Record Setting Year for Athletes at 20th Anniversary Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships
HONOLULU (August 1, 2016) – Athletes at the 20th Anniversary Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Brewing Company, were graced with the blusterous downwind conditions that make the Ka’iwi Channel famous. Setting records on the waves, Matt Bevilacqua powered to his second consecutive win in 4 hours, 29 minutes, 32 seconds in the unlimited paddleboard category. The 24-year-old Australian’s win crushes the previous record set by countryman Jamie Mitchell in 2011 (4:40:31). Mitchell recorded 10 consecutive wins over his M2O career. The Australian phenom Jordan Mercer (above) cruised to an uncontested sixth straight victory in the women’s unlimited prone category (5:32:42). This win puts her on a path to becoming the winningest woman ever at M20, establishing her own decade of dominance in the sport. Stewart McLachlan surged to his first ever win at M2O, beating fellow Australian Lachie Lansdown and two-time champ Jack Bark. McLachlan, 28, now holds the course record at 5:05:31 in the stock paddleboard category. At 18-years-old Abby Brown becomes one of the youngest champions in race history. The American’s time of 6:27:47 was enough to put her over the top of former stock paddleboard champs Carter Graves and Coleen Tessler. Kai Lenny, 23, put his record-setting stamp on M20 by winning the men’s unlimited stand up paddleboard (SUP) race in 4:07:41. Lenny’s win bests that of rival and fellow Maui paddler Connor Baxter’s record of 4:08:08 set in 2014. Lenny also holds the record and title in the stock SUP category where he finished second overall in a time of 4:22:14 in 2012. Sonni Honscheid, 35, set a personal best in her third consecutive win at M2O (5:01:40). The German champ was just minutes off the unlimited SUP course record of 4:55:02 set by Talia Gangini in 2012. Niuhiti Buillard, 24, from French Polynesia took home the men’s stock SUP title in 4:40:50. The 28-year-old’s win is the third fastest time in the category. Download official VRN here. M2O valued partners include: Kona Brewing Company, Surftech, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Dukes, Patagonia, Garmin, Waterman’s Applied Science, Futures, Blue Rush, Dr Danger, Futures, WND & WVS, Dot Vision, SUP Think Tank, Ocean Paddler, BARK, NSP, Kaenon, RE Energy & Kona Deep. About the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships Founded in 1997, M2O is an open-ocean endurance paddleboard challenge, featuring racers in both the prone and stand-up (SUP) disciplines. Connecting the islands of Moloka’i and O’ahu, the 32-mile race crosses the Ka’iwi Channel, also known as the Channel of Bones. Men and women face challenging conditions as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the deepest channels in the world. Top 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. The race starts on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Moloka’i and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of...
Read MoreElite Field Set for 20th Anniversary Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships
The elite athlete field of men and women set to lead the charge into the history books is made up of a deep field in the prone division, representing the race’s roots before SUP gained popularity. Head-to-head battles by current and former champions highlight both the men’s and women’s SUP divisions.
Read MoreSurftech Drives Innovation at the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships
In partnership with the NSP and BARK race lines, Surftech’s signature blend of technology, performance and durability will be the choice for many racers at the 20th anniversary Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O).
Read MoreOfficial Artwork for 20th Anniversary Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships Revealed
Much like the unpredictable conditions of the Ka’iwi Channel, artist Susan Wickstrand adds texture to her piece for the 20th anniversary Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O). The artist’s love of the ocean and nature is illustrated in her extraordinary collages, which showcase a host of remarkable images of landscapes and personalities captured in collaboration with many top photographers including Jeff Divine and Art Brewer.
