Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships Set for Sunday, July 30, 2023

February 15, 2023

Online registration window opens today, February 15th

HONOLULU, HI (February 15, 2023) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Molokaʻi-2-Oʻahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O) will return to the shores of Moloka’i this summer to celebrate the 24^th Anniversary edition of the race on July 30^th. The event will crown new World Champions in the prone and Stand-Up paddleboard divisions, and the newly added FOIL divisions.

Online registration opens today, Wednesday, February 15^th at 8 am HT (Hawaii time) and closes Sunday, March 5^th at 11:59 pm HT. In response to high demand for race entries, a three-week registration window will be used to allocate entries for the international field of athletes with previous M2O race experience and new athletes interested in racing M2O for the first time. Allocation of entries for both categories will be done on a first come basis with the start list posting by March 15^th. All entries received after this window or outside of a potential sell out during the registration window will be placed on a waitlist.

M2O, the prestigious annual 32-mile race across the Ka’iwi Channel that connects the Hawaiian Islands of Moloka’i and O’ahu, was cancelled in 2020-22 due to the COVID-19 global crisis. Each year, M2O attracts over 250 of the world’s best paddlers from 25+ countries to attempt the ultimate paddling feat — the crossing of one of the world’s most unpredictable bodies of water.

We are eager to return to racing this summer,” said Shannon Delaney, Executive Director of the M2O. “Despite the overwhelming support we received the last few years with our virtual program, we’re ready to get back into the Channel to crown new World Champions. We’re also excited to re-engage with the communities touched by our race, primarily Moloka’i, and share the magic of the Ka’iwi with our athletes once again.”

Solo and team competitors are encouraged to review all information prior to registering. Detailed information is available now on the official event website Molokai2Oahu.com. Athletes can link directly from the site to registration.

M2O celebrates the kick-off of the 2023 race announcement with the launch new Registration video, capturing the experience of crossing the Ka’iwi Channel. To watch the new video and other inspiring stories from the race, visit the official M2O YouTube Channel.

M2O is an open-ocean endurance paddleboard challenge featuring racers in both the prone and stand-up (SUP) divisions and new FOIL categories. Connecting the islands of Moloka’i and O’ahu, this 32-mile race crosses the Ka’iwi Channel attracting athletes from more than 25 countries to challenge the conditions as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the deepest channels in the world. Top prone and SUP athletes typically complete the crossing in less than five hours, riding mid-channel waves that can crest more than 12 feet and carry paddlers hundreds of meters at a time.  The FOIL division, added in 2018, pushed the boundaries of speed, with top finishers under 4 hours. The race starts on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Moloka’i and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of O’ahu.

Founded in 1997, M2O has grown from a grassroots challenge for the legendary lifeguards and watermen of O’ahu to the premiere event for the sport of paddleboarding. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler’s physical and mental endurance. In 2022, Molokai2Oahu partnered with Spartan Obstacle Races to continue to elevate the event and amplify with Spartan’s extensive endurance community