Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, a Ventura competitive paddling club, is sending their top men’s crew to compete in the prestigious 2015 Moloka’i Hoe international outrigger canoe race on Sunday, October 11.

The Moloka’i Hoe race is a challenging 41 mile open water paddle competition held annually in Hawai’i. This year marks the 63rd crossing with a course that traverses the Ka’iwi Channel from the island of Moloka’i to Oahu. Elite teams from around the world participate in what is considered the men’s world championship in outrigger canoe racing. It is one of the longest running annual team sporting events in Hawai’i.

The Moloka’i Hoe perpetuates one of Hawaii’s and Polynesia’s most important historic cultural tradi- tions while honoring outrigger canoe paddlers worldwide. The event tests the limit of physical and mental strength, endurance, courage, determination and teamwork all while battling nature’s most ex- treme elements.

The Hokuloa men expect to compete well having have secured top placing in the US Championships each year for the last four consecutive years. The  race will take the crew between five and seven hours, depending on the conditions. This will be the first time in 20 years that Hokuloa will be fielding a team for this  event.

Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, a competitive sport canoe club in Ventura since the early 1970s, has a diverse membership of all ages and abilities from adults to keikis (kids). The club’s Hawaiian name means Guiding Star and is emblematic of their mission to promote the sport of amateur outrigger ca- noe paddling through structured athletic programs, races, fitness training, and community outreach to encourage appreciation of the ocean.

For more information about Hokuloa  http://www.hokuloaoutrigger.com.