THIS IS What
WE TRAIN FOR
RACE SEASON
Six paddlers. One canoe. Open ocean. From San Diego to Santa Barbara, we race hard, compete hard, and leave it all on the water, then congratulate the people who just tried to beat us.
Celebrating 30 Years of Racing the California Coast · Est. 1996
2026
WHAT RACE DAY FEELS LIKE
Intense.
Communal.
Unforgettable.
SCORA races are unlike most competitive events. You'll find yourself paddling against clubs from across Southern California — intense competition, loud crowds, and a community that genuinely wants everyone to have a great day on the water.
Pre-race is focused. Stretches, team huddles, race strategy. Then the horn blares and everything you've trained for comes down to six people moving as one.
Rivals on the water.
Ohana on the shore.
2027 RACE CALENDAR
IRON SEASON 2027
6-Person Crews
May 1 · Crystal Pier · San Diego
May 8 · Kahakai Outrigger Challenge · Long Beach
May 15 · Rig Run · Santa Barbara
Jun 5 · Kamanahoku Klassic · Marina Del Rey
Jun 12 · Ventura Challenge · Ventura
Jun 26 · Iron Championships · San Diego
the season
ahead.
9-MAN SEASON 2027
Up to 9 Paddlers · August–September
August 14 · Whitey Harrison 9-Man · Dana Point
August 21 · Paopao 9-Man · Oceanside
September 11–12 · Catalina Crossing · Newport Beach / Avalon
Beyond Iron Season
9-Man Racing
When the iron season wraps up, we keep racing. 9-man outrigger is a longer-distance format with crews of up to nine paddlers and open-water crew changes — a different kind of challenge from iron racing.
PKO participates when there's enough interest. It's not included in membership dues. If you're interested, talk to your coach as the season winds down.
PKO HOSTED EVENT
Avila
Outrigger
Expo.
Every fall, PKO hosts the Avila Beach Outrigger Expo — an open-water paddle right here in our backyard. It's not a SCORA-sanctioned race, but don't let that fool you — people show up to paddle hard and have a great time.
Think of it as a post-season fun run on the water. Clubs from across California make the trek to Avila Beach for a day of competitive paddling, fresh ocean air, and the kind of laid-back celebration that only happens when the pressure of race season is behind you.
Formerly known as the Pineapple Express, it's grown into one of the Central Coast's signature outrigger events — and one of our favorite days of the year.
