KAILUA-KONA — The Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Races welcomes 2,500 paddlers to the world’s largest outrigger canoe long distance race. Race participants and their ‘ohana enjoy five days of racing and events in Kona beginning Thursday and lasting through Monday. The race is named in honor of Hawai’i’s last reigning monarch, Queen Lil‘iuokalani. The first race fell on the Queen’s birthday, September 2 in 1971.
Since those early beginnings, the race has grown tremendously, and more days of racing and events have been added.
Paddlers converge from all over the world and Kai ‘Opua Canoe Club plays host to paddlers from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, US mainland, United Kingdom and Germany – just to name a few.
The signature race
The Queen Lili‘uokalani Long Distance Canoe Race is held Saturday — starting in the morning with women’s crew, mix 50+ and mix 60+ age group crews racing from Kailua Bay and covering the 18-mile course to finish in Honaunau. The canoes are exchanged to the men’s crews, mix open and over 40 crews for the race that finishes back at the Kailua Pier.
These races offer many opportunities to find a division that best suits a crew to enter in iron (no changes), open and several age divisions, as well as competing in Koa, Non-koa and Unlimited canoes. There are 9-person divisions as well that allow for changing in and out of the canoe from an escort boat. Saturday’s races follow a historically and culturally significant course between Kamakahonu Beach in Kailua Bay to Pu‘uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park.
Additional races include a fun warmup – the OC4 Hulakai relay on Thursday. Spectating is easy as the relay is done in laps near the Kailua Pier.
Sunday morning features non-stop action with double-hull canoe, OC1 and OC2 and teen long-distance racing. All this action is followed up with the Kupuna Classic held on Monday, Labor Day, for crews made up of paddlers 50 years of age and older. The Sunday and Monday races are five miles long, starting and finishing at the Kailua Pier.
Watch the jam packed starts and finishes from the Kailua Pier. Kai ‘Opua Canoe Club is partnering this year with the Hulihe‘e Palace where several race week events will be hosted. This year, race spectators can enjoy the view on Saturday and Sunday mornings from the beautiful grounds of the Hulihe‘e Palace on Ali‘i Drive.
A race in a queen’s honor
Named in honor of Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, Queen Lili‘uokalani, the first long distance outrigger canoe fifty years ago was planned around the Queen’s birthday on September 2. Born in 1838, Queen Lili‘uokalani ruled from 1891 until the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893. Her perseverance through some of Hawai‘i’s most challenging times in history are still sung today with mele (song) compositions she composed including Aloha ‘Oe and Queen’s Jubilee. In 1909, Queen Lili‘uokalani established a trust in perpetuity dedicated to the welfare of orphaned Hawaiian children, the preference given to Hawaiian children of pure or part-aboriginal blood. The Lili‘uokalani Trust oversees her legacy today.
Fun, educational and cultural events during Queen’s Race week include a Limu Restoration Workshop, Talk Story with Kumu Hula Micah Kamohoali‘i at Hulihe‘e Palace, the Royal Splashfest, a Torchlight Parade along Ali‘i Drive, a two-day artisan craft fair, awards ceremonies and a traditional Hawaiian luau held with awards given for the Sunday races.
The 51st Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Races is made possible through the support of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Kilohana Program, and the County of Hawai‘i; and the generous sponsorship of Kai ‘Opua Canoe Club, Johnson Brothers of Hawaii, Queen K Texaco, Island Energy, Daughters of Hawai‘i and Hulihe‘e Palace, Kona Brewing Company, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Ocean Paddler TV, Hulakai, Body Glove Cruises, Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort and numerous corporate and community donors.
For race and event information, visit qlcanoerace.com