Smith’s idea of fun is challenging treacherous waterways

While New South Wales Institute of Sport scholarship athlete Jemma Smith’s Pittwater House high school students are kicking back on their holidays, the ocean racing world champion is steeling herself to battle fast moving water and blustery winds in her latest – and exhausting – endurance challenge.

Smith, who recently added the prestigious Molokai 2 Oahu title to her list of achievements, is in the United States preparing to compete in the Gorge Downwind Champs on Oregon’s Hood River. While she hasn’t competed in it before, her description makes you wonder how the 21.4km course can sound inviting . . . let alone fun . . . for anyone!

“The Hood River is a fast river, and the wind and tide go against each other, and they create big pressure waves,” she said. “From what I’ve gathered it’s a technical race. The current is flowing at different speeds in different spots, so it is going to be challenging.”

However, the world champion’s recent feat of winning Hawaii’s 52km-long Molokai 2 Oahu – regarded as a course that covers some of the most treacherous waters on the planet – yielded yet another incredible achievement for Smith.

“I was fortunate enough to win the women’s open category,” said Smith, who has a strong pedigree in surf lifesaving with both her grandfather and mother life members of the Umina club.

“It was a very tough race . . . going over and seeing the conditions that race can put across that stretch of water meant I arrived in Hawaii hoping to have those amazing conditions. But when we turned up to race it was dead flat. I had to paddle every single stroke across that channel, so it was a tough race.

“At the same time, though, I was stoked to be able to go and experience it. It’s 52 kilometres of what’s a very unforgiving body of water. This year was hot and humid, so training in Sydney this time of year – and going over there to compete in those conditions – was a huge shock to the system.

“Racing in the Molokai 2 Oahu had been on my bucket list for a long time, and I was fortunate that, logistically, it was possible to work around a few events. It was a great experience.”

To prepare for her extreme maritime marathons, Smith’s schedule as a schoolteacher requires her to put herself through the mill just on sunrise.

“To prepare [for Molokai and the Hood River] I spend time doing some kilometres on the ski, long runs or time in the gym doing aerobic work,” she said. “We finished our domestic kayaking and surf lifesaving [about a month before I went to Hawaii] so I jumped onto my ocean ski and started training.

“My Saturday mornings were taken up doing long paddles, and I started increasing the ‘ks’ from 30 to 50 kilometres. I’m fortunate Pittwater House – I’m contracted to teach there for terms two, three and four – have been very supportive of me, that wonderful support has been awesome.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS