STEINLAGER Kaiwi Channel Solo OC1 World Championship

Steinlager

Outrigger Connection Kai Wa'a Pineula Va'aMaikai Ocean Lifestyle Magazine NS Air Conditioning Makana Alii PaddlesOiwi Ocean Gear Tahiti Hoe Kia Kaha Kamanu Composites Dakine Island Air

South Shore Hammer Gel Island Paddler

Moloka’i to O’ahu

April 27th 2008

Photo Keizo Gates

 

 

 

 

Guess what gangy? It’s play time again…

OVER $10,000 IN PRIZE MONEY ON THE LINE

5 $G’s

to the first SUPER MAN PADDLER who can survive the elements of Hawaii’s most challenging open ocean race. And then…

5 more $G’s

to the first SUPER WOMAN PADDLER to pound through 32 miles of gnarly ocean swells. And then…

2nd and 3rd place prize money will be doled out based on number of participants and sponsorship support.

 

The Kaiwi Channel (Molokai Channel) Solo World Championship race has been going on for over thirty years now and just as the sport of paddling is continuously evolving, so is the race itself.

It wasn’t until 16 years ago that the first official solo canoe division (1987 unnofficial crossing by Kevin Olds) was added to the 16th edition of the surfski world championship race. As awkward and clumsy as these solo canoes looked out in the monsterous channel, they somehow made it across. The design of these canoes has changed dramatically into the manuverable one-man speed demons that are seen today. But even with the advancements in one-man canoe designs, it has always been the ever so slippery ama-less surfski that has proven to be much faster than its OC1 cousin.

Since the beginning of this event, the solo world championship race for both ski and canoe has been held as a single event. To promote the growth of paddling and allow equal recognition for both sports, PA’A has been asked by the paddling community to hold a separate solo canoe championship race day. Sorry, no offense to you double fisted surfski buggers because we still love you and will definitely miss some of you on race day…but the truth is you’re just too bloody fast when you sport two paddles instead of one, and then refuse to drag an ama along with you for 32 miles! There are also some crazy paddlers that would like to do both OC1 and SS1 solo races. Well guess what, this year is your chance!

PA’A has fully committed itself to putting on this first time one-man solo event, and just like any other first time event, this one will go off with a bang!!!