A record 87 women's teams — which equates to around 900 paddlers — are registered to participate in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai outrigger canoe race today.

"Very, very surprised," race director Hannie Anderson said. "Because of the economy, we were expecting about 60 (teams), but the list kept growing and growing. I think it shows how popular this sport really is."

The Na Wahine O Ke Kai is a 41-mile race from Hale O Lono Harbor, Moloka'i, to Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki. It is considered the world championship of long-distance outrigger canoe paddling for women's teams.

The previous record for participation was 83 teams in 2007. The first Na Wahine O Ke Kai had 14 entries in 1979.

"When you have this many teams, you can really feel the adrenaline go up," Anderson said. "There's so much excitement."

Among the record number of entries is Chigasaki Outrigger Canoe Club from Japan.

Although men's teams from Japan have been competing in the Moloka'i Hoe for several years, this is the first time that a women's team from Japan is competing in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai.

"Outrigger canoe (paddling) is still a new sport in Japan, so not that many women do it yet," said Tomoe Yasu, captain of the Chigasaki team. "We finally were able to get enough women from our team to come this year, and this is like a dream for us."

Yasu has competed in the solo canoe race across the Kaiwi Channel, but she is the only experienced paddler on the team.

She said that there are only two women's canoe clubs in Japan, so they rarely get to race. Instead, they practice in mostly calm conditions.

"We hope conditions are not too big because we don't get big waves in Japan," Yasu said. "Just to finish, of course, we will be happy. But we would also like to be in the first half (of the finishers)."

Anderson said she expects conditions to be "pretty good" today across the Kaiwi Channel.

Most of the record 87 entries are from Hawai'i. Some clubs — such as Hui Lanakila, Waikiki Beachboys and Kailua — are entering four or more separate crews.

Team Bradley — a mix of paddlers from Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, the Big Island and Australia — is the four-time defending champion.