Maui's Kai and Lauren Bartlett are now multi-time winners of the Epic Kayaks Moloka'i World Championships, yet yesterday was a unique victory for them.

Kai Bartlett won the men's one-person canoe (OC-1) division, completing the 37-mile course from Kaluako'i Beach, Moloka'i, to Kaimana Beach, Waikiki, in 6 hours, 7 minutes, 56 seconds. It was his third victory in the race that is considered the world championship of long-distance solo ocean paddling for surfskis and one-person canoes.

Lauren Bartlett won the women's OC-1 division in 6:54:59. It was her fourth championship.

They are the first husband and wife to win titles in the same year. They both won in 2002, but that was before they started dating.

"This makes it really sweet," Kai said. "We juggle our training schedules to take care of the kids, and we do a lot for each other. It's hard to explain without getting teary-eyed."

Their victories came on a day when conditions were universally described by the competitors as "brutal." Paddlers had to fight the wind, and there were hardly any waves to ride across the Kaiwi Channel.

"Every hour, I thought I was going to put my (canoe) on the escort (boat) and watch the race," Kai said. "But you can't pull out when you're ahead."

And Kai paddled to a surprisingly dominant victory.

Australia's Greg Long placed second with a time of 6:14:24, and Kaua'i's Maui Kjeldsen was third in 6:18:11.

"Toughest thing I've ever had to do in my life," said Long, who had the best showing ever for a non-Hawai'i paddler in the men's OC-1 division. "No one was prepared for that race."

Kai won the grueling race despite what he said was a limited training schedule due to work and family commitments. But it probably helped that his work involved building canoes, including the "Scorpius" model he used yesterday, and the "Pegasus" that Lauren used.

Kai stayed near the lead pack most of the race, then broke ahead off East O'ahu.

"Around Hawai'i Kai, he established himself and that was it," Long said.

Kailua's Karel Tresnak Jr., who owns a record six OC-1 titles, placed sixth yesterday.

"I was just happy I finished," he said. "Every time you'd get on something, you'd have to use so much energy to do it. But after four or five hours, your energy starts to run pretty damn low ... I really hope it changes back to the old course."

Yesterday's course covered 37 miles instead of the 32 in previous years.

Kjeldsen said: "This race is supposed to be challenging and it definitely was. If you want to be world champ, you have to deal with it."

Lauren Bartlett was just passing Kahala when she got word that Kai won the men's race.

"I almost started crying when I heard that," she said. "It definitely gave me an extra charge."

And she said she needed it.

"You know when you hit the wall?" Lauren said. "Normally when I do Moloka'i, I maybe hit one or two walls. I must have hit 15 walls today."

Australia's Lisa Curry-Kenny was the second female to finish with a time of 7:04:22.

FINAL OC-1 RESULTS

MEN

Overall: 1, Kai Bartlett, 6:07:56. 2, Greg Long, 6:14:24. 3, Maui Kjeldsen, 6:18:11. 4, Mark Frazier, 6:20:58. 5, Rueben Dearlove, 6:24:42. 6, Karl Tresnak Jr., 6:25:03. 7, Kelly Foster, 6:30:46. 8, Mike Kane, 6:35:58. 9, Butch Keahiolalo, 6:37:46. 10, David Daniels, 6:43:14. 11, Carlton Helm, 6:43:26. 12, Aaron Creps, 6:43:55. 13, Joshua Mitchell, 6:45:11. 14, Kaeo Abbey, 6:45:14. 15, Tim Twigg-Smith, 6:45:42. 16, Kekoa Bruhn, 6:45:49. 17, Manny Kulukulualani, 6:50:06. 18, Thibert Lussiaa, 6:50:52. 19, Jay Griffin, 6:51:07. 20, Kingi Gilbert, 6:51:10. 21, Jack Roney, 6:52:11. 22, Glenn Nooroa, 6:59:19. 23, Tyson Poppler, 7:02:10. 24, Michael Delima, 7:05:15. 25, Tapa Worthington, 7:07:09. 26, Adrian Hybner, 7:07:55. 27, Hipolito Princena Jr., 7:11:15. 28, Justin Banfield, 7:13:55. 29, Mark Miller, 7:18:43. 30, Michael Hangai, 7:19:51. 31, Brett Boutelle, 7:26:57. 32, Ron Southwood, 7:27:27. 33, Bill Murray, 7:29:56. 34, Giovanni De Francesco, 7:30:31. 35, Romani Katao, 7:35:31. 36, Ray Shipman, 7:37:28. 37, Robert Olson, 7:40:13. 38, Diego Panza, 7:52:47. 39, Tony Calderon, 7:54:23. 40, Lance Mamiya, 8:01:17. 41, Cliff Tillotson, 8:05:59.

Masters 40-49: 1, Tim Twigg-Smith, 6:45:42. 2, Hipolito Princena Jr., 7:11:15. 3, Mark Miller, 7:18:43. 4, Ron Southwood, 7:27:27. 5, Lance Mamiya, 8:01:17.

Masters 50-59: 1, Bill Murray, 7:29:56. 2, Ray Shipman, 7:37:28. 3, Cliff Tillotson, 8:05:59.

WOMEN

Overall: 1, Lauren Bartlett, 6:54:59. 2, Lisa Curry-Kenny, 7:04:22. 3, Arlene Holzman, 7:27:53. 4, Bernadine Murch, 7:32:47. 5, Margie Kawaiaea, 7:34:29. 6, Jamie Kinard, 7:55:52.

Masters 40-49: 1, Lisa Curry-Kenny, 7:04:22. 2, Arlene Holzman, 7:27:53. 3, Margie Kawaiaea, 7:34:29.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.