The 18th edition of the Molokai-2-Oahu Paddleboard World Championships (M2O), presented by Kona Longboard Island Lager, is set for Sunday, July 27, 2014. Founded in 1997, M2O has grown from a grassroots challenge for the legendary lifeguards and watermen of Oahu to the premiere event for the sport of paddleboarding, annually crowning world champions in the two disciplines of prone (traditional) and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Connecting the islands of Molokai and Oahu, the 32-mile race crosses the Ka'iwi Channel, also known as the Molokai Channel. Men and women from more than 20 countries will face strong currents as they navigate the fastest downwind route over one of the deepest channels in the world. Top athletes can complete the crossing in less than five hours, riding mid-channel waves that can crest more than 12 feet and carry paddlers hundreds of meters at a time. M2O starts on Kaluakoi Beach on the north shore of Molokai and finishes in Maunalua Bay on the south shore of Oahu. The annual race is a deeply personal experience, challenging every paddler's physical and mental endurance. Every finisher experiences an individual championship.