Hawai’i artist MField depicts the connection of the race experience with the Pacific Ocean as paddlers approach the island of O’ahu from mid-channel.

With numerous channel crossings under his sailing canoe and outrigger paddling, Hawai’i native MField (Mike Field) truly knows the Ka’iwi Channel.  His passion for art and love of life is reflected in everything he creates. His inspiration reveals the Polynesian Lifestyle through illustrations of the ocean and floral colors that canvas the islands. That is the reason the Big Island artist was selected to create the official artwork for the 18th annual Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships set for Sunday, July 27, 2014.

Having the respect and experience in Hawaiian waters, MField’s unique approach to art puts the observer in the ocean. For this year’s Moloka’i-2-O’ahu piece, MField provides an intimate connection between the challenge of the race experience and the beautiful backdrop of the Pacific Ocean through his depiction of paddling toward the island of O’ahu from mid-channel.

His style is bold, colorful and both masculine and feminine. His art is easy to digest, yet complex. The elements of his art are all thoughtfully composed with placement key to understanding what each facet represents and symbolizes. His unique approach balances thought provoking art with simple style.

For more info visit www.mfield.com

About the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships, presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager

The 18th edition of the Moloka’i-2-O’ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager, is set for Sunday, July 27, 2014. 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, annually crowning world champions in the two disciplines of prone (traditional) and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Connecting the islands of Moloka’i and O’ahu, the 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 strong currents as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the deepest channels in the world. Top athletes can 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. M2O starts on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Molokai and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of Oahu. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler’s physical and mental endurance. Every finisher experiences an individual championship.