CORY HILL CLAIMS RECORD-BREAKING THIRD ICF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Cory Hill has never been one to celebrate his achievements, but the Australian couldn’t help but acknowledge the history he created in Perth this afternoon.
Putting his paddle down on a run and looking over his shoulder 100 metres, the 34 year-old realised he had just won the 2023 ICF Ocean Racing World Championship.
Just like he did at the Doctor, Hill stopped on the shoreline to share a moment with his wife Llani and their three young boys, before striding up the sand and across the finish line.
With that, he became the first paddler to win three ICF World Titles.
“I’ve reflected on it a little bit more this year, aware that I have won some of these races more than anyone else, ever,” Hill admitted to The Paddler after the race.
“I have my names on some of these trophies more than others, which is quite cool.
“I didn’t get into the sport for things like that. I think I’ve just fallen into it because of my love of the sport.
“I won’t say it will stop here, but if it does, i’ll be a happy man.”
Just like he did at the Doctor, Hill stopped on the shoreline to share a moment with his wife Llani and their three young boys, before striding up the sand and across the finish line.
With that, he became the first paddler to win three ICF World Titles.
“I’ve reflected on it a little bit more this year, aware that I have won some of these races more than anyone else, ever,” Hill admitted to The Paddler after the race.
“I have my names on some of these trophies more than others, which is quite cool.
“I didn’t get into the sport for things like that. I think I’ve just fallen into it because of my love of the sport.
“I won’t say it will stop here, but if it does, i’ll be a happy man.”
German Gordan Harbrecht was lightning fast off the line, and reached the two kilometre turning buoy in front.
But Hill was right on his tail. Soon, he surfed his way in front. And from there, he didn’t look back.
To view the full results of the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships, click here.
His winning margin even came as a surprise to himself.
Hill actually had to ask Llani whether he had won, before sealing what is arguably the greatest year of his illustrious, record-breaking career.
“Yeah, I think even coming into today’s race I thought it might be one of my best seasons,” Hill says.
“2015 was a breakthrough for me, winning the Doctor, Molokai and the ICF World Championships.
“This one was strange. Domestically, I felt like I couldn’t buy a win. I’d get beaten in sprint finishes or just beaten in general.
“But when it was time to shine, I was able to do the job at hand.
“Ironically, I only won 5 or 6 races this year. They just happened to be the ones I wanted.”
Hill had to push all the way until those final moments, but the real race was unfolding behind him for second.
The field was locked in an incredibly hard-fought battle all the way up the coast.
In the end, it came down to the smallest of margins.
Gordan Harbrecht turned the final buoy 100 metres off the beach in second, but soon, he was joined by South Africans Hank McGregor and Joshua Fenn.
The trio caught the same wave to the beach and played out one of the most enthralling sprint finishes in recent memory.
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McGregor claimed silver while Fenn snuck home for third, leaving Harbrecht narrowly off the podium in fourth.
“My life saving skills kicked in, and I made a more direct line into the beach… the old man can still run,” McGregor laughs.
“I’m stoked to have claimed that silver medal from the position I was in, and I’m really happy with what I did out there today.”
Still, the legendary paddler couldn’t hide his disappointment.
It’s the third time he’s won silver, still searching for that elusive gold medal.
“It hurts physically and it hurts mentally,” he says.
“I was brought up saying, ‘First is first, second is nothing and third we don’t talk about.’”
“My heart really is all about the win. I’m going to have to train harder, refocus and see what next year brings.
“Hats off to Cory, hats off to Paddle Australia for hosting the World Championships and turning the wind on today. It’s only fitting he is the World Champion here.”
Claiming bronze, today is the biggest result of Joshua Fenn’s career.
After playing catch-up at the opening turning buoy, Fenn fought his way through the field to climb onto his most competitive podium to date.
“For me to do this at the World Championships is massive, it means a lot to me,” Fenn says. “And to share the podium with Cory and Hank is massive, it’s been a lifetime goal.
“The two of them have been my idols growing up, so to share this now is so special.”
The smile couldn’t be wiped off Cory Hill’s face as he stepped on top of the ICF’s dias for the third time in his career.
Unlike the first two, this time around, he had a wife and three sons there watching.
The balance between his life as an athlete, his family and his growing accounting business has been tough to manage.
But today provided the ultimate pay-off.
“I’ve always had this triangle of responsibilities where I’ll be on the water and feel like I should be working, I’ll be at work and feel like I should be with the family, and when I’m with the family being lazy, I feel like I should go for a paddle,” he says.
“It’s a really tricky triangle to navigate, but Llani is right in my corner there and we’re just doing the best we can.”
The result places him among the greatest paddlers the sport has ever seen, if not the standalone best.
Not that Hill, known for his modesty, would ever entertain the thought.
Nicknamed “Mr November”, he’s once again delivered at the most crucial time of year.
“I won’t think of that too much myself. I’m just lucky Worlds fell on November 30, which pushed it into that calendar month where I seem to do so well.”
To read about the women’s race, and Jemma Smith’s own piece of history, click here.
