2023 Molokaʻi-2-Oʻahu Paddleboard World Championships, July 30
After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the 24th edition of the Moloka‘i-2-O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships or M2O, returns to the Ka‘iwi Channel with a sold-out international field on Sunday, July 30, 2023.
Only 250 men and women qualify to compete in the 32-mile downwind challenge, competing in the disciplines of prone paddleboard, stand-up paddleboard (SUP), SUP Foil and Foil Wing.
The 32-mile race starts in Kepuhi Bay on the northwest shore of Moloka‘i and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the southeast shore of O‘ahu.
Pro surfers Luke Shepardson, Courtney Conlogue, Jamie Sterling, and Albee Layer, along with actor Trevor Donovan among this year’s international field of paddlers. Australians likely to dominate the prone paddleboard race. SUP will see racers from Japan, Italy, and Hawai’i going head-to-head as Kai Lenny sets his sights on another championship crossing of the Ka‘iwi Channel in SUP Foil.
Schedule – Sunday July 30, 2023
Start: Kepuhi Beach Area, Moloka‘i
7:30 a.m. Solo and Team Paddleboard (Prone) Start
8 a.m. Solo and Team SUP Start
9:30 a.m. Solo and Team Foil and Wing Start
* All start times are subject to change
Finish: Maunalua Bay Beach Park, O’ahu
10 a.m. Event Expo Opens
11:30 a.m. Top finishers expected at finish.
Live athlete tracking and finisher results available at Molokai2oahau.com on July 30.
Founded in 1997, M2O has grown from a grassroots challenge for the legendary lifeguards of O‘ahu to the premiere event in the sport of paddleboarding.
The race annually crowns world champions in the two disciplines of traditional (prone) and stand-up (SUP) paddleboarding. In 2018, a hydrofoil division was added to welcome the evolution of technology in the SUP.
M2O is presented by the Hawai’i Tourism Authority with additional support from Spartan, Duke’s Waikiki, Kona Brewing Company, Futures Fins, Pauwela Beverage Company, dryrobe®, Talis Crew, Surftech, Bark Paddleboards, Ocean Paddler, DotVison, and Fin Film Company.