Outrigger canoeing has been intertwined with Hawai’i and its people for centuries. And even today, it’s considered the Aloha State’s official team sport, boasting some of the largest and most challenging outrigger canoe races in the world. Here are a few races you should be sure to catch:
Queen Lili'uokalani Long Distance Canoe Race
Touted as the world’s largest long-distance canoe race by its organizers, the Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Race started in 1972 as a way for participants to train for the grueling Na Wahine O Ke Kai and the Molokai Hoe. The race was named to honor the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, held for the first time on her birthday — September 2.
Held in Kona on Hawai’i Island, the race now falls on Labor
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