Maclean is an incomplete paraplegic, which means he is normally confined to a wheelchair because he is paralyzed from the waist down.

He will compete in the Moloka'i World Championship as part of a two-man surfski team with friend David Wells.

"My objective for almost everything I do is to be seen as an equal," said Maclean, who is 38 and from Australia. "This race is a challenge within itself, but I don't see it as a challenge for me because of my position."

Around 100 paddlers are expected to compete in the race. Most of the paddlers will use one-person canoes or surfskis.

Maclean and Wells will be one of a handful of two-person teams.

"We've done a lot of preparation for this," said Wells, who is 36 and a lifeguard in Australia. "We're ready for it. It's just a matter of what time we get here."

If it comes down to stamina, Maclean is proven.

He has completed the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona three times, swam across the English Channel, and won an Australian championship in handcycling.

"It seems to me that this is what I was meant to do," Maclean said. "After having this accident, I had a chance to go right or left. I chose to go right and take all these opportunities and enjoy the experience along the way."

Maclean was riding his bike on a highway in Australia when he was hit by a truck in 1988. At the time, he was a rugby player and aspiring triathlete.

The accident stole the use of his legs, but by 1993, he returned to athletic competition. In 1995, he became the first wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman Triathlon in Kona.

"There's highs and lows as there is with everything in life," he said. "But that's part of what makes the whole experience enjoyable for me."

Maclean decided to focus on paddling a few years ago at the urging of Wells.

"I have a tendency to give something a go, and then complete it and move on," Maclean said. "Right now, my focus is on completing this race."

Maclean and Wells will use a standard two-man surfski. Wells sits in the front because he needs to control the foot-rudders. Maclean is "the engine" in the back seat.

"In the double ski, you need someone in the front who knows where to go," Wells said. "But you also need somebody who's powerful in the back and that's what John is good at."

Jon Emerson, race director of the Moloka'i World Championship, described Maclean's endeavor as "pretty darn amazing."

"The legs are actually important in this sport," Emerson said. "You use your calves and your knees and your thighs in some way or another. This race is tough enough for anyone, let alone someone in his situation."

Maclean also wants to finish the race for other reasons. He is racing for the John Maclean Foundation, which donates money to wheelchair-confined children in Australia.

"There's already a pledge for $10,000 (Australian) so we're hoping for a good final tally," he said. "The money will go toward helping kids in wheelchairs, whether that be a new wheelchair or a musical instrument. I just want to help improve their quality of life and encourage kids in wheelchairs to be seen as equal in everything they do."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.