HILL BACK ON TOP
COAST PADDLER WINS SERIES BUT EYES FINALE VICTORY IN SYDNEY
NORTHCLIFFE athlete Cory Hill today departs for Sydney with one hand firmly gripping the Australian Ocean Racing Series title.
Hill has been a standout in the national ocean paddling league to put himself in the box seat to become a back-to-back champion, heading into the final round, the Bridge to Beach, on Sunday.
“It’s been a good season so far and I’ve been lucky enough to come away with a couple of wins and some seconds in some of the bigger events that’s put me in the lead and hopefully after the weekend, results permitting, I’ll come away with the series win,” he said.
“As far as I can tell – I hope my maths is correct – I have got enough points now to take out the series based on what I have done so far.”
But he declared that situation would not affect his approach to the race from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Manly Wharf.
“It’s a funny one, because you want to finish the series off on a high,” the 27-year-old said.
“It’s like winning the minor premiership and then coming away with a second in the grand final, it doesn’t feel quite the same, you fin- ish the season off on a bit of a lull.
“And the Australian series sort of finishes up as the world series gets going … all their races start to pop up from April, May onwards and you really have to hit the end of the Australian series to be in form.”
Hill is striving for his maiden win in the Bridge to Beach, labelling it a “bogey race” after finishing second the past two years, first to Sean Rice and then Michael Booth.
“Being one of the most highly participated races for our sport in Australia, it’s one of those races that you do want to go across, go quite well and put your name on that trophy,” he said.
Beyond that, he is targeting five international-class events this year including New Zealand, Tahiti, Hong Kong, Perth and the prestigious 52km race in Molokai, Hawaii in May.
An accountant by day, Hill dominated title events to be crowned the World Surfski Series champion two years ago, before finishing a narrow runner-up last year.
The Adelaide-born paddler’s involvement in the sport dates back to his father’s association with Grange Surf Club. His progress only ramped up when he moved to the Gold Coast as a teenager and linked up with Northcliffe.