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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Koa Kai, foreground, and Kaneohe, behind, battled in the men's novice A event yesterday. Koa Kai won in 8:42.97

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Kaneohe tops Koa Kai
Laulima regatta

The club earns its fourth victory of
the season by winning eight races
throughout the event

The Kaneohe Canoe Club kicked off the Independence Day celebration early by claiming its fourth Na Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a victory of the season in yesterday's Koa Kai Laulima Club Regatta at Waimanalo Beach Park. The only thing missing was the fireworks.

Kaneohe took first place in the AAA Division (25 or more crews) with 73 points, followed by Lokahi (66) and Manu O Ke Kai (55). Kaneohe won eight races throughout the day and earned points (by finishing in fourth place or higher) in 24 events.

"We've had the same crew working together for five or six years now, so we know our stroke and our timing," said Kawika Kahiapo of the Kaneohe boys 18-and-under crew, which finished in first place in 8 minutes, 25 seconds. "I don't like racing (in Waimanalo) because half the time we were racing with our ama facing the wind, so we could have flipped, and it was hard to turn the boat."

The race was the first Hui Wa'a regatta held at Waimanalo in six years; the event was supposed to be held at Keehi Lagoon but was moved because of the lingering jellyfish problem. Paddlers were faced with strong crosswinds that created choppy ocean conditions and led to several huli (flipped) canoes throughout the day. The open steersman rule was used to allow inexperienced crews guidance through the tough ocean conditions from experienced steersmen.

"It was choppy, but it felt good to race here because racing at Keehi gets boring after a while," said Savannah McCue of the women's 18-and-under crew from Manu O Ke Kai, which won in a time of 4:39.69.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM The crew from Waikiki Beach Boys dominated the freshman women's event yesterday with a time of 9:11.38.

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The senior men of Manu O Ke Kai won their fifth consecutive race, and crew member Bobo Tantog links the continued success to the crew's year-round conditioning.

"We all train on the one-man canoes throughout the year and that helps us with our timing and gives us a better feel for the boat," he said.

The Koa Kai Canoe Club dominated the AA Division (13 or more crews) with six wins and 60 points overall. Ka Mamalahoe came in second with 17 points, and Waikiki Yacht Club claimed third place with 12.

One of Koa Kai's victories came in the men's novice A race, in which the crew finished in 8:42.97, almost 9 seconds ahead of rival Kaneohe.

"We followed our technique, because you start to get tired if you don't stick with it," said crew member Willie Gualdarama.

"This was our first time paddling at Waimanalo, so we just relied on our steersman to give us great turns, and we just power-housed it all the way home," added teammate Darren Kela.

The Waikiki BeachBoys won the A Division (1-12 crews) with 27 points, thanks in part to four victories. North Shore came in second with eight points, and Windward Kai and Kalihi Kai tied for third with four points apiece.

"The wind swell running into shore made it hard to keep a straight line and turn," said Sue Brown, steersman for the BeachBoys. "I was somewhat expecting it to be not as rough, but it was fun. It kept things exciting.

"We train hard, and the continuity from the small group of girls really helps us to paddle as a group rather than as individuals," she said.

The next regatta, sponsored by Na Keiki O Ka Moi Canoe Club, is next Sunday at Maili Beach Park.