World’s Best Foil Athletes Return to Hawaii for the Moloka’i 2 O’ahu World Championships

July 16, 2026

The legendary 40-plus-mile crossing of the Kaiwi Channel will crown new Champions

M2O Serves as the Final Stop of the Downwind Foil World Tour and Crowns the 2026 Koa Kai Triple Crown Champions

HONOLULU, Hawaii (July 16, 2026) – ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE – The world’s top downwind foil athletes return to Hawaiʻi on Monday, July 20th as the Molokaʻi 2 Oʻahu Foil World Championships, presented by the United States Coast Guard, launches the first of two weekends of competition at the 2026 Molokaʻi 2 Oʻahu Paddleboard World Championships. The Prone Paddleboard and SUP World Championships will follow on July 26^th, as Hawaiʻi welcomes athletes from around the world to race the legendary Kaiwi Channel crossing.

More than a world championship is on the line.

The legendary 40-plus-mile crossing of the Kaiwi Channel will once again crown the 2026 Koa Kai Champions, recognizing the athletes who have demonstrated excellence across Hawaii’s premier downwind foil races on Oʻahu, Maui and Molokaʻi. As the final and most prestigious stop on the Koa Kai Crown series, M2O represents the ultimate test of Hawaii’s downwind season. The race also serves as the final stop of the Downwind Foil World Tour, where season-long international rankings will be decided against the backdrop of one of the sport’s most demanding open-ocean crossings.

Now in its third-year finishing at Kaimana Beach, the foil championship has become one of the sport’s most anticipated events, bringing together Olympic-caliber athletes and Hawaii’s next generation of watermen and waterwomen to compete across the legendary Channel of Bones.

LIVE COVERAGE

Live coverage begins at approximately 11:30 a.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time, roughly 30 minutes after the scheduled race start on Molokaʻi.

The broadcast will open with same-day footage of the official start, captured live-to-tape, before transitioning to full live coverage as the leading athletes approach Oʻahu and begin the final push toward Kaimana Beach.

Produced by Salt + Air Studios, with Foil Drive serving as the official foil assist media partner, the broadcast will bring viewers closer to the action through live on-water coverage, real-time GPS tracking, expert commentary, key division battles and complete finish-line coverage as the 2026 M2O Foil World Champions are crowned.

Viewers worldwide can watch live on:

• Rogue TV YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cpi4WKsFBM
• Rogue TV App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rogue-tv/id6502454549
• Rogue.tv: https://www.rogue.tv/

Athlete tracking is powered by DotVision Motion, allowing fans to follow every competitor throughout the crossing. Live official GPS tracking race day here.

Stay connected to Molokai2Oahu Facebook and Instagram leading into the race for more stories and updates on the Koa Kai Triple Crown.

SUP FOIL HIGHLIGHTS

Leading the charge are defending SUP Foil World Champions Edoardo Tanas of Italy and Annie Reickert of Maui, who return to defend their titles against the deepest international field in event history. Both Edo and Annie dominated last summer in record setting performances and will be vying for their respective “hat tricks” on the new course while facing formidable challenges from athletes chasing not only an M2O world title, but valuable points in the Downwind Foil World Tour standings and the season-long Koa Kai Crown.

This year we will see all of the top 20 athletes from 2025 returning this summer on the men’s side of the race. Last year only seconds separated Kane de Wilde and Tanas with leads changing hands into the exciting finish with Kai Thompson from Australia rounding out the podium. Maui contenders that know the channel intimately and will be ones to watch include brothers Finn and Jeffrey Spencer and Andrew Gibbons. The Tahitian continency returns with twins Toaura and Haunui Haumani leading the way after both finishing in the top ten last year.

The women’s SUP Field will be absent of 2025 M2O runner up Gabriella Bella, who is out with an injury this summer, but will see the return of M2O SUP World Champion Andrea Moller representing Brazil and hailing from Maui to test the new Foil course. Anna Kalabukhova will be testing her SUP skills after two years of podium finishes in the Wing Division. Watch for strong season end performances from Shae Foudy from Honolulu and Naumi Eychenne from Tahiti, testing themselves in the Kaiwi for the first time.

WING FOIL HIGHLIGHTS

Marley Franco from Maui returns to defend his M2O title this summer with Bobo Anderson pushing for his first win on the new course. Both hailing from Maui, Marley and Franco have battled all season. Bobo is undefeated in the Koa Kai Triple Crown Series. M2O seasoned athletes Robert Stehlik and Livio Menalau can never be underestimated with more than 20 M2O crossings between them.

With Kalabukhova testing her skills in the SUP Foil and teen phenom Lily Buden out with an injury we look to local Tatiana Grant to deliver a strong performance on the heels of her podium last summer.

KOA KAI TRIPLE CROWN

Over 100 foil athletes are chasing the prestigious Koa Kai Triple Crown, Hawai‘i’s ultimate open ocean test, during this year’s Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships. The four-part series spans roughly 80 miles of legendary downwind courses connecting Maui, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu. Developed to define the month of July as the premier destination for downwind paddling, the Triple Crown showcases ideal summer conditions and a growing calendar of world-class events. The final two stages—the Maui2Molokai Challenge and Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Foil Edition—set to take place this weekend is at fever pitch. Athletes must complete one of the early qualifiers, but it is the combined times from M2M and M2O and the local Molokai Kamalo race that will determine this year’s Koa Kai champions. The series not only pushes the limits of endurance, speed, and strategy but also supports local communities and causes, creating a powerful blend of athleticism and aloha.

The 2025 Moloka‘i-2-O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships presented by the United States Coast Guard is proudly partnered with Duke’s , Florence, Austin Ai, Sun Bum, H2O Audio, Armstrong, Ocean’s Prone, R10 Social House, Hammers & Legends, Foil Drive, Reyn Spooner, Kauai Coffee, Futures, Lanikai Brewing Co, Rogue TV, Salt + Air Studios, Spartan, and Dotvision.

About the Moloka‘i-2-O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships

Founded in 1997, M2O has grown from a grassroots challenge for the legendary lifeguards of O‘ahu to the premiere event in the sport of paddleboarding. The race annually crowns world champions in the two disciplines of traditional (prone) and stand-up (SUP) paddleboarding. In 2018, a SUP Foil division was added to welcome the evolution of SUP racing with the WING Foil added in 2022. Connecting the islands of Moloka‘i and O‘ahu, the race crosses the Kaiwi Channel, also known as the Moloka‘i Channel and Channel of Bones is considered one of the most challenging bodies of water. Men and women from more than 25 countries will face strong currents as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the most beautiful and powerful channels in the world. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler’s physical and mental endurance.

About Rogue TV

Rogue TV is a media platform dedicated to surf, ocean and adventure culture, bringing audiences closer to the athletes, creators and communities shaping life on the water. Founded by acclaimed water cinematographer Mike Prickett and powered by the production capabilities of Salt + Air Studios, Rogue TV delivers live broadcasts, original films and exclusive programming from some of the world’s most compelling ocean-sports environments.

From breaking waves to record-breaking performances, Rogue TV captures the action with the access, authenticity and visual ambition that define Salt + Air Studios’ work. Watch live events and original content anytime on the Rogue TV app or at Rogue.TV

About the United States Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the six armed forces of the United States. Since 1790, the Coast Guard has safeguarded our nation’s maritime interests and environment around the world as a federal law enforcement agency, humanitarian first responder, and military force.