JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM A member of the Kailua Canoe Club's Men's Novice A team jumped into the water to help steady the craft near shore.

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Kailua cuts through
rough waters for
first win

Choppy conditions can’t keep the club
from earning its first victory of
the OHCRA season

Kailua finally got over the hump, surviving and thriving in wild, choppy conditions in the morning to win its first Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association regatta of the season yesterday at Waimanalo Beach.

Kailua totaled 91 points and won nine of the 37 races. Lanikai scored 66 and Hui Nalu was third with 61.

Host Waimanalo won the A Division with 11 points.

Kailua -- second to Lanikai in the three previous OHCRA regattas this season -- officially won four of the first eight races. Two other early victories were tossed out due to disqualifications.

There were a slew of DQs as the rough waves caused numerous hulis, lane violations and false starts.

Teamwork was especially important because double the normal number of boat handlers were needed.

Some might want to put an asterisk next to the outcome, because many of Lanikai's top paddlers were in Australia competing in the international Hamilton Cup races.

"For what we had to work with, we tried to do our best," said Lanikai assistant coach Scotty Freitas, who got the job of figuring out the new crew assignments.

"Ten of our top 20 paddlers went to Australia. We had to scratch our sophomores. We just didn't have enough bodies," Freitas added. "We were just scrambling to fill crews. But it's great experience for a lot of guys. Some who are used to a mile went a mile and a half and that will really pay off in distance season."

Freitas made sure not to take away from the victors though, especially considering the rough conditions.

"Hats off to Kailua," he said. "They are warriors today. Kailua is putting the hammer down today."

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Kailua Canoe Club's Women's Novice A team headed back to shore after finishing first with a time of 4:44:85 yesterday.

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The 15 Boys race was symbolic of the morning action. Lanikai would've won with a time of 4:23.81 in the half-mile event, but forfeited for finishing in the wrong lane. The Kailua crew of Kevin Ishihara, Curtis Ishikawa, Matt Soueira, Kalama Souza, Chris Cavaco and Kawena Clegg took the win and the five points with its time of 4:30.13. Since second place is worth three points, the forfeit caused a seven-point swing.

"Lanikai normally does well in that race, but we're not that far behind," Kailua coach Jim Bruhn said. "It could've been us (forfeiting) today because of the conditions."

The open steersman rule was in effect for the first 10 events, allowing experienced steersmen to guide the younger crews through the rough water.

Bruhn said one of the stars for Kailua was Kalanakila, the big, sturdy rough-water koa canoe the club has had its entire 33-year history. Its high gunwales were critical yesterday.

"Basically, this boat is really good in rough water. This canoe has a lot to do with our success today," Bruhn said. "We put Lokahi (smaller and better in smooth water) on the side today."

Kalanakila was 38-feet long when fledgling Kailua Canoe Club bought it from the Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club in 1972. It was re-fashioned into a 42-foot man-of-war.

"It's slow in calm waters, but we needed her today," Bruhn said.

Kailua did suffer two DQs and also wasn't working with a full roster.

"The (Lanikai) guys in Australia are a big difference. But that's part of paddling. We had five who went, too," Bruhn said.

OHCRA's next event is the annual Walter Macfarlane 4th of July Regatta at Waikiki Beach, the only surf race of the season. Racing begins at 8:30 a.m.