Monday, May 21, 2001
Repeaters rule Repeat winners took the top spots in the women's canoe, and the men's canoe and kayak divisions in yesterday's 32-mile solo race across the Kaiwi Channel
at Eyecatcher
Molokai Challenge
In 3 of 4 divisions, last year's
By Linda Aragon
winners finished first again
Special to the Star-BulletinRecord-holder Karel Tresnak Jr. of Kailua continued his winning streak with his third canoe victory in the Eyecatcher Molokai Challenge.
Yesterday's top finish makes this the eighth win in the Molokai-to-Oahu race for kayaker Dean Gardiner from Australia.
Some 70 competitors finished the course from Kaluakoi to Hawaii Kai Towne Center Marina.
Six-time Molokai champ in the kayak, and current record-holder in the canoe, Kelly Fey pulled off her second consecutive win in the women's solo canoe, and once again set a record.
The only new face to the winners circle this year was Hawaii's Nicole Wilcox Pedersen, who was first in the women's kayak division.
"It was good," Pedersen said. "The conditions weren't that bad. You could kind of catch waves the whole way."
The expected strong tradewinds that would favor Hawaii paddlers never materialized and neither did the upsets that competitors had predicted.
Light tradewinds and very small surf in the channel could have been the right combination to unseat defending champion Tresnak, known for his surfing abilities.
"It was scary this morning. At the start there was no wind," Tresnak said. "I was thinking I do not want to do this whole thing flat looking at Mike (Judd) and these huge guys."
Judd and Aaron Napoleon led the pack of canoe racers at the start. A half hour into the race, Tresnak was in front.
Despite the lack of surf, Tresnak prevailed, finishing in 3 hours, 52 minutes. It was three minutes off the record he set last year. Judd finished two minutes behind Tresnak.
The fast times were attributed to winds blowing from the east giving paddlers a push from their backs, while a favorable rising tide helped keep the water moving and pulling racers toward Oahu.
However for some, that was not enough.
"It was miserable," said first-place kayak finisher Gardiner.
Gardiner was the overall winner, crossing the finish line with a time of 3:35:57. Tahitian Lewis Laughlin was second in 3:37:18.
The two had less than perfect finishes. Gardiner's foot showed the wounds of a meeting with the reef outside Portlock.
He made up for lost time when Laughlin flipped his kayak nearing the finish. "I was cramping,'' said Laughlin. "I couldn't get straight back on the canoe. I wish I could have. But I just had to stay in the water a little while to stretch.
"When I got in the water he (Gardiner) had the lead. It was just too close to the finish for that to happen."
Fey, the first female canoe paddler, set another record. Her time of 4:43:52 is nine minutes faster than the record she set last year.
Fey said the calm conditions made the race uneventful, but her escort boat provided the needed motivation. Her support crew were four family members.
"It all depends on your crew," said Fey. "They kept me going."
Corina Gage was the second female canoe paddler to finish (4:51:10) .
All five women kayak entries were from Hawaii. Mary Smolenski finished second, followed by Megan Harrington.
"I'm stoked with the results," said Judd who tried to narrow the gap even more by going for a wave inside Portlock. But like Gardiner, he flipped his boat and had to race for second place.
"If you're going for first place," Judd said, "you have to gamble. I gambled, and today was Karel's day."
Molokai to Hawaii Kai Eyecatcher Molokai Challenge
One-person canoes and Kayaks
Distance: 32 miles
Kayaks
Men
Open: 1. Dean Gardiner 3 hours, 35 minutes, 57 seconds; 2. Lewis Laughlin 3:37:18; 3. Tim Jacobs 3:39:34.
18-29: 1. Eric Chun 3:50:45; 2. David Buck 3:52:18; 3. Eric Dean 3:54:53.
30-39: 1. Darcy Price 3:52:53; 2. Wyatt Jones 4:00:04; 3. Timothy Twigg-Smith 4:06:07.
40-49: 1. Rod Taylor 3:57:22; 2. John Hoogsteden 4:13:54; 3. Charles Wilkie 4:24:02.
60-over: 1. Brian Graber 4:38:42.Women
Open: 1. Nicole Pedersen 4:15:49; 2. Mary Smolenski 4:20:25; 3. Megen Harrington 4:22:25.
Canoes
Men
Open: 1. Karel Tresnak 3:52:09; 2. Mike Judd 3:54:35; 3. Kai Bartlett 3:55:55.
18-29: 1. Manny Kulukulualani 4:11:57; 2. Tapa Worthington 4:15:38; 3. Peter Olson 4:21:12.
30-39: 1. Aaron Napoleon 4:04:40; 2. Lussiaa Thibert 4:06:21. 3. Jim Foti 4:06:35.
40-49: 1. Steve Cole 4:10:15; 2. Bruce Lukas 4:21:55; 3. Peter Roney 4:32:25.
50-59: 1. Tom Conner 4:23:06; 2. Kawika Goodale 4:35:47; 3. Jacques Blais 5:12:58.
60-over: 1. Joseph Napoleon 4:46:11.Women
Open: 1. Kelly Fey 4:43:52; 2. Corina Gage 4:51:10; 3. Megan Clark 4:56:29.
40-49: 1. Marjorie Kawaiaea 5:03:30; 2. Torrey Goodman 5:15:50.