By Bud Hohl and J. Paul DeMyer
The unique sport of outrigger canoe paddling has evolved from a long line of Oceanic voyagers, to what is today becoming a very fast-growing aquatic team sport. The fact that these oceanic craft have kept their general design from the canoes of yesteryear, is a testament to the voyagers who travelled over thousands of miles of the Pacific to populate the islands, starting from the coast of Asia. The modern-day catamaran owes its existence to those voyaging outriggers and today’s America’s Cup challengers also use the same basic design of two sleek hulls albeit with modern materials and sailing technology.
This challenge to cross the Catalina Channel has many types of craft competing, but for human powered craft it’s the 6-seat outriggers and the single paddleboard that gives credence to the very select few individuals ready for that endeavor. With just human powered paddling propulsion, these 40+ft long ocean -going outriggers can reach an average 8 knots of speed for the entire race of approximately 4 hours. It’s an endurance challenge of human power and finesse stroking to the finish line.
The Catalina Channel Crossing crews are typically a 9-person roster racing in a 6-seat outrigger canoe, which means paddlers will regularly switch out seats with relief paddlers from change vessels that follow and support each crew. Open water paddler changes in the deep channel between Catalina Island and the coast is an exciting challenge in itself.
History of the event
The first Catalina Channel Crossing race in outrigger canoes took place on September 20, 1959 one month after Hawai’i became the 50th State. Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Olympic swimmer and surfing legend was the first Grand Marshall of the event and oversaw the race and festivities. Two teams – one Hawaiian All-Star crew and one California crew which included Lorrin “Whitey” Harrison and other surfers from Doheny Beach – competed for the first championship.
The Catalina Channel Crossing race was organized by A.E. “Toots” Minvielle (founder of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association and the Molokai Channel Outrigger Race – the Molokai Hoe) and Tommy Zahn, a former Santa Monica lifeguard, renowned surfer and exceptional paddleboard racer. Tommy had raced a paddleboard in the 1953 Molokai Hoe and talked with “Toots” about how to expand the outrigger sport in California. Since Tommy had competed in many paddleboard races across the Catalina Channel in the 1950’s (winning the race to Manhattan Beach in ’55, ’56 and ’58), the island location was a natural setting. When Tommy joined the Newport Lifeguard Department in 1958, he contacted the Harbormaster and the president of the newly opened Newport Dunes Aquatic Park, and the idea of an outrigger race across the channel became a reality.
Duke Kahanamoku’s brothers (Louie and Sam) selected and coached the Hawaiian All-Star team and Noah Kalama, who previously coached the Waikiki Surf Club and Hui Kalia Canoe Club, was asked by the organizers to coach the California team. “Whitey” Harrison, who had befriended the Waikiki Beach Boys and gave rides to tourists in big surf canoes, steered the entire race for the California crew using a 30 lb. wooden paddle compared to today’s paddles which weigh barely one pound. The Hawaiian All-Stars won the Championship with a time of 5 hours and 4 minutes.
The 2026 Catalina Channel Crossing
This year the USA Outrigger Canoe Championships will have over 75 participating crews from California and other states including Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina and Pennsylvania as well as Australia and Canada. Due to the “World Championship” event that just took place in Singapore, several previous Catalina Channel Crossing teams from Brazil, New Zealand, Tahiti, and the lonely isle of Rapa Nui will not be lining up to compete in our waters.
The 2026 Race Schedule is as follows:
- Saturday morning, Sept. 12: 8 a.m.; Women’s and Co-ed Crews race 28 miles from the Newport Harbor entrance to Avalon Casino Point. The first crews should arrive around noon or shortly thereafter, with award ceremonies held on Wrigley Stage at 3:45 pm.
•Sunday morning, Sept. 13: 10 AM; Men’s Crews race 31 miles from Lover’s Cove in Avalon to Newport Dunes Aquatic Park in the Back Bay of Newport Beach.
- This year the race can be watched on the <scora.org/YouTube Channel>.
A display of the Catalina Crossing Race including the perpetual Catalina Channel Crossing trophies can be seen in the window box of the Avalon Surf Company store on Front Street. The trophies include:
- Overall Winner: Men’s & Women’s Divisions; Seaplane Trophy.
- Mayor’s Cup: 1st Place Women’s Crew, Silver Cup on Koa pedestal.
- Co-ed Division Award: 1st Place Co-ed Crew, Koa framed shadowbox.
The Catalina Island Outrigger Canoe Club is an independent 501(C)(7) sports and recreation club that supports both recreational and competitive paddling practices, and races under the auspices of the Newport Aquatic Center. Club membership continues to grow and is currently at approximately 40 persons. The Club invites all persons – of any age – interested in participating in this unique water sport to contact any of our members or racing crew for further information, instruction and test rides. Last summer, the Junior Lifeguards program expanded their schedule to include OC-1 (one person) outrigger canoes and this proved to be a very popular activity.
Team Catalina’s motto is “He wa’a he moku, he moku he wa’a” (“Our canoe is our Island, our Island is our canoe”). We thank all our sponsors and contributors including ACE Clearwater, Avalon Ocean Club, Avalon Surf Company, Catalina Divers Supply, Catalina Island Foundation, Catalina Island Golf Carts (in honor of Buddy Wilson), Catalina Island Hospitality Group (in honor of Charles Nash), Catalina Island Yacht Club, Curtin Maritime, Joe’s Rent-a-Boats, Newport Aquatic Center, Volcano Mist Cottage and Zims of Catalina for their support of the Club and the Catalina Channel Crossing tradition.