It started in 1972 during a time of rejuvenation for the culture and traditions of Hawaii, and the first race included eight teams, all men. It was a warm-up for the already established and respected Na Wahine O Ke Kai (women's) and the Molokai Hoe (men's) long-distance outrigger canoe races from Molokai to Oahu that cover 41 miles.
It was held on Sept. 2, the birthday of Hawaii's last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, and thus named in her honor. The next year, a women's race was added and the event gradually grew from there.
Today the Queen Liliuokalani Long Distance Canoe Race lasts for four days, includes races in several categories, and hosts roughly 2,500 competitors hailing from all over the world. According to the organizers, the Kai Opua Canoe Club, it is the largest long-distance canoe race in the world.
"The popularity comes from a lot of factors, but most of all because it's nice to come to Hawaii," said Uncle Bo Campos, Kai Opua Canoe Club president. "There's good weather and blue water. It's an 18-mile race, not a 40-mile race. People from the U.S. mainland and international visitors really love it, because they can make it a real trip and spend a whole weekend or longer here."
The 18-mile course goes from Kailua Bay to Honaunau Bay, and the center of activity is the Kailua Pier. The various races feature different styles of canoe, and there are numerous categories that cover more competitive racers, men's, women's and mixed teams, a variety of age groups, and a couple of shorter, sprint races.
"The race has really grown by leaps and bounds, and that's because it's for everyone," Campos said. "The channel race is not for everybody, but this is a fun race with lots of different categories. It really becomes more of festival."
In addition to the canoe races, there are numerous events, presentations and clinics during the four-day event. On Saturday night more than 1,000 people carry bamboo torches from Hale Halawai County Pavilion down Alii Drive to the Kailua Pier, in a torch ceremony that is much like it was when the event started more than 40 years ago.
The weekend kicks off with a reception for the international visitors, and opening night also includes a talk and presentation from prominent outrigger canoe racers. There are also town tours and a cultural fair at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, with hands-on demonstrations. Around Kailua Pier there are various food, arts and crafts vendors on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday awards presentation at Makaeo Events Pavilion includes a luau, and the whole event wraps up on Monday with the Kupuna Classic, a race for paddlers age 50 and older.
Outrigger canoe racing is the state sport of Hawaii, and after a resurgence, there are several annual races and many of the state's schools organize teams. Hawaiian canoe races date back to at least 1906, when Prince Kuhio sent a canoe from Kona to race against Oahu crews. There were large canoe regattas held in the islands in the early 1930s, but they abruptly ended in 1936.
That was at least in part due to the start of conflicts that would lead to the beginning of World War II in 1939, Campos said. Eventually, after the war ended, regattas and races returned in 1950s, and the practice continued to grow as more of a focus was placed on preserving Hawaiian culture and traditions.
Campos says he gets the most joy out of seeing the camaraderie among the teams, and all of the smiles on the faces of the paddlers and spectators. For him the race is as much about sharing Hawaiian traditions and bringing people together as it is about the nautical competition.
"I started paddling when I was 7 years old, and now I'm in my 60s and I still paddle," he said. "I love sharing the culture with the world, and that is really what is very important to me."