HONOLULU, HI (July 28, 2024) – The second of two race weekends at the 25th anniversary Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through the Signature Events Program was completed with the race that founded the annual crossing – the prone paddleboard race. Champions in the standup paddleboard (SUP) were also crowned at the finish line at Maunalua Bay on O’ahu.
Today’s racers covered a 32-mile course from the island of Moloka’i to O’ahu. Complete results are available at Molokai2Oahu.com.
Photos and VRN available upon request.
PRONE PADDLEBOARD RESULTS
The 25th anniversary of M2O saw an all-Australian sweep in both the men’s unlimited and stock prone paddleboard races.
Charlie Verco won the world’s toughest challenge in the sport for the second year in a row. The 22-year-old from North Bondi, New South Wales covered the 32-mile course in 4 hours, 26 minutes, 28 seconds, beating his time in 2023 by more than 26 minutes.
Verco’s countryman and former M2O champion Stewart Mclachlan, 36, finished a close second (4:29:06).
Rounding out the podium positions for Australia in the unlimited prone category was Campbell Guthrie, 25, in a time of 4:47:28
In the men’s stock paddleboard race, Lachie Lansdown, 28, returned to the Channel of Bones and reclaimed top honors since his last victory in 2021. Lansdown finished in a time of 5:09:45, four minutes ahead of the second place finisher, Brayden Casamento, 23, who finished in 5:13:21. Lansdown finished a respectable 4th place overall.
Harrison Stone, 26, closed out the Australians’ dominating performance in the prone discipline to finish third (5:24:13).
The stock division showcased the most depth this year with amazing performances from our juniors. The U19 division was led by Hawaii’s Toa Pere,15, placing 5th overall stock paddleboard (5:29:39). New Zealanders Ethan Storey,15, (5:53:54) and Lucas Forbes,17, (5:57:53) rounding out the podium.
In the women’s race, 33-year-old Katrina Madill from New Zealand was the first woman overall among both the unlimited and stock paddleboard contenders in the field, winning on a shorter stock paddleboard. Madill finished in a time of 6:24:13 to claim back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024.
Madill’s closest competition came from Bronte Harland, 30, from Australia (6:44:04) who finished second overall and first in the unlimited paddleboard category.
At 53, Hawaii’s Matt Sack kept his streak of 25 consecutive races going, finishing in 6:48:50.
Australians Campbell Asher (18) and Henry Simpson (19) won the paddleboard team, conquering the conditions yesterday in 5:15:55.
MEN UNLIMITED
- Charlie Verco, 23, North Biondi, AUS, 4:26:28
- Stewart Mclachlan, 36, Redhead, AUS, 4:29:06
- Campbell Guthrie, 25, Alexandra Headland, AUS, 4:47:28
Men Unlimted Age Group Winners
20-29 Lewis Betts, Australia, 5:36:13
30-39 Robert Parucha, California, 5:49:58
40-49 Sean Jasso, California, 6:56:12
50-59 George Plsek, California, 6:08:13
60+ Mick Di Betta, Australia, 5:37:08
WOMEN UNLIMITED
- Bronte Hartland, 30, Buderim, AUS, 6:44:04
MEN STOCK
- Lachie Lansdown, 28, Noosa Heads, AUS, 5:09:45
- Brayden Casamento, 23, Maroochydore, AUS, 5:13:21
- Harrison Stone, 26, Balgowlah, AUS, 5:24:13
Men Stock Age Group Winners
20-29 Duke Weiland, Australia. 5:25:38
30-39 Oliver Puddick, New Zealand 6:05:24
40-49 Rob Brown, North Carolina 5:37:35
50-59 Billy Balding, Hawaii, 6:18:35
60+ David Kalwick, Hawaii, 6:40:2
WOMEN STOCK
- Katrina Madill, 33, Greerton, NZ, 6:24:13
- Liz Hunter, 37, Imperial Beach, USA, 6:48:20
- Allison Schillinger, 26, Honolulu, 7:02:18
SUP RESULTS
A new face to M2O won the men’s Unlimited SUP race. Itzel Delgado, 25, from Lima, Peru completed his first experience crossing the Moloka’i Channel in a time of 5:27:08.
Brazil’s André Rosa, 44, crossed the finish in second (5:54:00) ahead of 51-year-old James Martindale from Honolulu (6:22:24).
The Stock SUP category was won by Robert Stehlik, 56, from Hawaii (5:55;30). Stehlik was followed by Shota Kurima, 38, from Japan who claimed second in a time of 6:02:41.
Roland Graham, 56, from Aiea, Hawaii finished third in a time of 6:23:52.
The team SUP division was won by Patrick Klemawesch (48) and Stephen Klemawesch (75) from Florida in a time of 6:46:05.
MEN UNLIMITED
- Itzel Delgado, 25, Lima, Peru, 5:27:08
- André Rosa, 45, Rio de Janeiro, BRA, 5:54:00
- James Martindale, 51, Honolulu, 6:22:24
MEN STOCK
- Robert Stehlik, 56, Honolulu, Hawaii, 5:55:30
- Shota Kurima, 38, Urasoe, JAP, 6:02:41
- Roland Graham, 56, Aiea, Hawaii, 6:23:52
M2O is proudly presented by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority with additional support from Duke’s Waikiki, Florence, Spartan, dryrobe®, Futures Fins, Garmin, Reyn Spooner, Maui Brewing Company, Talis Crew, Bark, Kauai Coffee, Pauwela Beverage, Company, DotVison, and Ocean Paddler.
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 paddleboarding (SUP). In 2018, a hydrofoil division was added to welcome the evolution of technology in the SUP community in Hawaii. 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. 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. Athletes ride mid-channel waves that can crest more than 12 feet and carry paddlers hundreds of meters. M2O starts in Kepuhi Bay on the northwest shore of Moloka‘i and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the southeast shore of O‘ahu. In 2024, the new Foil race will take athletes into Kaimana beach on the east end of Waikiki. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler’s physical and mental endurance. Every finisher experiences an individual championship.
