Lachie Lansdown

"Could you tell us a little bit about Prone Paddling and your career in the sport to date?"

"I’ve been pretty fortunate with my paddle career having to the opportunity to do lots of traveling with some really cool people. Prone paddling is a pretty small community and without the help of others I would of never been able to do 1/2 the trips to date.

I started paddling through Noosa nippers at 11 and worked my way though the SLS scene moving onto long distance events at around 17. In 2013 I won the Molokai 2 Oahu teams with Kurt lager and have placed 2nd in the individual 5 times now. I’ve been lucky enough to represent Australia 4 times now at the ISA paddle games and won 4 individual world titles. I currently hold the course record for the Catalina classic which I’ve won 4 times in 2 divisions. The trophies for Catalina are big wave guns and are currently hanging up in the bar at Land and Sea. The whole paddling world has been put on hold with COVID so I’ve just been at home surfing. Hopefully we can travel and race again soon."

"What is the weirdest route you have raced and why?"

"It’s going to be hard to pick one but paddling a loop around the danish opera house in Copenhagen is definitely up there. Also paddling through the Columbia river gorge in Oregon and off an island south of China. Not usually the types of places that come to mind when you think of paddling."

"You have been racing for a while, how have you seen the paddling scene developed over the last 10 years?"

"The sport is slowly growing; I’ve seen more and more younger paddlers showing interest in the long distance side of things. If you don’t have kids interested, your sport doesn’t have a future. There’s also been some really cool movies that have come out throughout the last 10 years. They really help promote what we do."

"What is some advice that you would give to someone just starting to race?"

"Do the kms! 

Molokai and Catalina are both 52km races. You’re looking at 5-7 hours of paddle time depending on conditions so if you show up with the slightest bit of doubt that you haven’t done the work you’re gonna have a really bad day."

"We see you out in the line-up on the regular surfing different alternative boards, do you have a photo of your recent quiver? What’s your favourite board right now and why?"

"I’ve tried to build a quiver that allows me to paddle out every day of the year from 1 to 15ft. 

When I was younger I only ever surfed my paddle board so I never really leant how to surf on my feet. Lately I’ve been trying to find old knee boards on marketplace and surf them on the points.  My latest find is a 80s single fin with a flex tail."

"Do you have anything exciting coming up?"

"One day I’d love to paddle the gap from Alaska to Russia. I’ve got some crazy friends who would be keen to have a go with me so that would be a cool one.  As of now I’m just waiting for the world to open back up so these events can go ahead again. Until then I’ll be in Noosa drinking beer."