Jamie Mitchell knows that there is no such thing as an unbeatable competitor in the sport of paddleboarding.

It is that knowledge that keeps him training to become the closest thing to unbeatable.

"Every year, it seems like there are new guys who have worked hard all year to come in here trying to win," said Mitchell, who is from Queensland, Australia. "That's what keeps me motivated. I know I have to be at my very best to win it."

Mitchell is the six-time defending champion of the QuiksilverEdition Moloka'i to O'ahu Paddleboard Race. He is favored to make it seven in a row on Sunday.

The 32-mile Moloka'i race is considered the world championship of long-distance paddleboard racing. Competitors will cross the Kaiwi Channel on paddleboards, using nothing but arm strokes to power them across.

No one has come close to Mitchell in the last six Moloka'i races — he won last year's race by an astonishing 26 minutes, 37 seconds. But one competitor in this year's field is a reminder of how unpredictable the sport can be.

Kyle Daniels of Redondo Beach, Calif., will enter the Moloka'i race as a solo competitor for the first time on Sunday. In August of 2006, Daniels beat Mitchell to win the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race off California.

It is the only time that anybody has beaten Mitchell in a paddleboard race between the years 2002 and 2008.

"I totally remember that day," said Mitchell, 31. "But I can't focus on one guy. There are so many competitors in this race that are capable of winning, and then there's the ocean (conditions) that you have to worry about. I'm sure Kyle will be up there near the front, but I expect a bunch of others to be there as well."

Daniels said Mitchell is still the clear favorite on Sunday.

"Jamie is still the target and deservedly so," said Daniels, 32. "What happened (in 2006) is the past. I guess you can look at it as a fluke, and I'm sure some people are. But it was just one of those days when everything came together for me. The main thing is I went out there and had fun and I hope to do that again and maybe relive that moment."

In any case, Mitchell is prepared for the best and worst of conditions. He said most of his recent training has been in flat waters.

Last winter, he cross-trained by surfing giant waves. One of his rides off Todos Santos, Mexico, was even nominated for an award at the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards.

"I think the Billabong nomination probably got me more notoriety than anything I've won in (paddleboarding)," Mitchell said. "But it sort of helped the sport as well. I think people saw me as the guy who paddles."

Interestingly, Mitchell said the Moloka'i race is more difficult than any giant wave he could surf.

"It takes so much time and effort to prepare for this race," he said. "You can't just jump on a paddleboard and go paddle for six to seven hours."

Perhaps fueled by his loss in the Catalina race in 2006, Mitchell established a course record in last year's Moloka'i race with a time of 4:48:23. But he said he does not necessarily gauge his success by the clock.

"I don't even wear a watch," he said. "It's more about the challenge of the ocean and the other competitors."

Among the other leading contenders — besides Daniels — are Jackson English of Australia and Brian Rocheleau of Hawai'i Kai.

DUNCAN, WESTDORP LEAD WOMEN'S FIELD

Kanesa Duncan of Honolulu and Shakira Westdorp are the leading female contenders.

Duncan owns a record five women's titles; Westdorp won her first Moloka'i race last year.

"Shakira is really good in the surf, so I don't think there's any advantages," Duncan said. "It should be an even race. That makes it a little more stressful, of course. But it's also exciting and awesome for the sport."

Duncan is entering the Moloka'i race for the eighth time, and said she has trained harder this year than in past years. A knee injury had something to do with it.

"I actually tore my MCL and ACL when I was playing around skateboarding of all things," she said. "I had to have reconstructive surgery in November and had to sit on the side all winter.

"I think that helped to focus me, and I really worked hard to get ready for this."

NOTES

Most of the top competitors will ride paddleboards ranging in length from 15 to 18 feet. There is also a division for "stock" boards, in which all competitors use identical 12-foot paddleboards.

There will also be a division for stand-up paddleboards. Competitors in that division can use a canoe-style paddle, but they must stand on the board and paddle for the entire course.