Champions Crowned in Iconic 27km Ocean Paddle from Rottnest to Sorrento - Hill and Bester Win 2025 Shaw and Partners Doctor
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Champions Crowned in Iconic 27km Ocean Paddle from Rottnest to Sorrento - Hill and Bester Win 2025 Shaw and Partners Doctor
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cory Hill claims a record seventh Shaw and Partners Doctor title
- Kira Bester wins the Women’s Open Ski crown with a dominant performance
- Favourable winds deliver one of the fastest overall fields in event history
- More than 500 athletes take part in the 27km Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach crossing
- Shaw and Partners WA Race Week offers more than $300,000 in cash and prizes - the richest ocean-ski festival globally
- Race Director Dean Gardiner praises a “classic Doctor Day” with world-class conditions
NOTE: additional images, b-roll vision and recorded video interviews available on request
The iconic Shaw and Partners Doctor once again delivered world-class racing today, with Cory Hill and Kira Bester claiming victory in what is regarded as one of the fastest editions on record of the famed 27km Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach downwind course.
Favourable winds and clean ocean runners produced a high-speed crossing, with Hill securing a record-setting seventh Doctor title, while Bester confirmed her status as a global powerhouse with a commanding win in the women’s division.
Now in its 26th year, The Doctor is the headline event of Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, the richest ocean-ski festival in the world, boasting over $300,000 in cash and prizes and attracting more than 500 competitors, including Olympians, world champions, and elite surf lifesaving athletes.
CORY HILL: SEVEN-TIME DOCTOR CHAMPION
Gold Coast paddler Cory Hill (#145) reinforced his reputation as one of the greatest downwind athletes in the sport’s history, powering home in 01:34:58.4 to outpace South African star Nicholas Notten in a thrilling final push.
Hill entered the event in career-best form - fresh from winning his fourth world title in Durban - and said the Rottnest crossing was his “grand final” after a strong year on the global circuit.
“The conditions this year were just unreal,” Hill said.
“I had to use everything in the tank to pick the right runs and hold off an incredible field. The Doctor is one of the world’s most respected races, and I’m thrilled to have my name in the history books again.”
While Hill’s 2025 time fell just short of the long-standing 2017 race record (1:33:20), the conditions produced one of the fastest overall fields the event has ever seen.
OPEN SKI – MEN (OFFICIAL RESULTS)
|
Pos |
Name |
Time |
|
1 |
Cory HILL (#145) |
01:34:58.4 |
|
2 |
Nicholas NOTTEN (#153) |
01:35:10.3 |
|
3 |
Uli HART (#142) |
01:36:03.2 |
|
4 |
Tom NORTON (#152) |
01:36:48.3 |
|
5 |
Oscar JONES (#149) |
01:36:51.4 |
KIRA BESTER CLAIMS WOMEN’S TITLE IN A COMMANDING PERFORMANCE
South Africa’s Kira Bester (#122) delivered a dominant display to claim the Open Ski Female title in 01:47:34.8, fending off a fast-finishing Jemma Smith (#129)—the 2024 Coolangatta Gold champion and reigning Doctor winner.
Bester, the current World Ocean Paddling Champion, surged early, controlled the middle stages, and maintained separation over the last kilometres into Sorrento Beach.
OPEN SKI – WOMEN (OFFICIAL RESULTS)
|
Pos |
Name |
Time |
|
1 |
Kira BESTER (#122) |
01:47:34.8 |
|
2 |
Jemma SMITH (#129) |
01:47:42.3 |
|
3 |
Melanie VAN NIEKERK (#130) |
01:52:03.4 |
|
4 |
Rebecca COLE (#123)** |
01:52:59.7 |
|
5 |
Iloha EYCHENNE (#124)** |
01:59:07.7 |
A GLOBAL STAGE FOR DOWNWIND RACING
The Doctor once again showcased Western Australia as one of the world’s premium downwind destinations, drawing competitors from across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and Europe.
With clean lines and strong tailwinds, paddlers recorded some of the fastest collective times in event history.
Dean Gardiner, Race Director, said this year’s conditions helped elevate the race to near-record pace.
“Today was one of those classic Doctor days,” Gardiner said.
“We had strong wind, great lines and a world-class field who know how to take advantage of it. You could see from the times that this was right up there with the fastest editions we’ve ever run. The level of racing was exceptional across both the men’s and women’s divisions.”
Gardiner said the combination of a deep elite field and perfect timing of the wind window helped produce the spectacular results.
A WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL OF OCEAN SPORT
The Doctor closes out a blockbuster Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, which featured:
- Fenn West Coast Downwinder
- Race One Nipper Clinic
- Shaw and Partners Downwind International
- Dr Benjamin Hewitt Sunset Surfski Series
- Race One Twilight Paddleboard Dash
- Shaw and Partners Dash for Cash
ABOUT SHAW AND PARTNERS WA RACE WEEK
Shaw and Partners WA Race Week is Australia’s largest and most prestigious ocean-racing festival, offering the largest prize pool in global ocean-ski racing - more than $300,000 in cash and prizes.
The event is proudly supported by Shaw and Partners Financial Services, Tourism WA, the City of Joondalup, Race One Surf Craft, and Fenn Kayaks.
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
David Tasker
T: +61 433 112 936
