The world's largest long-distance outrigger canoe race returns to the Island of Hawaii this summer.
Started in 1972, the Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race will be held Aug. 31 in Kone. Thousands of paddlers from around the world will take part in the event's signature 18-mile race, which traces the route from Kailua-Kona village's Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark, once the site of King Kamehameha the Great's residential compound, to Honaunau Bay alongside Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park.
The event hosts roughly 2,500 paddlers in all and runs from Aug 29 to Sept 2. Besides the 18-mile main event, there are also shorter races and a range of age groups. There will also be a walking tour, cultural fair and torch-light parade over the weekend.
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