Read MoreHawai’i: Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships to Celebrate 20th Anniversary
Online registration opens Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. New event preview available now on YouTube. The Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Sunday, July 31, 2016. Online registration opens today, Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at 8 a.m. PST, and closes Sunday, Feb 21. In response to high demand for race entries, a three-week registration window and lottery system will be used to allocate positions for the international field of prequalified and interested non-prequalified athletes. No entries will be accepted after Feb 21. 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 2016 race announcement with the launch of the first video in a series that will lead up to race day, capturing the experience of crossing the Ka’iwi Channel. To watch the 2016 preview video and other inspiring stories from race history, visit the official M2O YouTube Channel. Paddleboarding fans are encouraged to get the latest M2O news through Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Race day events will be broadcast live from the Ka’iwi Channel through social media. Look for the live race results dashboard at Moloakai2Oahu.com, which will feature live athlete tracking by DotVision. M2O is an open-ocean endurance paddleboard challenge, featuring racers in both the prone and stand-up (SUP) divisions. Connecting the islands of Moloka’i and O’ahu, this 32-mile race crosses the Ka’iwi Channel, also known as the Moloka’i Channel. Men and women from more than 20 countries will face challenging conditions as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the deepest channels in the world. Top 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 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. Every finisher experiences an individual championship. Valued M2O partners include Kona Longboard Island Lager, Surftech Board Manufacturing Company, Duke’s Waikiki, Maui Jim, Garmin, Patagonia, Hawai’i Tourism Authority, Waterman’s Applied Science, Futures, Doctor Danger, Blue Rush, Bio Astin, Kona Red, SUP Think Tank, Standup Paddle Magazine, DotVision, Ocean Paddler and WND &...
Read MoreHawaii: Athletes Battle Challenging Conditions for Top Spots at 19th Annual Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships
Australia’s Jordan Mercer gets the nickel in her fifth straight win, two newcomers claim championships in their first crossings of the Molokai Channel and SUP sees two athletes claim their second titles. Honolulu, HI (July 26, 2015) – Crossing the Molokai Channel is never an easy task, but today’s 19th annual Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Brewing Company produced exceptionally challenging conditions, forcing each athlete to battle for their spot at the finish line. Relatively calm conditions on the Molokai Channel turned to pounding south swell that created massive waves approaching the finish at Portlock Point. In the end, Australia again dominated the overall leaderboard. Two paddleboarders claimed championships in their first outing across the channel. The SUP division saw strong performances by two athletes who claimed repeat championships from Germany and Maui, and another who claimed his second title in three years. In what she called a grueling paddle, Australia’s Jordan Mercer got the nickel in her fifth straight victory. The 21-year-old powerhouse has repeatedly dominated the women’s unlimited paddleboard race, finishing in a time of 6 hours, 9 minutes, 19 seconds. “Each year it’s a totally different journey and I’m a new person each and every time,” Mercer said of her multiple wins. “I’m so happy to be back on Oahu because that was so hard, but I’m so glad I put in all the hard work (in training) that I did.” On the men’s side, newcomer Matt Bevilacqua, 23, from Australia surprised the men’s field with his victory in his first attempt at crossing the Molokai Channel (5:20:13). “That was pretty awesome … I think the adrenaline really kick in when I crossed the line – I’ve never felt anything like that before,” said Bevilacqua. “It’s always been something in my mind to do. Then to finally get here and finally do it and then to win it – it’s too much.” The men’s stock paddleboard race saw a new champion Sunday who also experienced his first crossing of the Molokai Channel. Kendrick Louis of Australia, 25, was part of a competitive stock race, featuring former champions Jack Bark and Zeb Walsh. Louis bested Bark by just over a minute in today’s competition, finishing in 5:52:08. Australia’s Jordan Mercer got the nickel in her fifth straight victory. The 21-year-old powerhouse has repeatedly dominated the women’s unlimited paddleboard race, today finishing in a time of 6 hours, 9 minutes, 19 seconds. Newcomer Matt Bevilacqua, 23, from Australia surprised the men’s field with his victory in his first attempt at crossing the Molokai Channel (5:20:13) Germany’s Sonni Honscheid claimed her second women’s unlimited SUP championship in a repeat performance with a time of 5:53:18. Australian Travis Grant, 32, wins his second stand up paddleboard (SUP) championship at M2O in a time of 4:59:38. “Mentally, this is one of the hardest things I ever put myself through and I learned a lot about myself along the way,” said Kendrick. “Having never done it before, whether I won or lost was irrelevant, but crossing the line with everyone cheering for you just gave me goose bumps.” Colleen Tessler, 36, from Oahu won the women’s stock paddleboard race in a time of 7:11:20. Australian Travis Grant, 32, won his second stand up paddleboard (SUP) championship at M2O in a time of 4:59:38. Grant appears to excel in tougher conditions. His previous victory in 2013 was just nine minutes faster in a year when conditions in the Molokai Channel also made the athletes work harder for the finish. “There’s no secret, it’s just paddling the shortest distance,” Grant said of the...
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