Hagan out to make his own mark
JOHNNY Hagan bought his first stand up paddle board off world SUP champion Michael Booth.
Now he’s aiming to upstage the man who gave him a start in the sport.
Four years ago Hagan was a keen surf lifesaver training at the Kurrawa club.
Originally from North Stradbroke Island, Hagan moved to the Gold Coast a few years ago for work, which is when SUP entered his orbit.
“I had been doing surf lifesaving my whole life at the time and then Michael Booth won a big race and he was training at my club,” he said.
“The first race I ever did, I borrowed one of my mate’s boards and paddled on that a few times before the event but I was hooked on downwind from then.
“I bought one of Michael’s old boards so it was a good way to get into the sport and hoping to follow in his footsteps.”
Though general ocean skills are transferable, the 22-yearold paramedic said it took him more than six months to get
TODAY
Technical Surf Battle Rego/Check-in 7.30-8.30am Race briefing 8.45-9am Race start 9.30am
Foil muster rally for afternoon activity
TOMORROW
Distance race – long/short Rego/Check-in 7.30-9am Race briefing 9.15am Race start 11am (long course) Race start 11.30am (short course)
*All events at Burleigh Beach
used to SUP. “I’d done a lot of paddling in surf but with SUP you’ve got to keep changing sides so there are a few more elements to it than other disciplines,” he said.
Hagan today competes in the iconic 12 Towers ocean paddle race, now in its ninth year.
In what will be his third year competing, Hagan hopes to draw on weeks of training and challenge some of the best local and international paddlers after coming second in the technical race at the recent New Zealand nationals.
“It’s in our backyard and we train that coast so many times a day so it’s really cool to have a premier SUP race on the Gold Coast,” he said.
“It’s a condition-dependent race but it’s one of the harder events on the calendar.
“I’m hoping after a couple of months training that I can mix it with the top guys I’ve been chasing for the past few years.”
In the women’s race, local hope Ke’ale Dorries will be leading the charge after finishing fourth in the female longcourse race in 2019.
The 12 Towers Festival also doubles as the Queensland SUP titles and Dorries is hoping to continue her form after taking out the 200m sprints at the New Zealand nationals.
“I’d like to improve on my result from last year and hopefully crack the top three,” the 22-year-old said.
The 12 Towers Ocean Festival technical surf battle kicks off this morning, followed by the foil muster rally this afternoon.
The short and long course 12 Towers races are scheduled to start tomorrow at 11am.