SYC Outriggers first OC6 Open Women -HI Cup
Southport Yacht Club's Outriggers won first place in every OC6 Open Women race at this year's Powerade Hamilton Island Cup including the 500m sprints, 1,000m sprints and 16km and 42km marathons. 
'Open Women Winners - Powerade Hamilton Island Cup'
Southport Yacht Club © Click Here to view large photo
Gusty 25 knot south-east winds and up to 3m swells forced Cup officials to use the alternate course passed Henning and Cid Island turning at the northern end of Whitsunday Island to finish back at Catseye Bay.
Southport Yacht Club Outriggers Team Captain Jasmin Kelly said they had been planning yesterday's win for the past two years and the change of course didn't affect their game plan.
'We'd been working on a plan so we were keen to stick to it and it really paid off,' she said.
'We hadn't won this marathon before so were almost the underdogs but this year we really upped the ante.
'To win is such a bonus.'
This is the first time since 2002 that Mooloolaba hasn't won the OC6 42km Marathon Open Women division and Southport Yacht Club Outrigger's are the first Gold Coast womens team to ever win the 42km Marathon.
Over 2000 paddlers, representing 53 clubs, competed at the 25th anniversary of the Powerade Hamilton Island Cup - Australia's largest outrigger canoe competition.
Teams from around Australia and the world, included USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, battled the elements in the Whitsundays, representing the age divisions of Open Men and Women (under 35), Open Mixed, Master Men and Women, Senior Master Men and Women and Golden Master Men (age 55 plus).
POWERADE HAMILTON ISLAND CUP RESULTS
OC6 42km Marathon:
Open Women
1 Southport Yacht Club Outriggers 3:41:55.45
2 Mooloolaba 3:45:47.76
3 Hanohano 4:02:09.10
Open Mixed
1 Tweed Coast 3:35:41.70
2 Canberra 3:58:04.65
3 Southport Yacht Club Outriggers 4:04:33.34
Full results at: www.hamiltoncup.com/new/results.html
by Sarah Cann 
