Kai Barltett is one of at least 250 paddlers from around Australia and overseas who will be contesting races in OC1, OC2 and V1 classes over two days on the weekend of December 1 and 2.

Samoan Olympian Anne Cairns and New Zealand representative paddler Paul Roozendaal are also confirmed starters, adding further star power to the event.

Port Macquarie Maroro Outrigger Canoe Club President Wes Byrnes said the club was thrilled to be hosting its first national titles and determined to put on a great show. “We are thrilled that some of the biggest names in the sport are coming to Port Macquarie for this event, and in outrigger paddling there is no bigger name than Kai Bartlett,” he said. “Kai has won the world’s most prestigious outrigger race, the 52km Molokai Solo, on five occasions and holds the Molokai Relay record.

His company, Kai Wa’a, has designed and built a number of the canoes paddled by our members here in Port Macquarie. He will also be running a clinic on Friday afternoon.

“Anne Cairns has represented Samoa in the 2016 London Olympics in the K1 events and is a favourite to take out the Womens division while Paul Roozendaal is another high-profile competitor, having first represented New Zealand at white water rafting in 2003 and has been competing at international level in both white water and outrigger paddling ever since.

“We are also very fortunate to have elite paddlers from around Australia travelling to Port in the chase for gold medals.” The regatta will feature three races including a 25km ‘main event’ on the Saturday, in which an estimated 150 competitors will paddle between Port Macquarie and Dunbogan.

“We’ll start with a 6km river race for less experienced paddlers on the Saturday morning, starting and finishing at Town Green,” Byrnes said. “The 25km ‘downwinder’ will run in the afternoon, with a tail wind and swell offering the best racing conditions, so the direction of the race will depend on the weather of the day.

“After a big presentation night we will set up again on Sunday and finish the regatta with a 12km triangular course on open water just off Port Macquarie.