Solo canoe paddlers are going solo with their own world championship race.

The first Kaiwi Channel Solo OC-1 World Championship is scheduled for April 27.

The 32-mile race from Kaluako'i, Moloka'i, to Koko Marina, O'ahu, will feature most of the world's best one-person canoe (OC-1) paddlers.

"We should have had our own championship race a long time ago," said Manny Kulukulualani, an elite competitor who is also the primary organizer of the race. "A lot of people have talked about it over the years, but we finally put it together."

Prior to this year, the OC-1 world champions were determined during the Moloka'i World Championships. But that race was created for surfski paddlers in 1976. The OC-1 division was added in 1994.

"I think it'll benefit both sports to have separate races," Kulukulualani said. "We like paddling with the surfski guys — that's all our friends. But in order for the sport to grow, we had to make our own championship."

The surfski paddlers will still compete for their world title in the Moloka'i World Championships on May 18.

The May 18 race will still have a division for OC-1 paddlers, but most — if not all — of Hawai'i's top competitors are opting for the April 27 event.

"It's only natural to want your own championship race," said Kailua's Karel Tresnak Jr., who owns a record six OC-1 world titles. "I think this is a step in the right direction for our sport."

Kulukulualani said "around 90" paddlers have already registered for the April 27 race.

"That would be the biggest turnout ever (for OC-1 paddlers)," he said.

At last year's Moloka'i World Championships, there were 48 OC-1 entries and 42 surfskis.

Kulukulualani said defending OC-1 world champions Kai Bartlett (men) and Lauren Bartlett (women) have registered to race on April 27. The Bartletts, who are married, are from Maui.

Also in the field are Tresnak, last year's runner-up Greg Long of Australia, and California champion Danny Ching.

Kulukulualani said there will be at least $10,000 in prize money — $5,000 to the men's champion and $5,000 to the women's champion. He said he is seeking sponsors to put up prize money for the other top finishers.

"That's the most prize money for a (OC-1) race that I know of," Kulukulualani said. "But if we're going to make this our own world championship race, we wanted to do it right."

Kulukulualani emphasized that the OC-1 paddlers are not trying to take anything from the surfski paddlers.

"We're not trying to compete with (the May 18) race," he said. "It's two separate sports, and there deserves to be two separate world championship races."

Sean Monahan, one of the state's top surfski paddlers, said there is no animosity because of the OC-1 break away.

"I think it's a good thing," Monahan said. "Both sports are getting so big, it was hectic to have that many paddlers on the same day. And one can take away the spotlight from the other. This way, they each get their own day."

Some international OC-1 paddlers have already made arrangements to participate in the May 18 race, and cannot attend the April 27 race. Still, Tresnak said the April 27 winner should be recognized as the OC-1 world champion for 2008.

"As far as I know, all the top guys are doing the (April 27) race, so I would say the winner of that will be your champ," Tresnak said.