Queen Lili‘uokalani Long Distance Canoe race returns to Kona this week
KAILUA-KONA — Over 2,500 paddlers from across the globe will convene in the West Hawaii waters this week in one of the most iconic long-distance paddling races.
KAILUA-KONA — Over 2,500 paddlers from across the globe will convene in the West Hawaii waters this week in one of the most iconic long-distance paddling races.
The annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Long Distance Canoe race begins Thursday and runs through Monday, with the famous 18-mile race spanning from Kailua Pier to Honaunau Bay held Saturday. The wahine will race from the town’s pier to Two-Step Beach, followed by the kane racing from Honaunau back to Kailua Bay.
Race day will begin with a blessing of canoes and paddlers at Kamakahonu Beach — just on the edge of the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.
The race serves as a true test of endurance, willpower and strength. Typically, the elite crews will finish in under two hours, as one of Big Island Jr. Va‘a’s unlimited open men’s squad finished with the fastest overall time in last year’s race in just over one hour, 56 minutes.
The race is often recognized as the largest long-distance paddling event in the world, as competitors have traveled to Kona’s golden coast from places such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and the U.S. mainland. With so many paddlers competing each year, the event gives Hawaii a unique opportunity to showcase its paddling culture with the rest of the world.
The race started in 1972 as a training option for the treacherous Na Wahine O Ke Kai and the Molokai Hoe long-distance races from Molokai to Oahu. It was named after the last reigning monarch of the islands — Queen Lili‘uokalani. The first race fell on the queen’s birthday, which is Sept. 2.
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The near-week-long event isn’t just all long-distance paddling, however. The week will kick off with eight-person relay sprints Thursday at Kailua Pier, with classifications including Open Men, Open Women and Mixed divisions.
The Wa‘a Kaulua, a five-mile race from Kailua to Lyman’s and back — will be held Sunday. To cap off the week, the annual Kupuna Classic, which invites racers 50 and older, will take place. The event covers a five-to-six-mile course from Kailua Pier to Banyans and back.
Additionally, there will be a torchlight parade held along Ali‘i Drive on Saturday night to celebrate the completion of the challenging 18-mile race.
A bus shuttle service from the front of the Courtyard Marriott to Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau is available for anyone to use Saturday. The shuttle will leave the Marriott at 8:30 a.m. and depart from Honaunau to return to town at 11:15 a.m. Cost for this service is $10 each way, and pre-registration is required.
An official schedule of this week’s events can be found below. See the paper next week to read coverage.
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Schedule
Thursday
Hulakai OC4 8-Person Relay
• 12 p.m. Race meeting on pier
• Race heats start
Saturday
18-Mile Wa‘a Kaukahi
• 6 a.m. Blessing at Kamakahonu
• 7:30 a.m. Wahine Iron crews start; Mix 50 and Mix 60s + Iron start
• 7:35 a.m. Wahine Unlimited Canoes start
• 7:40 a.m. Wahine OC-9 (Escorted divisions); all Women’s Hololo Crews
• 11:45 a.m. Kane Iron crews, Mix Open and Mix 40s start
• 11:50 a.m. Kane Unlimited Canoes start
• 11:55 a.m. Kane OC-9 – Escorted Division start; all Men’s Hololo Crews
Sunday
5-mile Wa‘a Kaulua – Kailua Pier
• 7 a.m. Teen Girls/Boys/Mixed – OC-6
• 8:45 a.m. Kane/Teen Boys, OC1, OC2
• 9 a.m. Mixed Double Hull 40+
• 9:45 a.m. Wahine Double Hull
• 11 a.m. Wahine/Teen Girls – OC-1, OC-2, Mixed
• 12 p.m. Mixed Double-Hull Open
Monday
Kupuna Classic – Kailua Pier
• 8:30 a.m. Mixed 50+, Mixed 60+, Mixed 65+ and Mixed 70+
