Flanagan wins the swim
again, this time at home

John Flanagan of Honolulu entered the water at Waikiki wearing No. 1, and ended up finishing in that place, winning the men's overall title at the Waikiki Rough Water Swim yesterday.

Flanagan, 26, finished the 2.4 mile course in 52 minutes and 40.4 seconds, well ahead of the 53:02.2 posted by second overall finisher Mark Leonard. Fifteen-year old Noa Sakamoto, also of Honolulu, took the third overall spot two seconds behind Leonard.

Trudee Hutchinson of Queensland took the overall women's title, beating runner-up Amanda Beard by more than two minutes. She finished behind 13 men in the free-for-all.

Beth Blickfeldt of Honolulu took the women's 75-to-79 age group, finishing in just over three hours.

Hedemann hung up, Ho advances at Quicksilver

Hans Hedemann of Hawaii earned a spot in a surf-off with No. 1 seed Tom Carroll and two others in the Quicksilver Masters at Bundoran, Ireland, yesterday.

The extra heat will take place today, waves permitting, with Hedemann and Carroll tangling with Mike Parson and Glen Winton.

1993 world champion Derek Ho of Hawaii also found himself tied but advanced with 1988 world champion Barton Lynch at 27 points in the Grand Masters division.

Ho, 36, picked up his second win yesterday against Winton, Mitch Thorson (Australia) and local Irishman Henry Moore.

"I grew up surfing a spot in Hawaii called Sandy Beach that is almost identical to here, except for the weather," Ho said. "My brother (Michael) and I were surfing 1- to 2-foot waves before we came over, so I think it's paying off."

Ho made it to the semifinals with a perfect score of 30, one of four perfect performances in the round.

Hawaii's Buzzy Kerbox just missed the final four with a 21-point ride.

Vulcans beat Mercyhurst in Division II volleyball

Hawaii-Hilo came back to beat Mercyhurst College 22-30, 30-22, 30-22 and 30-15 at the UH-Hilo gymnasium yesterday.

The Vulcans improved to 5-3, while the Lakers fell to 8-3.

The Vulcans will travel to Honolulu to face undefeated Hawaii Pacific on Friday and Saturday. Both games are at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's Priory gym.

Nakamura hooks biggest Marlin for tourney title

The 15th annual Hawaii Yacht Club and Waikiki Yacht Club's Ho'ole'a Fishing Tournament -- sponsored by Hawaii Charter Skippers Association -- managed rough seas and brisk winds over the weekend to board several big fish and release many others.

The biggest, a 403-pound Pacific Blue Marlin, was caught on Carlos LaRosa's Lynell D. Nakamura.

The Marlin's weight also gave Captain LaRosa the Ho'ole'a championship, along with the biggest money winnings of the jackpot tournament.

Second place went to Rahan Yamashita on Shirley Y, third to Gary Silva's Lady Kay and fourth to Monkey Biz, skippered by Vinnie Maggio.

Prizes amounted to $32,500.

Hawaii's Own

Benny Agbayani, Mets: The St. Louis and Hawaii Pacific alumnus will undergo a bone scan today and have surgery Friday to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his right wrist.

Mike Fetters, Pirates: The Iolani graduate was tagged for his first blown save since becoming a Pirate, giving up a run in an inning pitched, but held on to get his first win as Pittsburgh rallied to win the nightcap of a doubleheader 3-2.

Chris Truby, Astros: The Damien product missed his eighth game in a row, being passed up for pinch hitting duty in favor of Orlando Merced and Darlye Ward.