Canoe Alley
Chasing the Surfski Title Patrick Dolan’s Record-Breaking Victory By Rachel Wagenman
“The hugs of family and the handshakes of people that are friends and supporters—it’s really just what makes it the best.” — Patrick Dolan family and the handshakes of people that are friends and supporters—it’s really just what makes it the best.” Looking ahead, Dolan sees his success as more than just a personal achievement. “I have two little kids of my own,” he says. “This younger generation—we have so many great young paddlers. If they want to do surfski or any ocean sport, the possibilities are endless, and they can achieve those goals if they work at it.”
➳ Patrick Dolan had a choice to make. In 2024, he dominated the Kaiwi Channel to win the Kaiwi Solo OC-1 championship in record time, finishing one of the most grueling solo outrigger canoe races in the world in 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 10 seconds. Just two weeks later, he returned to the same channel for the Moloka‘i Challenge surfski division, where he finished a close second—just minutes behind champion Cory Hill. Rather than return in 2025 to defend his OC-1 title, Dolan made a bold decision: he would shift his full focus to surfski, chasing a title that had eluded a Hawaiian paddler for nearly half a century. That gamble paid off. “No one from Hawai‘i has won the surfski since Kalai Handley in 1978, so it’s always been a goal of mine,” says Dolan. “I think this is my ninth crossing at it, so it’s something I’ve been working for even while I’ve been doing outrigger paddling.” With an incredible finish time of 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 44 seconds, Dolan not only earned the champion surfski title, but also set a new course record. “It takes a village,” Dolan says. “The hugs of
26 AMA | JULY / AUGUST 2025
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online