Mike Takahashi reflects on the significance of the M2O event and the channel to the athletes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships presented by the United States Coast Guard

Welcomes the Prone and SUP Divisions

World’s Best Paddlers Set to Conquer the Kaiwi Channel this Sunday

HONOLULU, HI (July 23, 2025) – The 2025 Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by the United States Coast Guard, wraps up the final weekend of racing this Sunday, July 27th with the prone and standup paddleboard events. The countdown is on for the 2025 Molokai2Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), the ultimate open-ocean endurance challenge across the 32-mile Kaiwi Channel. Elite prone and SUP athletes from around the world will test their skill and stamina against one of the most demanding stretches of water on the planet.

Race fans will be able to follow live updates from both lead boats, featuring commentary from 10-time M2O Champion Jamie Mitchell, who will provide real-time insights from the front of the pack. In a special addition this year, Kanesa Duncan Seraphin, newly inducted into the 2025 M2O Hall of Fame, will report from a dedicated media boat, offering unique perspectives on the women’s race.

Mike Takahashi, founder of M2O, highlights the importance of the Kaiwi Channel and the life-changing experience it offers athletes.

PRONE PADDLEBOARD ATHLETES

Unlimited Male Division
Top honors for the unlimited male paddleboard division are expected to come from a trio of Australian powerhouses: returning champion Charlie Verco (23, North Bondi) will be challenged by Campbell Guthrie (26, Queensland) and 2024 Stock Division Champion Lachie Lansdown (29, Noosa Heads). Lansdown will be shifting to the unlimited division for the first time in his career at M2O.

Stock Male Division
Two-time M2O Champion Jack Bark (31, California) is back to challenge the stock board record held by Australian Stewart Mclachlan at 4:43:46. Stewart will not be racing this summer with sights on next year’s edition. Bark will be tested by the next generation of young paddlers including Harrison Stone (27, Australia), Toa Pere (16, Hawaii), and the New Zealand contingent of Ethan Storey (16), and Lucas Forbes (18). Jack returns to the M2O after an incredible win at the 2024 Catalina Classic, a 32-mile race from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach, California.

North Shore lifeguard Matt Sack (55) celebrates his 26th consecutive M2O appearance, having competed in every edition of the race since 1997.

Stock Female Division
All three podium winners from 2024 return to the channel this summer. Defending champion Katrina Madill (35, New Zealand) returns to M2O with her eyes on a third title. M2O veterans Liz Hunter (37, California) and Allison Schillinger (27, Honolulu) will challenge the podium with an exciting field of women new to M2O. Emily Bark (26, California) will be escorted by her dad Joe Bark as she focuses on her first time in the channel after winning the 2024 Catalina Classic. Honolulu lifeguard Kelsie Grant (24) just completed the Trans Pac sailing race and now focuses on her next challenge. Happy Segar (14, San Clemente) is ready to tackle the channel as our youngest competitor this year.

SUP ATHLETES

This year’s SUP field features a truly international lineup, with paddlers from Hawaii, Japan, Brazil, Peru, and the Virgin Islands. Among them is Hawaiian local Robert Stehlnik (57), will race SUP Unlimited after a strong performance in the FOIL edition last weekend. Hayato Yamamoto (27, Japan) lines up Sunday after a convincing win at the Maui2Molokai race last weekend.
Mao Kamimura (35, Japan) returns to the M2O to test herself in the SUP Stock division. In 2019, Kamimura won the prone stock paddleboard.

Visit Molokai2Oahu.com for more event info and for inspiring stories captured from the channel visit the official M2O YouTube Channel.
Live Results here
Live Tracking provided by DotVision Motion

The 2025 Moloka‘i-2-O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships presented by the U.S Coast Guard is proudly partnered with Hawaii Tourism Authority, Duke’s Waikiki, Florence, Sun Bum, Austin AI, H2O Audio, Heineken, Kaimana Beach Hotel, Dryrobe, Kauai Coffee, Pauwela Beverage, Spartan, Reyn Spooner, DotVision Motion, Armstrong Foils, Rogue TV, Salt and Air Studios, KHON2, KAMAKA Air, Futures, and Hammers and Legends.

About the Moloka‘i-2-O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships.
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 SUP Foil division was added to welcome the evolution of SUP racing with the WING Foil added in 2022. Connecting the islands of Moloka‘i and O‘ahu, the race crosses the Kaiwi Channel, also known as the Moloka‘i Channel and Channel of Bones is considered one of the most challenging bodies of water. Men and women from more than 25 countries will face strong currents as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the most beautiful and powerful channels in the world. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler’s physical and mental endurance.

About the United States Coast Guard.
The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the six armed forces of the United States. Since 1790, the Coast Guard has safeguarded our nation’s maritime interests and environment around the world as a federal law enforcement agency, humanitarian first responder, and military force.