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August 2015
OCUK competing in world championship
Each year, the world's top paddlers face Hawaii's treacherous Ka'iwi Channel to compete in Molokai Hoe, the men's world championship in outrigger canoe racing. On Sunday, October 11, OCUK's elite men's team joins over 1000 paddlers from around the world to make the gruelling open ocean crossing. In doing so, they become the first UK men's team in 26 years to compete in the race. Cheer the crew on as they represent the UK by watching the Live Stream or Hawaiian Television broadcast. The Molokai Hoe race started in 1952 and this year marks the 63rd running of the race.
Hawaii training camp
Family of the Wa'a - Official Documentary Trailer from David Cumming on Vimeo.
OCUK's February training camp in Maui involved seven glorious days of hard core paddling and many close encounters with whales (yes, you read that right!). It was also a spiritual odyssey to the home of outrigger canoeing itself. The highlight of the camp was having the honour of being taught Hawaiian traditions by one of the sport's true ambassadors, Hawaiian Elder (Kupuna) Kimokeo Kapahulehua. Among his many achievements, Kimokeo led a six-year and 1750-mile outrigger canoeing expedition, which for the first time ever in recorded history, saw all of the Hawaiian Islands paddled consecutively by outrigger canoe. You can find out more about Kimokeo and the journey at the Family of the Wa'a
We came away from the week fitter, faster and with many amazing memories of our time with our Hawaiian Ohana. If you're curious about finding out more about Maui's whales, visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.OCUK paddlers take silver in 125-mile insane paddling event
As well as being home to OCUK, the river Thames features a phenomenal series of distance races. Among them is the 21-mile Great River Race, which OCUK competes in each September, and the Devizes to Westminster, a harrowing 125-mile race with 77 portages that finishes opposite Big Ben, the famous clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, London. OCUK members Mike Webb, Dan Finalyson and Thor Harley all took coveted second place spots in the race this year. Webb came second in the veteran's kayak division and Finlayson and Harley came second in the double canoe division.
OCUK founder wins gold
Jack Wormald, one of OCUK's founders, won the Master's Men OC1 race at this year's Vaka Eiva. Vaka Eiva is an epic three-day long event and features phenomenal water conditions. It's a must for any paddler -- full of Aloha and fun in the beautiful Cook Islands! Thank you to The Cook Islands Canoeing Association for organising an outstanding event.
Aloha Hawaii
OCUK returns to Kona, Hawaii this month to compete in the Queen Liliu'kolani Canoe Race. The Queen Lili is the world's largest long distance outrigger canoe race and this year features four days of racing, with a range of events each day including a double hull race and OC4 sprints. Organised by the Kai 'Opua Canoe Club, this is the 44th running of the event. The Kai 'Opua Canoe Club was formed in 1929 and is one of Hawaii's oldest canoe clubs.