling unlimited boards with a mate in a teams race on the goldie back in 2005, and I was hooked from then. Then I did the Hennessey’s Race in Australia in 2006, and I heard about this Molokai race in Hawaii and at first was like “that’s crazy. I’ll never do something like that”. Then last year I did it, and I can’t wait to go back again. I did start nippers (junior lifeguard) when I was 9, so it was just a matter of time before I got on to an unlimited board.

Best Paddling Experience to Date:
Maliko race in 2008. It was the first time I had raced in Hawaii, and the bumps were unbelievable. We don’t get anything like it here. It blew my mind.

Favorite Thing About Paddling: 
Catching sick bumps.

Thing I Hate Most About Paddling:
Trying to organize a driver to drop me off for a downwind run.

What I Tell Myself to Motivate on Days I Just Don't Want to Paddle:
I always want to paddle….haha.

Best "Oh Crap" Moment While In Middle of Ocean:
Honolua Race 2008 on the Gold Coast from Snapper Rocks to Currumbin. There were consistent 6ft+ waves breaking at Snapper (or superbank) and a hectic sweep, so trying to punch through that on an 18ft board was a whole world of fun. Then I lost my board coming in at Currumbin and had to swim like 50meters after paddling 5.5miles to get my board.

iPods While Paddling: Godsend or Good Grief?
I don’t mind them. I used one last year for training and during Molokai. However they can be annoying sometimes.

There's a Head High Swell on a Glassy Day. What do you do? (surf or paddle):
Ummm…..surf!

Paddling Season (which month to which month):
Well the surf live saving racing (lifeguard sprint) season runs from October/November to the Australia Titles in March/April, then it’s from then to July for the Molokai Race. So October to July, it’s a long season.

Bright and early, or nightcap?
Bright and early surf, arvo/nightcap paddle.

Downwind paddle or wait for down winds (glassy):
Downwind for sure, more bumps the better.