Thanks to a victory last year, South Africa's Clint Pretorius is back this year to defend his title in the Epic Kayaks Moloka'i World Championships.

Pretorius won the prestigious race from Moloka'i to O'ahu last year in his first attempt. As a result of the victory, his sponsorships increased, and one company even agreed to pay for the trip so he could defend the title.

"It was a big benefit to win the race last year," said Pretorius, 22. "I met a lot of new people and got some nice sponsors out of it. But at the same time, it also puts a lot more pressure on me to do well again."

The 37-mile race across the Kaiwi Channel is considered the world championship for solo surfski and OC-1 (one-person canoe) racing.

Pretorius won the surfski division last year, and his instant success apparently inspired other South African competitors to give it a try this year.

"There are more of us this year," he said. "I think I gave a lot of other guys hope by winning it last year."

Pretorius edged fellow South African Oscar Chalupsky by 28 seconds last year. Chalupsky owns a record 11 victories in the Moloka'i World Championships.

"I never come here to get second," Chalupsky said. "Winning 11 times is good, but 12 would be even better."

Chalupsky has something else at stake this year. He is a co-owner of Epic Kayaks, which is the main sponsor of the race for the first time this year.

"I'm sort of like the tour guide for the international competitors every year, because I've been here so many times," he said. "I've always felt like one of the race organizers anyway."

Chalupsky is 44, and still considered one of the favorites to win the surfski division. He won his first title in 1983, and his 11th in 2005.

"I feel like I train myself to be in the best condition for this race," he said. "But it certainly helps to have that experience on your side."

He said there are five South Africans who should contend, including himself. The others are Pretorius, Bevan Manson, Hank McGregor and Dawid Mocke.

"I would say you're looking at five of the top seven right there," Chalupsky said.

Australia's Dean Gardiner — who has won the Moloka'i World Championships nine times — is also expected to contend, along with Tahiti's Lewis Laughlin.

The race course was extended five miles this year, and Chalupsky said he thinks that could be advantageous for the South Africans.

"We do a lot of long runs back home; we're prepared for a long race," Chalupsky said. "But this is such a long race, you can make one mistake and suddenly not be in the race."

Top Hawai'i entries include Stuart Gaessner, Steve Kelly, Sean Monahan, Geordan Purdy and Mark Sandvold.

"If it's a super-big ocean, our ability to surf would give us a chance to be up there, possibly win," Sandvold said. "But if there's a headwind and it's a flat ocean, those other guys will run away from us."

Unfortunately for the Hawai'i paddlers, the Kaiwi Channel is expected to be calm Sunday.

"That will play a major role," Sandvold said. "It could be one of the most grueling, tiresome races we can be in."

The last Hawai'i paddler to win the surfski division was Kalai Handley in 1978.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.