What happens when a team already considered the best in the sport gets even better? When the fastest gets faster?

In outrigger canoe paddling, that team is called Shell Va'a.

The team from Tahiti is already on the greatest three-year run in the storied history of the Moloka'i Hoe championship race, and it may be better this year.

"I think we are as strong as last year, but we are younger," Shell Va'a president Richel Moux said. "I don't know if we have the right people for all the positions, but we have all very good paddlers."

The Moloka'i Hoe is considered the world championship of long-distance outrigger canoe paddling for men's teams. More than 100 crews from around the world are expected to compete in the 41-mile race across the Kaiwi Channel on Sunday.

In the past three years, no team has come close to Shell Va'a.

"We never think we are going to win easy," Moux said. "We have a respect for everybody and we know everybody has a chance to win at the start."

Still, the numbers are staggering.

Shell Va'a won the Moloka'i Hoe in 2006, '07 and '08, setting a course record each year. In 2005, the course record was 4 hours, 50 minutes, 31 seconds.

Last year, Shell Va'a lowered the record time to 4:38:35 — beating the second-place team by more than 10 minutes, which is considered a blowout by Moloka'i Hoe standards.

However, only five paddlers from last year's nine-man roster have returned for Shell Va'a.

The problem for the rest of the field? Shell Va'a found some of the best paddlers in all of Tahiti to replace the missing ones.

Most prominent, Dubois Taaroa and Hamblin Tereiarii were added to the roster. Taaroa is the No. 1-ranked solo paddler in Tahiti, and Tereiarii is in the top 10.

But as Moux cautioned: "These guys are young. Like Taaroa, he is 21. He never did Moloka'i before."

Among the returnees is Yoann Cronstedt, who is ranked No. 2, behind Taaroa.

Also, Ronald Teahui returned to the team this year. He was on the 2006 and '07 championship teams, but did not paddle last year.

Tepava David, who has been on all three Shell Va'a championship teams, said: "It feels about the same (as last year). We are younger, but we still can go fast."

If anything, the Tahitians are physically prepared. They have been training daily — sometimes twice a day — for the past two months.

"Training is very hard," Taaroa said. "When you are sleeping in the morning, we are out training."

Moux was quick to point out that Shell Va'a is a sponsored team, but not a professional one.

"The only thing you can get for paddling for Shell Va'a is you can work for Shell," Moux said. "You don't get money for paddling. You work, and you get paid for your work. Then you train. That is why we train either before or after work.

"Some people think we win because we are a professional team. This is not true. We work our jobs then train like everybody else."

Several other top teams from Tahiti opted not to enter the Moloka'i Hoe this year for financial reasons. The Hawaiki Nui Va'a — Tahiti's championship race — is scheduled for next month.

"A lot of teams stayed home to wait for Hawaiki Nui," Moux said. "We wanted to come to Hawai'i and defend the title because this race means a lot to us."