Team OPT wins Molokai Hoe again

Team OPT secured a second consecutive victory at the Molokai Hoe on October 11, 2026, completing the 66-kilometer race between Molokai and Oahu in 4 hours, 34 minutes, and 25 seconds. The team, which won the event in 2025, finished ahead of Shell Va’a, which came in second in 4 hours, 36 minutes, and 32 seconds, with Popora Te Hoe Mamu from Bora Bora completing the podium in 4 hours, 46 minutes, and 42 seconds.

Race details and participants

The Molokai Hoe 2026 brought together 104 teams on the starting line at the Hale O Lono port in Molokai. The race started a few minutes before 8 a.m., with the paddlers following the coast of Molokai before crossing the Ka’iwi Channel to reach the Waikiki beach on Oahu. Tahitian participation was strong this year with a dozen clubs and about fifteen teams competing in the junior, senior, and veteran categories.

Top teams and competition

Two major favorites stood out: the Team OPT, the 2025 winner, and Shell Va’a, the 2024 winner with already 13 victories at the Molokai Hoe. However, other Tahitian clubs were ambitious, with the Fenua representatives achieving a quadruple in 2025 with Team OPT, Shell Va’a, Popora Te Hoe Mamu from Bora Bora, and Rurutu, while Team EDT finished seventh.

Race dynamics and strategy

Tahitian dominance was still expected this year, and indeed Shell Va’a and Team OPT had a good start, being in the leading group at the tip of Molokai after thirty minutes of racing. However, the Hawaiian teams from Lanikai and Wailea were also in the race and setting the pace. Shell Va’a held on but eventually gave way.

Final stretch and victory

After an hour of racing, it was difficult to accurately determine the positions in the standings as the course choices were different, even though all teams had to pass Diamond Head, touching the coast of Oahu. Team OPT and Shell Va’a had chosen the same north heading, apparently to mark their presence. Keoni Sulpice and his Team OPT partners seemed to be leading after two hours of racing ahead of Shell Va’a, which had a 300-meter deficit.

Team OPT’s victory and comments

At Diamond Head, about thirty minutes from the finish line, Team OPT appeared to have already won the race. Clear dominance of the Tahitian paddlers. Leading by a large margin, the Team OPT battled in the final against the race record held by Shell Va’a since 2011, which was 4 hours, 30 minutes, and 54 seconds. However, the paddlers of Georges Cronsteadt ultimately did not manage to establish a new reference time, finishing in 4 hours, 34 minutes, and 25 seconds, with a little more than two minutes ahead of Shell Va’a.

Tahitian success and future outlook

The Tahitian paddlers had clearly dominated the Molokai Hoe in 2025, and the superiority of the Tahitian va’a was further confirmed this year with a new quadruple in the scratch category, with Team OPT B with a team associated with the Hawaiian Kukui O Molokai finishing just behind its team A, Shell Va’a, and Popora Te Hoe Mamu. EDT Va’a and Rurutu also entered the Top 10. The turn of events in Hawaii makes Team OPT the favorite for Hawaiki Nui Va’a, but there is no doubt that Shell Va’a will have a vengeful spirit and that other clubs hope to challenge the dominance of the two leaders.