With the leadership and support of Cline Mann, the Outrigger Canoe Club began sponsoring the Waikiki Ocean Paddleboard Races on December 30, 1978 for the Winter race and on August 18, 1979 for the Summer race. The event was open to the public and the course was 10,000-meters long (6.214 miles).
The race started at the Outrigger beach, moved out the Kapua Channel to a flag one-half mile seaward. Paddlers then turned east where they rounded the Diamond Head Buoy. From there they paddled west where they turned around the wreck buoy at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Heading east again, they returned to the Kapua Channel flag, and finished at the OCC Beach where they started.
The Club wanted to encourage paddlers to enter the race so it charged no fees for the race and offered a free lunch afterward. In light of newer lighter boards that were being introduced into the market, the Club leveled the playing field by ruling that boards could be no longer than 12-feet and no lighter than 20 pounds. This ensured that youngsters could enter using their surfboards if they didn’t have a paddleboard. There were men’s, women’s, boy’s, girl’s, masters men and masters women divisions.
The Winter 10K race became part of the Tri-Ocean Races sponsored by the Club in December 1989. The Tri Ocean Races included the 10K Paddleboard Race, a 12-K Surfski Race and 8-K OC-1 and OC-2 Race. The Winter Ocean Paddleboard Race ceased after the 2003 race when only two competitors entered the race. Many had turned their interest to surfkis and one-man canoes which were new to ocean sports.
The Summer 10K was renamed the Cline Mann 5,000-Meter Paddleboard Race on August 10, 1985 by the Paddleboard Committee and the distance was reduced from 10,000 meters to 5,000 meters. In 2000, the race was renamed the Cline Mann Memorial Ko`olaupoko Paddleboard Race which is still held on the Saturday after the 4th of July and stretches from Makai Pier in Waimanalo to the OCC Beach.
The races were introduced by Cline Mann to keep the sport of paddleboard alive and did their job. Paddleboard competitions are held in Hawaii and around the world and interest has increased with the addition of Stand Up Paddling. The Cline Mann race is now the prep race before the M2K Paddleboard Race from Molokai to Oahu which draws numerous international competitors.
Winners
Results by Year
Trophy
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