HONOLULU (March 18, 2013) — Organizers of the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager today opened online registration in conjunction with the launch of a new video for the 17th annual race set for Sunday, July 28, 2013.

Infused with the traditions and culture of Hawaii, the race annually crowns world champions in the two disciplines of traditional (prone) and stand-up (SUP) paddleboarding. The fastest athletes complete the crossing in less than five hours.

The new video series demonstrates that M2O is much more than a championship race. A host of paddleboarding’s most recognizable personalities, including pro surfers Rob Machado and Joel Parkinson, illustrate how M2O’s images and stories inspire and drive the passion that has propelled paddling to be the largest growth segment in action sports today. 

The race is a deeply personal experience.  Competitors commit to a 32-mile human-powered journey from Molokai to Oahu across one of the deepest, most treacherous channels in the world – the Ka’iwi (ka_EE_vee) Channel. The channel’s unpredictable conditions require both athletic ability and navigation skills.

Paddlers around the world view M2O as the iconic challenge – the gold standard for those seeking to define themselves in the sport. More than 250 courageous men and women from over 15 countries will face powerful currents as they surf for hundreds of yards atop swells that can reach heights of more than 12 feet in a true championship test for every competitor. 

The race starts on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Molokai and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of Oahu.

The official race website hosts a calendar of events, course map, travel and accommodation information. Participants and race fans can also join the M2O social community on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships

Founded in 1997, the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships, presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager, is set to celebrate its 17th anniversary on Sunday, July 28, 2013.   M2O has grown from a grassroots challenge for the legendary lifeguards and watermen of Oahu to the premiere event for the sport of paddleboarding, annually crowning world champions in the two disciplines of traditional (prone) and stand-up (SUP) paddleboarding. The fastest athletes complete the crossing in less than five hours, which begins on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Molokai and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of Oahu.

Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championship’s Valued Partners

The organizers and athletes of the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships, presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager, thank the event’s partners for making the annual race possible (alphabetically): Duke’s Waikiki, Futures Fins, Garmin, GoPro, Kona Longboard Island Lager, LifeProof, Maui Jim, Patagonia, Pflueger Honda, Rogue SUP, Sambazon, Stand Up Paddle Magazine, Teva, and Watermans Applied Science.