Help four young men cross the 'Channel of Bones'

Four young men – Joe Wilson, Lucas Forbes, Tom Lowe and Harry Hickey - from Mairangi Bay, Auckland have been selected to race the prestigious ‘Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships’ in Hawaii in July.

Training to make this 52km crossing is one thing, finding the funds needed to do this is almost as hard, and the four are now working hard off the water to fundraise towards a successful campaign.

All four of these athletes are from different backgrounds but have come together as lifeguards at Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club.

The four are competing in:

• Joe Wilson - individual prone (12ft)

• Lucas Forbes – individual prone (12ft)

• Harry Hickey and Tom Lowe – U79 team prone (12ft)

The Molokai to Oahu (M2O) Paddleboard World Champs is the world’s premier endurance paddleboard event - 52kms from the Hawaiian island of Molokai to Oahu.

The crossing takes competitors across the open ocean through the Ka’iwi Channel otherwise known as the Channel of Bones.

The channel’s name leaves nothing to the imagination, it is a treacherous stretch of water that will see them take on six foot ocean swells, notoriously strong winds and the world’s best paddle boarders.

Training for this event is not easy and requires plenty of time on the water preparing. To be at their best, the team intend to finish their preparation with a week in Hawaii prior to heading to Molokai to race, acclimatising to the weather and ocean conditions.

Any support you may be able to offer would be greatly appreciated.