It has been just 23 years since Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club was born with a borrowed canoe on a vacant block of land on the Mooloolah River on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
But if you ran an eye over our achievements, you’d think the club more likely to be 50 years old….
19 World titles in 23 Years
In achieving our goals, we’ve managed to find a happy medium between helping people realise the great Australian pastime of enjoying the water safely and fostering the spirit of competition and camaraderie that goes with outrigger paddling. And our enjoyment fuels our success.
As one of the pre-eminent outrigging clubs in the world, our members participate in paddling events across the globe and are recognised internationally for their excellence and professionalism.
The highest profile events are held in Hawaii, the home of outrigger canoeing. Both the Molokai Hoe (men’s) and Na Wahine O Ke Kai (women’s) races pit the world’s best clubs and paddlers against each other in a gruelling 41-mile open sea race from the island of Molokai to Waikiki Beach. These events are considered the world championships of long distance outrigger canoeing and Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club is one of the most dominant clubs to participate in these annual world titles.
Our record speaks volumes for our dedication and continued quest for success and enjoyment equally:
- 4 Open Women’s Championships (Na Wahine O Ke Kai)
- 9 Master Men’s Championships (Molokai Hoe)
- 6 Senior Master Men’s Championships (Molokai Hoe)
Our club has also dominated the National race seasons by taking out numerous National Club Championship Titles in both the Senior and Junior divisions:
- National Club Championships
- Senior Division – 14 wins
- Junior Division – 10 wins
Our Juniors have also competed with great success internationally in New Zealand, Cook Islands, Hawaii, Fiji and California. From its humble beginnings, the club has now grown to around 200 members hailing from Brisbane to Noosa. With teams competing around the world in all divisions, Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club is one of Australia’s largest and strongest.
More waves
So apart from a good excuse to travel the world, Mooloolaba Outriggers is a great local club to be a part of whether you are just learning about the sport or are an athlete looking for a new challenge. You don’t have to have a rippling body or years of paddling experience – if you enjoy the water and the camaraderie of working together in a team towards a common goal, then paddling at Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club ticks all those boxes.
If you’re new to the area and just want to make friends or are retired from other sports that the old knees just can’t hold up to anymore, contact us and join one of the world’s great clubs.