Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin wants to keep his winning streak going.

Australia's Dean Gardiner wants to get his winning streak back.

South Africa's Hank McGregor and Australia's Clint Robinson want to get winning streaks started.

In short, the top contenders in tomorrow's Epic Moloka'i World Championships surfski race all have motivation to conquer the Kaiwi Channel and the elite international field.

"Any one of those guys could win it," race director Geoff Graf said. "There's a group of front-runners, but I wouldn't say there's a single favorite."

The 32-mile race from Kaluako'i, Moloka'i, to Koko Marina, O'ahu, is considered the world championship of long-distance ocean paddling for surfskis.

Laughlin is the two-time defending champion.

Conditions could be difficult tomorrow — light trade winds and hot temperatures — and that could work to Laughlin's advantage. Each of his last two wins have come in less-than-ideal conditions.

"With what he's done in the last two, and the fact that it's likely to be a long, warm day ... you'd have to look at Lewis," Graf said.

As always, there will be strong challengers from Australia and South Africa.

Gardiner is on an ongoing quest to win his 10th Moloka'i world title. His ninth came in 2002.

Gardiner placed fourth last year, and Graf said: "The word on him is that he's been training like a madman for this race."

But Robinson is considered the top-ranked Australian, and he has been dominating races Down Under this year. However, Robinson has never won a Moloka'i race, and has not even entered since placing third in 2006.

"There are some heavy expectations on Clint," Graf said. "He's been winning everything this year."

McGregor is considered South Africa's top contender. He has placed a frustrating second to Laughlin each of the last two years.

South Africa's Oscar Chalupsky, who owns a record 11 Moloka'i world championships, is not entered this year because of an injury.

Australians Tim Jacobs, Dave Kissane and Martin Kenny also are considered contenders.

Hawai'i has at least three paddlers who could contend with the leaders: Zsolt Szadovski, Stu Gaessner and Sean Monahan.

Szadovski, who is originally from Hungary but moved to Kailua last year, has dominated the Kanaka Ikaika series on O'ahu this year.

In the women's division, Maui's Lauren Bartlett is seeking to repeat as a rare two-sport Moloka'i world champion.

Last month, she won the Moloka'i world championship race for one-person canoes (OC-1). Last year, she won both the OC-1 and surfski world titles.

"It truly is amazing what she's doing," Graf said. "She's going to be tough to beat."

International contenders include New Zealand's Katie Pocock and Australia's Naomi Flood.

Pocock placed third last year. Flood has emerged as one of Australia's top female paddlers, and is entering the Moloka'i race for the first time.