By paddling to victory across the Kaiwi Channel in 1997, Australia's Mick Dibetta knew he was paddling into something significant.

"I have no doubt this race will one day become the biggest and best in the world," Dibetta said prior to winning the first Moloka'i to O'ahu Paddleboard Race in 1997.

He was right.

The Quiksilveredition Moloka'i to O'ahu Paddleboard Race will run for the 10th consecutive year on Sunday. It is now considered the world championship of long-distance paddleboard racing.

"Every other race in this sport points toward the Moloka'i race now," Dibetta said. "The top competitors in this sport all want to win Moloka'i."

Hawai'i's Dawson Jones, who placed second to Dibetta in 1997, said: "I don't want to take anything away from the big events in Australia and California, but the Moloka'i race is the one that has really raised the level of the sport."

The 1997 race drew 34 entries. Sunday's race will feature more than 120.

Prior to the 1997 race, officials were concerned that some of the paddlers wouldn't be able to complete the 32-mile course from Kaluako'i Beach, Moloka'i, to Maunalua Bay, O'ahu, in less than eight hours, if at all. On Sunday, the fastest paddlers should take about five hours to complete the course.

"It's still a formidable challenge, don't get me wrong," said Mike Takahashi, who has served as race director for all 10 crossings. "But the times are really amazing. I had no idea 10 years ago that so many people would be able to enter this race and do it so fast."

A paddleboard is like a long, streamlined surfboard, and is powered only by arm strokes — same as paddling a surfboard.

Of all the official races across the Kaiwi Channel, the Moloka'i Paddleboard Race is considered the most grueling.

"After swimming, solo paddleboarding is the toughest way to do it," Jones said.

Australian Jamie Mitchell has become the fastest paddler in the sport. He is the four-time defending champion of the Moloka'i race, and is again considered the favorite.

"It's pretty neat to see how much this race has grown over the years, and how good the competition is now," Jones said.

After his victory in 1997, Dibetta said he received a T-shirt and a skateboard. On Sunday, the winner will receive a T-shirt ... and $3,000.

"It's come a long way in a short time," Dibetta said. "And it feels great knowing you were part of the starting effort of it all."

Dibetta and Jones were admitted rivals in 1997. "I wanted to beat him so bad," Jones said.

But they have since become friends, and they will enter as partners in the relay division on Sunday.

Dibetta will be racing despite an injured left leg that he said is "70 percent" healed. He was diagnosed with a grade-5 fracture of his tibia and a shattered knee after wiping out while surfing 20-foot waves off Australia in March.

"It's the worst fracture you can get," Dibetta said. "I was in the hospital for two weeks, and then on crutches for three months."

He still walks with a limp, and has had to learn how to paddle from a prone position rather than kneeling.

"It's like starting a whole new sport because I grew up knee-paddling," Dibetta said. "But I feel like I'm getting stronger every day, and having Dawson as a partner will push me."

Dibetta is 43 and Jones is 40, but they said their competitiveness has not waned since the inaugural Moloka'i race.

"We're gonna go full blast (on Sunday)," Jones said. "In that first race (in 1997), we went all out against each other. This time we'll go all out for each other."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.