Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Races (outrigger)

CREW an outrigger canoe in an 18-mile ocean race, or in the shorter sprint and relay races.

Crew

Sep 2027 (TBC)Next date

None listedNext deadline / key date

Labor Day weekend (early September)Usual timing

Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i Island, USAWhere

01 · How to take part

Your way in

Join a canoe club crew, or use the race blog's 'Need a Crew / Need a Paddler' category; the organiser tries to help overseas crews find canoes.

Crew

Paddle on a crew

Join an outrigger canoe club crew, or use the race blog's 'Need a Crew / Need a Paddler' category. The Saturday race is 18 miles; the Thursday relay and the Sunday and Monday races are shorter. The organiser tries to help visiting crews find canoes.

You build or use: CREW an outrigger canoe in an 18-mile ocean race, or in the shorter sprint and relay races
Participation: Crew (paddler)
Entry and deadlines: Paddling experience and a crew are needed; each paddler signs a waiver online (new in 2026); 2027 registration is not open
Where: Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i Island, USA

02 · Dates

Dates and deadlines, Jan 2026 to Dec 2027

Usual timing: Labor Day weekend (early September). Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.

Sep 2027 · date TBCQueen Lili'uokalani Canoe Races 2027 (held each Labor Day weekend)2027 dates not announced; Labor Day weekend is the usual timing. · sourceDate TBCCrew

Already passed this season: 3–7 Sep 2026: Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Races 2026 (past).

See it on the calendar →

03 · Skills you'll need

Skills you'll need

What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.

Core skill

Outrigger paddling in a team: timing, stroke and steering

Also useful:

Open-ocean awareness over a long race
Race admin: crew entry and online waivers

Difficulty our estimateSome practice

Prep time our estimateseveral weeks of regular paddling with a club

Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.

Refresher

The races run each Labor Day weekend: a Thursday relay, the Saturday 18-mile race, Sunday races and a Monday classic.
Each paddler signs their own waiver online (new in 2026); paper waivers are no longer accepted, and old association waivers are not valid.
The race blog has a 'Need a Crew / Need a Paddler' category and a 'Need a Canoe / Have a Canoe' category.
The organiser tries to help overseas crews obtain canoes, and out-of-state requests are handled first.
2027 dates are not announced yet.

Practise before you go

Join a local outrigger club for regular paddling before the race.
Practise paddling long stretches together as a crew.
Watch the race replay or read the schedule to see how the day runs.

Safety notes

Open-ocean racing: be a confident swimmer and wear what your crew captain advises.
Heat and sun: hydrate and use sun protection.
Follow the escort-boat and race-official instructions.