WAIKĪKĪ — A year after unseating Shell Va'a's Molokai Hoe dynasty, Team OPT appears poised to start one of its own.
Prior to the 2025 Molokai Hoe, Shell Va'a had won 13 of the 15 previous events, including three in a row. Team OPT, another club formed in Tahiti, won the Molokai Hoe in its debut in the race.
On Sunday, Team OPT repeated as Molokai Hoe champions, making the 40.8 mile trek across the Ka‘iwi Channel, finishing at Duke Kahanamoku Beach with a time of four hours, 34 minutes and nine seconds.
"I feel incredible. Two years in a row we win this race," said Keahi Agnieray of Team OPT. "We're missing four paddlers who stayed in Tahiti because of injury or business to do. So, we (won) with what we have.
"We paddle together, stay together, and we paddle for each other in the canoe. That's our strength in Tahiti. ... We finished today, and most important, have fun during the race. All we do is be friends with love and share the joy to to each other."
Team OPT improved on its 2025 winning time of 4:42:02, and in the process, forced Shell Va'a to finish runners-up for the second year in a row. After the race, members of both crews were seen taking pictures with each other.
"Not really motivation," Agnieray said of the naturally budding rivalry between OPT and Shell Va'a. Another competition in Tahiti is two weeks away, where the two crews will go at it again. "The target on our crew is big."
Tahiti's Team OPT repeated as Molokai Hoe champions on Sunday. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff) 
Tahiti's Team OPT repeated as Molokai Hoe champions on Sunday. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff) 
Tahiti's Team OPT repeated as Molokai Hoe champions on Sunday. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff) 
Spectators took in the finish of the 2026 Molokai Hoe on Sunday, Oct. 11. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff) 
Shell Va'a finished in second place at the Molokai Hoe for the second year in a row on Sunday. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff)
As for the local teams, Keahiakahoe Canoe Club had the best finish among the Hawai‘i-based crews, finishing with a time of 4:49:44, good for fifth overall.
"Being the first Hawai‘i crew (to finish) it's no joke," said Kalei Kahookele. "The other Hawai‘i crews, they're no pushovers either. We were battling with them coming into Portlock, going into Hawai‘i Kai, and they were right around us for the most part. We just had a good click and we emptied the tank at the right time and were able to pull away from them."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
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