Chris Owens First To Paddleboard Island Channels Solo

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Champion paddleboarder Chris Owens with his son C.J. after the
final leg of a Molokai channel race. Photo from Catherine Lo.

North Shore paddleboarder Chris Owens secured his title July 30 as the first person to solo paddle across the channels that link the major Hawaiian islands.

Equally thrilling for Owens was being accompanied by his 13-year-old son C.J. in the last leg of his journey in the 10th annual Quiksilver Edition Molokai-toOahu Paddleboard Race. Enduring 2- to 4-foot waves, the father-son team completed the 32-mile race in 6 hours, 47 minutes, finishing fourth in their division.

Chris Owens with son C.J. paddle as a team in the
10th annual Quiksilver edition Molokai to Oahu
Paddleboard Race. Photo from Catharine Lo.

Other paddleboarding ventures Chris Owens successfully completed in the month of July were the 50-mile route from Hawaii to Maui, the 18.5-mile route from Maui to Lanai, and the 8.5 miles between Maui and Molokai, as well as a 32-mile paddle from Kaluakoi Resort to Maunalua Bay on Oahu.

Father and son participated together in the 9-mile Maliko-Gulch-to-Kahului race July 23 while in Maui. That run acted as a warm up for their July 25 Mauito-Molokai, Pailolo Channel run where they braved 3- to-6-foot open ocean swells.

The duo’s culminating adventure was the July 30 paddle home in which C.J. and another 13-year-old were the year’s youngest participants.