Queen Lili’Uokalani Canoe Races, August 28 – September 1, 2025
Every Labor Day weekend, the shores of the Kona coast come alive with more competitors than you can shake a paddle at. Named in honor of the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili’uokalani, this king-size event is the world’s largest long-distance canoe race.
More than 2,500 paddlers will test the waters, enjoying five days of racing, other festivities, and good-ole’ Hawaiian o’hana, beginning Thursday and lasting through Monday. If you’ve never experienced Queen Lili’Uokalani (2024 Race Highlights), you are in for a rare treat of competition, community, and Hawaiian hospitality. Races will also be televised live on OceanPaddlerTV1 (YouTube):
This festival of va’a will host paddlers from around the world — Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Florida, California and Canada, in addition to Hawaii and Tahiti — to name a few. Four days of racing, starting with the always enjoyable warmup — the OC4 sprint races on Thursday, which consists of a relay team of 8 paddlers with a customary huli to kick off the event with a big splash!
Then comes the main event, Saturday, a strenuous single-hull canoe races crossing 18 miles between Kailua and Honaunau, followed by a torchlight parade that evening. On Sunday, there are double-hull, OC1/V1, OC2 and SUP races, with an awards luau later that day. Finally, this exciting spectacle concludes with the Kupuna Classic Monday, a paddle from Kailua-Kona to Keauhou Bay for 50-year-olds and up.
The race is hosted by the Kai ‘Opua Canoe Club (www.kaiopua.org) along with the help of many other participating clubs and businesses, including ARE TAHITI, a proud sponsor of this signature event.
Visit https://qlcanoerace.com for complete event details and race history and www.aretahiti.com to learn more about ARE TAHITI canoes. Or see what’s available at ShopOutrigger.com, your ultimate destination for everything a paddler might need, including canoes, clothing, and accessories.
