When it comes to the Starbucks Kaiwi Channel Relay World Championship, a good partner is hard to find.

Kai Bartlett thinks he found one in Patrick Dolan, and he'd like to keep it that way for a while.

"Of course, the first thing you want is somebody who's strong and gives you a chance (to win)," Bartlett said. "But I think it's just as important to have fun."

Bartlett and Dolan had so much fun winning the race last year, they'll be a tag-team again tomorrow.

The contest is for one-person canoes, but each "team" features two paddlers. When one paddler is in the canoe, the other follows in an escort boat. The paddlers switch positions every 10 to 20 minutes.

The 40.2-mile course starts at Kaluako'i Beach, Moloka'i, and finishes at Magic Island, O'ahu.

"In a lot of ways, this race is harder than the solo (Moloka'i-to-O'ahu) race," perennial contender Karel Tresnak Jr. said. "When it's your turn, you're going all out for that 15 or 20 minutes because you don't want to let your partner down. In the solo race, you can pick your spots because it's just you."

Bartlett has won the event four times since 2000, and with three different partners. He and Dolan are being tabbed as the team to beat tomorrow.

"I think you can say they're the favorites, by far," Tresnak said. "But this race is different because you have partners and there's all kinds of strategies."

Last year's race featured calm conditions, making for a grueling crossing of the Kaiwi Channel. Race director Walter Guild said conditions for tomorrow are supposed to be more favorable for the paddlers.

"It looks like we're going to get a good tide and some pretty strong easterly winds," Guild said. "If that's the case, there's potential for a record (time)."

Bartlett and Aaron Napoleon set the record of 4 hours, 30 minutes, 26 seconds, in 2002.

Bartlett and Dolan were somewhat surprising winners last year, especially considering that Dolan was just 16.

Now 17 and a senior at Maryknoll School, he has become one of the nation's top kayak paddlers. Dolan's background is canoe paddling, but he has spent most of the past few months training on a kayak.

"People know who he is now," said Bartlett, 30. "I don't think we're going to be sneaking up on anybody."

Among the other top tandems are: Tresnak/Nate Hendricks, Mike Judd/Greg Long, Danny Ching/Luke Evslin, Manny Kulukulualani/Tapa Worthington, and Kea Pa'iaina/Aaron Napoleon.

Not one of those teams was together last year, perhaps giving the Bartlett/Dolan tandem an even greater advantage.

Some paddlers switch partners because of sponsorship-related deals. But most times, paddlers are constantly trying to find a partner with a similar training schedule.

"Since this is not really a pro sport, guys have to take care of their jobs and families first," Tresnak said. "Sometimes, it's hard to put in the commitment you need to train for this race."

It's the same situation in the women's division. Last year's winning team, Noe Auger and Cherisse Keli'i, will not be back to defend their title.

Auger will pair with Andrea Moller tomorrow, and Keli'i is not expected to race.

Olympic kayaker Lauren (Spalding) Bartlett and Dane Ward are a new team expected to be in the lead pack among the women's entries.

NOTES

There is also a division for two-person canoes. In that division, two paddlers are in the canoe at a time, while two others follow in an escort boat. They make changes every 10 to 20 minutes.

Despite lingering contaminated water from the Ala Wai Canal, the race will finish near Magic Island.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.