When it comes to the esteemed pool of influential modern-day watermen, one name undoubtedly enters the picture: Danny Ching. Born into outrigger canoes under the guidance of his father, Al, founder of the Southern Californian Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club, Danny’s rise in the sport was rapid in his early years. On the water, he consistently won national and international paddling championships year in and year out, ultimately earning SUP, OC1 and Dragon Boat World Champion accolades.
In the mid-2000s, Danny became the Lanakila Club Head Coach and continues to guide and inspire teams to impressive podium finishes today. Now in his early 40s, he continues to mount wins across SUP, several canoe disciplines and dragon boat racing, where he represented the USA in a notable medal tally of successful campaigns. Some of his favourite sporting achievements include multiple Kaiwi Channel crossings and a trio of wins in the prestigious Molokai Solo, where he paddled his OC1 against the world’s best in the most testing ocean conditions from Molokai to Oahu. Given his prolific paddling success and innate ocean connection, Danny’s also the founder of Hippostick Paddle Company and 404Seas SUP boards and OC1s, where his profound experience brings an edge of next-level performance to the latest paddling gear.
We love activating limitless with Danny Ching — a born-and-bred waterman who brings leadership, humility and oceans of ability to the global paddling collective.
When did you start paddling?
When I was around 5, I started paddling for fun on surf skis and various boards with my family and relatives. At 10, I started competitively racing in the 1,400 division and haven’t stopped since.
What’s your proudest paddling achievement?
I’d say winning three Molokai Solo’s across three age decades — one in my 20s, one in my 30s and one in my 40s — with one happening the day after I proposed to Leah, making it a memorable victory. This iconic 32-mile endurance race is renowned for being super tough and ultra-competitive, and it took me 10 years of racing it to ultimately win my first.
Every race is also unique due to the dynamic ocean and weather conditions faced on the day, and that’s how you can win it, going from third to first by putting the hammer down with one mile to go — a 2014 win I’ll never forget. Our of the 60 Kaiwi Channel crossings I’ve completed over the years, about 2/3rds have been downwind, and it’s this compounded channel knowledge that eventually contributed to my breaking a Molokai Solo record at the time.
This year, I’ll be back to give it all again in our new 404Seas OC1, which we just finished production on. Since 2005, I’ve also proudly been the Head Coach at the Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club, working with the top men’s team and overseeing our team programs and community events.
Have you passed down the paddling lifestyle to your family?
We are 100% a paddling family, all raised on the water through the multigenerational Lanakila Club tradition. Dad still paddles, so does my Mom and uncle Josh who coaches the junior girls’ team. My wife Leah paddles in our top women’s team, and our daughters Kaimana and Kealia are also in the under-10s division.
What does your training look like in race season?
Across my week, it involves getting up when it’s pitch black around 5:30am and paddling until 7am. I’ll also do two similar-length paddling sessions in the afternoons and one bigger paddling effort on the weekend, going for about three hours straight. I’ll also exercise during the day when I can, like a good gym session, for extra strength and conditioning training.
What does joining the Margen crew mean to you?
I’m drawn to Franck's passion for the international paddling community and the energy he puts into the Margen brand and products. I like to support people who share a holistic vision for the sport, and that’s why I’m involved in helping grow Margen’s industry presence while enhancing garment performance through on-water R&D. Plus, the designs look epic!