HONOLULU (KHON2) — One of the most thrilling water races on the island will take place live for the first time this Sunday, July 20.
The SUP Foil and Wing Foil competitors will race 40 miles from Molokai to Oahu across the Kaiwi Channel.
“So many factors that go into it, and also the ocean is totally unpredictable. You could be running into anything along the way, and you could never really know what could happen,” said Edoardo Tanas, defending SUP foil champion. “No one has a perfect race, but it’s all about how you bounce back and make your way to the finish line.”
“It’s bigger than it’s ever been,” said Nick Kapule, M2O competitor and Punahou’s alumni quarterback.
This race is a part of the Koa Kai Triple Crown, a series of courses that connect Molokai, Maui and Oahu. This new challenge had events spread out over the past week, ending with the iconic M2O race.
“There are a lot of competitors this year. Looking back, three years ago, there were about 20 competitors, then it doubled to 50, last year, there were 100. Now, we maxed out the max participation,” said Tanas.
Conditions for this weekend’s race are expected to see some breezy trade winds. Weather conditions are a key player in this sport.
“The windier the better,” said Kapule, “we hope it’s strong trade winds pushing straight into Oahu.”
The sport is taking off, gaining popularity and interest from all types of athletes, like surfers Ezekiel Lau and Kai Lenny, who are competing in this year’s race.
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For the first time, the event will be live, streaming on KHON2.com, KHII, KHON+ starting at 11:00 a.m. Footage will be done by helicopters, drones and more so you won’t miss a moment.