Kaenon Polarized's Jamie Mitchell Celebrates 10 Years of Victory

Newport Beach, CA — August 1, 2011 — Kaenon Polarized‘s Jamie Mitchell claimed the unthinkable, an unprecedented tenth consecutive win at the grueling Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships on Sunday. Wearing the new Kaenon Hard Kore JM10 sunglass style, a custom-designed color commemorating his 10th title, Jamie led the prone division from start to finish, breaking his own course record, again, with a time of 4:40:31, and cemented his place as the most dominant paddler the sport has ever seen.

“I was stressing about this one, more than the last 9,” said an exhausted Mitchell after he crossed the finish line, wearing the company’s newly released (today) Hard Kore sunglass in custom painted Matte Black/White color combo with Grey 12 SR-91 polarized lenses.

“So many people were expecting me to win, including myself. In the end it all worked out perfectly. I couldn’t be more happy and relieved.”

Comparisons to Michael Jordan or Kelly Slater have been made toward Mitchell, who has no peer in the sport of open-ocean padding, putting an exclamation point on his latest victory by earning an incredible 10th consecutive title. However, unlike Jordan or Slater, Mitchell announced after the race that he will officially be retiring from competitive open-ocean paddling to transition full time to his other passion – exploration and the pursuit of big wave surfing. He will continue to Stand Up Paddle (SUP), but will no longer train for the Molokai Crossing, leaving his prone paddling legacy untarnished.

The 15th running of the treacherous 32-mile, open-ocean crossing of the Molokai channel, starting on the North Shore of Molokai and finishing in Maunalua Bay on the island of Oahu, saw a record entry of 250 of the world’s best paddlers come out to compete in this non-stop ocean crossing that saw typical Molokai channel conditions of 15 to 20 knot trade winds and a running 8-foot swell.

On the eve of Kaenon’s ten year anniversary, Jamie has continued to represent the performance sunglass brand’s spirit at the purest level, an all-around waterman living an authentic life driven by a deep passion for excellence, exploration and adventure.

“From the day Jamie strolled into our Newport Beach offices nine years ago with mate and mentor Mick DiBetta, it was clear to me that Jamie would be something very special,” said Steve Rosenberg, co-founder and CEO of Kaenon Polarized. “His pure love for the ocean, his humility and charm, the typical ‘aw shucks, humble Aussie attitude’ was so refreshing, especially when Mick was telling me, ‘this guy is the man, best the sport will ever see when it’s over!’

“That meeting at Kaenon Polarized, when we were just starting out as a new business and he was just embarking on writing his legacy, continues to be one of my fondest memories and inspirational images in our business.

“To see him win number 10, in a row, is mind-blowing and exciting. To win one is great, to defend is always an accomplishment, but to dominate and win 10 years running? That’s Jordan-esque, Slater-esque, it’s freakish! Jamie is truly one of the greatest athletes and inspirations of our time, and an even better human being.”

The Molokai Channel is nicknamed the “Channel of Bones” for claiming countless lives in its treacherous waters. The 2,300-foot deep section of the Pacific tests even the most elite paddlers with powerful trade winds, large swells and strong currents that can change instantly. It has been called, by Mitchell, his personal Mt. Everest and in that sense, Jamie reached the summit Sunday.

“He’s simply an exceptional athlete, period,” said Chris Wyman, Sports Marketing Director at Kaenon Polarized. “Jamie Mitchell is one of the most down-to-earth, humble human beings on the planet. The fact that he has just won his 10th consecutive paddle board world championship, searches for and surfs the biggest waves on the planet and wins most of the stand up paddling events he enters, puts him at the top of the list of the greatest watermen alive. Anyone who can do all of this completely rocks in my book!”

Read more about Jamie Mitchell at Kaenon.com or on his official website.

About Kaenon Polarized
Since 2001, Kaenon Polarized has continued in its mission to provide elite athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts with unmatched polarized optics and high-performance frames, all with superior fit and luxurious style. With proprietary and revolutionary SR-91 polarized lenses, Kaenon Polarized continues to push the boundaries of active optics with award-winning performance sunglass styles, all available in Single Vision and Freestyle Progressive prescription.

Kaenon Polarized
864 W. 16th Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(866) KAENON-1
www.kaenon.com

Media Contact:
Tyler Weaver
949.574.7918
press@kaenon.com