Molokaʻi 2 Oʻahu Foil World Championships

The M2O Foil World Championships send athletes across the Kaiwi Channel, where ocean swell, wind, and current create a constantly shifting racecourse unlike anything found in a controlled venue. The crossing has become a genuine proving ground for modern foil disciplines, testing not just speed but the judgment required to read open-ocean conditions correctly.

The channel itself is the real opponent here. Notoriously rough even by open-ocean standards, the Kaiwi separates Molokaʻi from Oʻahu across roughly 26 miles of unpredictable water, and foiling across it, rather than paddling or swimming, adds a technical dimension that has drawn some of the sport’s most accomplished athletes to compete against both the field and the channel itself.

Competitors need support craft, island transfers, and pre-race staging, making this one of Hawaiʻi’s most travel-intensive summer events even for spectators. Those following the race can watch the finish near Maunalua Bay and spend the rest of the day exploring East Honolulu’s quieter beach parks and neighborhoods once the athletes come ashore and the channel gradually empties out again for the season.