Puakea Designs’ Wild Buffalo Relay Returns to Catalina

CATALINA ISLAND— Puakea Designs will host the all-small craft relay, Wild Buffalo Relay, within the SoCal Ocean Racing winter series from March 31- April 2. The race includes all small craft divisions with relay teams of 2-4 people (depending on the craft) or select solo divisions. The race runs from Avalon, Catalina Island, CA, to the Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach. This is a 31-mile course. “The Catalina Channel Crossing is historic in Outrigger Racing in one form or another,” said Jimi Spoto from Puakea Designs. “The first 6-person outriggers crossed the channel from Avalon to Newport Beach in 1959 with the Hawaiians beating the Local California team. This race is ongoing every year in September and is put on by Southern California Outrigger Racing Association. There was a “small boat” channel race that existed up to 2011, but organizers moved on.” Puakea Designs has reintroduced this version of the “Small Boat” race and has been going since 2018, with a break from 2020-21. This will be the 5th Wild Buffalo Relay. In past years, the race has run from Two Harbors on the northwest end of Catalina Island. While that venue was naturally wild and beautiful, it could not accommodate...