Outrigger canoe paddling has been deeply rooted in the Polynesian culture for millennia. Polynesians traveled among nearby islands and fished in the open sea via outrigger cane. They used larger voyaging canoes to travel across the Pacific Ocean, exploring and settling in areas like Hawaii, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). The Polynesian settler established the outrigger canoe as a means of transportation in their new homes, including Hawaii. Outrigger canoe paddling has played such an integral role in Hawaii's history and culture that outrigger canoe racing is the official team sport of the State of Hawaii. 

The Molokai Hoe is one of the longest running annual team sporting events in Hawaii, second only to football. The Moloka'i Hoe perpetuates one of Hawaii's and Polynesia's most important and historic cultural traditions, while honoring outrigger canoe paddlers around the world. The Molokai Hoe tests the limits of physical and mental strength and endurance, courage determination and teamwork, and paddlers must also battle nature's most extreme elements.

Each year over 1000+ paddlers from around the world compete in the Hawaii Modular Space Molokai Hoe, the men's world championship in outrigger canoe racing. This year marks the Molokai Hoe's 55^th crossing of the treacherous Ka'iwi Channel.