Outrigger canoe racing builds on the culture and tradition of ancient Polynesia. In “pre-contact” days, the outrigger canoe was an integral part of Hawaiian life. Canoes were designed and built for varying purposes including travel to other islands, fishing, sport, and recreation and even for waging war.

Today outrigger racing is a global sport, supported and practiced by clubs around the world including Hawaii, the South Pacific and the US Mainland as well as Costa Rica, Brazil, South Africa and Europe.