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the World Championship distance race from Molokai to Oahu." Perhaps not everyone does, but Miralle did, and for about ten years, he competed successfully, even taking second in his division in the World Championships. But then, as competitive athletes often do, Miralle burned out and took a much-needed break. A shattered (and subsequently rebuilt) knee and a covid pause later, Miralle found himself back on the board and loving it, even if it was at least in part only to prove that he could after doctors suggested he might not be able to participate at that level again. e peace the sport brought during covid was transformative. "I just found myself just loving being back in the ocean again," he remembers. "You're out there and you're free, and you had no worries in the world, and you're with your little group of friends free in the water. And that got me back into it." In September 2023, Miralle took fourth in the overall distance race at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World SUP & Paddleboard Championship in Les Sables d'Olonne, France, and was, as he notes, the oldest competitor. A milestone birthday later — Miralle celebrated 50 in August — he is set to compete in the world championship competition once again, this time in Copenhagen, Denmark, from September 16 to 22. "It just takes a lot of discipline to do events like this, and especially at 50, when I'm going against guys who are half my age or in their 30s," he says. "I enjoy it because I can still do it, and as long as I can keep on doing it and be competitive, I'll continue on, because I only have so many bullets left in my gun now, you know…the expiration date's quickly approaching. So, I just enjoy it while I can." If by enjoying it he means pushing himself to the limit, then he's having a blast. At roughly 20 kilometers (about 12.5 miles), the ISA's distance race sounds grueling to even the fittest athlete. But for Miralle, this will be a nice, abbreviated paddle compared to his warm-up race, August's Catalina Classic, a 32-mile paddle from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach in which he has finished in the top 20 in the previous three years of competition. Of course, his work doesn't stop just because he's a world-class paddler. Before he heads to Copenhagen, he'll swing through Paris to cover the Paralympic Games. And, though he's set to race in three competitions at the ISA World Championship — a distance, a technical, and a relay race — even if he finishes on top, he won't be present to accept his award. Following his scheduled race on September 21, Miralle is set to fly straight to Nice, France, to cover the Ironman World Championship beginning on September 22. Call time? 4am. "It's all good," says Miralle. "at I was able to juggle…and get to both of them — I was pretty lucky." Timing might take a stroke of luck occasionally, but Miralle doesn't rely on luck alone when it comes to what he's passionate about. "You know, it's always just kind of been 'Put the work in, and it pays off,' whether it's as an athlete or as photographer," he says. "And if you just put the proper preparation in, whether you're an athlete or photographer, the results are going to happen." "I enjoy the Paralympics as much as, if not more than, the regular Olympics, because every athlete has an amazing story," says Miralle. "That's what the Olympic spirit is about." This photo of Team Hungary's Alexa Szvitacs at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo earned Miralle a World Sports Photography Award @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2024 101 Miralle photographed 29x Paralympian medalist (most all-time) Jessica Long in January 2020 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado