The most powerful couple in canoe paddling powered to world championships yesterday.

Kai and Lauren Bartlett overcame grueling conditions to take top honors at the Steinlager Kaiwi Solo OC1 World Championship race.

Kai won the 32-mile race, completing the course from Kaluako'i, Moloka'i, to Koko Marina, O'ahu, in 5 hours, 12 minutes, 22 seconds.

Lauren won the women's division in 6:03:47.

The Kaiwi Solo race is considered the world championship for long-distance paddling on one-person canoes (also known as OC1).

The Bartletts, who reside on Maui, now own a combined 10 titles. Kai has four men's titles; Lauren has a record six women's titles.

Strong headwinds and a relatively calm Kaiwi Channel made for an exhausting crossing. The winning times were the slowest in the 15-year history of the current course.

"There were a couple times out there when I was ready to pack it up and just watch the rest of the race," Kai said. "The wind was straight in your face the whole way, and it was blowing pretty good."

Even in the dreary conditions, Kai found a way to make it dramatic. He won it with a late push — passing California's Danny Ching with about five miles remaining.

"I was actually cruising in the beginning, because I figured I was out of it," Kai said. "I think that might have helped me in the end. As I started passing guys, I started feeling better and better, and I guess I had more gas in the tank at the end."

Ching, who held the lead for the first four hours, finished second in 5:13:35. He was attempting to become the first non-Hawai'i paddler to win the men's title.

"There's a lot of disappointment coming that close," Ching said. "But Kai just exploded there at the end. I gave it all I had and he blew by me, right into the headwind. Give him the credit for that."

Jimmy Austin of Honolulu placed third in 5:14:59.

"I never thought I'd be top five in this race, and here I am top three, so I'm ecstatic," Austin said.

He also had the best view of the late exchange between Kai and Ching.

"We were all going on a nice, steady pace because we knew we had a long way ahead of us," Austin said. "There was a (lead) group of about five of us, and Danny was the first to take off about two hours in. Then about four hours in, Kai just comes out of nowhere and passed all of us."

Mael Carey placed fourth in 5:22:36, and Mike Judd was fifth in 5:28:32.

Mark Frazier was sixth in 5:31:12, and Manny Kulukulualani — who is also the director of the race — finished seventh in 5:32:53.

Several contenders dropped out during the race due to the brutal conditions.

Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin was with the lead pack for much of the race, but pulled out after about four hours. Laughlin is the two-time defending surfski world champion, and was entering the OC1 championship race for the first time.

Karel Tresnak Jr. of Kailua did not enter for personal reasons. He owns a record seven OC1 world titles, including a record time of 3:38:03 last year.

"I would love to win it in the surf with Junior in it, just because he's so good in that," Kai said. "But I'll take what I can get. To win a race on a day like this shows a lot as well."

Lauren Bartlett has proved to be adept in all conditions in the women's division. Last year — when the tide, winds and surf were favorable — she set a course record.

"I don't think any amount of training can prepare you for a day like this," she said. "I think everybody who finished today should be commended."

Yesterday, Lauren broke to an early lead, then held off a late charge by Kaua'i's Alana Frazier. Lauren said she was experimenting with her paddles when she received word that Frazier was gaining.

"I started with a big blade, and then I was kind of playing around with a smaller blade because it was such a long day," Lauren said. "I know Alana is a great paddler and she trains hard, so when they told me she was two minutes behind, I was like 'oh god, no.' I'm just glad I made it."

Frazier finished in 6:08:21, about five minutes behind Lauren. Jaimie Kinard was third in the women's division in 6:31:30.

More than 90 paddlers from around the world participated in the race.

The Epic Kayaks Moloka'i World Championship for solo surfskis is scheduled for May 17.

TOP FINISHERS

MEN

1, Kai Bartlett, 5:12:22. 2, Danny Ching, 5:13:35. 3, Jimmy Austin, 5:14:59. 4, Mael Carey, 5:22:36. 5, Mike Judd, 5:28:32. 6, Mark Frazier, 5:31:12. 7, Manny Kulukulualani, 5:32:53. 8, Luke Evslin, 5:33:57. 9, Felipe Gomes, 5:34:09. 10, Simeon Ke-Paloma, 5:34:35. 11, Aaron Napoleon, 5:36:06. 12, Mike Mills-Thom, 5:38:08. 13, Kea Pa'iaina, 5:39:33. 14, Kekoa Bruhn, 5:40:24. 15, Kelly Foster, 5:44:07. 16, Kaeo'okalani Abbey, 5:45:25. 17, Makana Denton, 5:45:32. 18, Justin Banfield, 5:46:01. 19, Tyson Poppler, 5:47:18. 20, Ross Flemer, 5:48:24.

WOMEN

1, Lauren Bartlett, 6:03:47. 2, Alana Frazier, 6:08:21. 3, Jaimie Kinard, 6:31:30. 4, Arlene Holzman, 6:38:40. 5, Lori Nakamura, 6:40:48.