2025 Molokai Holokai

Photo by PF Bentley

By Léo Azambuja

Better safety, improved organization and pristine ocean conditions marked the Maui to Molokai Challenge, the opening event of the 2025 Molokai Holokai Ho‘olaule‘a — two days of ocean races, community gathering, cultural workshops and environmental education.

“Our big focus was safety this year. We had everyone with (GPS) trackers, and we had a really good system setup,” Clare Albino said. “The conditions were really nice; it was beautiful out there on the ocean.”

The 27-mile race over the Pailolo Channel — considered the windiest of all Hawaiian channels — kicked off on Maui’s Fleming Beach July 18 at 9:30 a.m., with about 220 water athletes competing in several different watercrafts, including stand up paddleboards, outrigger canoes, wing foil and SUP foil.

Albino, the architect and organizer of the event, said the GPS trackers allowed organizers to add extra safety by monitoring every competitor making the ocean crossing from Maui to Molokai.

While athletes were pushing their limits on the ocean, the nonprofit organization Sustainable Coastlines was conducting a beach cleanup in Kaunakakai. After the last competitor arrived, everyone went to Molokai Community Health Center for the awards ceremony, live music, hula dancing and food.

On July 19, a 7 a.m. 5K race from Kawela to One Aliʻi Beach Park kicked off the event’s second day. At noon, check-in at Kamalo Harbor opened for the Kamalo Downwinder water race to the Community Health Center. At 3:45 p.m. the Keiki to Makua Race took place from Mowat Homestead to Molokai Community Health Center.

The second day’s award ceremony at the health center started soon after 4 p.m., followed by more live music and food until 8 p.m.

A former elite runner and professional windsurfer, Albino created the Maui to Molokai Challenge in 2003. The race became part of a cultural event that changed and evolved over the years, but remained being about the kids and about inspiring a healthy community.

“I was a teenage athlete. I was world champion at 17. I was on an Olympic squad at 16, and I was a top runner, but I never had guidance. I was thrown in the deep end; sink or swim.” Albino said. “It’s tough as a kid. It’s tough as a teenager to do good things without the support.”

She may have done well in sports as a youth, she said, but she also made “a lot of dumb mistakes.”

“The purpose of this event is really to inspire our kids and motivate them, and get the adults fully behind them and recognize them,” Albino said.

All her children have raced across the Pailolo Channel. Her son did it when he was only eight years old, one of her daughters did it when she was 10 years old, and the other did it when she was 14 years old. 

“My passion is the youth. My passion is the kids,” she said, adding she wants to inspire kids and have them “do something really good with their lives.”

Visit www.molokaiholokai.com for more information.