CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Karel Tresnak won the 15 mile Kanaka Ikaika Racing Association's Oahu Championships.

Tresnak takes another title

Tiger Woods versus the field at a golf major.

Karel Tresnak Jr. against the same at any solo-canoe-racing championship.

Not surprising to his fellow competitors and those who follow paddling, Tresnak may actually be the better bet to win.

With El Tigre playing in the final pair at the Masters today for a chance at another green jacket, the man known as Junior yesterday picked up yet another title in the sport he dominates -- winning the men's long-course solo-canoe (OC-1) division at the Hinano Oahu Championships for a third straight time.

Also the record six-time and defending champion in the race considered the world championship of the sport, Tresnak finished the 15-mile course from Makai Pier to Kaimana Beach in 1 hour, 55 minutes and 4 seconds, almost three minutes better than runner-up Andrew Penny (1:57:54).

"It was pretty flat, pretty brutal, mostly just a paddling race even though there was a little something out there to catch (wave-wise)," said Kailua's Tresnak. "I had a good run on the outside, and it worked out OK."

There were 147 total entries for the race that also included a shorter 8-mile course from Hawaii Kai to Kaimana, and surfski competitions among its divisions.

With yesterday's victory, the 25-year-oldTresnak has now won the long-course OC-1 division in three of the four races in the Kanaka Ikaika series this year. Among the big races left on the solo calendar, the state championship race on April 22 is next, with the Molokai World Championship set for May 20.

But, even with his continued success, Tresnak is not totally certain he will go for a seventh world championship next month - the race this year being lengthened about 5 miles, part of the reason.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Karel Tresnak was nearly 3 minutes faster than everyone else on the course from Makai Pier to Kaimana Beach yesterday.

"I know I'm gonna do the states," Tresnak said, "but I'm still debating whether to put myself through (competing in the world championship) again. I'm still training, I still feel pretty good. ... I'll probably end up doing it, but we'll see."

Tresnak's relay-race and training partner, Penny initially had the lead in yesterday's race. But with only small waves to help the paddlers along, Tresnak's wave-riding expertise allowed him to overtake Penny near Sandy Beach, and then put and keep a gap on his partner as well as third-place Danny Ching (1:58:24) of California the rest of the way.

"I don't know what (wave Tresnak) was on, but he was flying," Penny said. "When Junior is paddling, it's hard to keep up with him."

In the women's long-course OC-1 competition, Kailua's Arlene Holzman remained undefeated on the Kanaka Ikaika season, picking up her fourth straight victory by finishing the 15-mile course in 2:19:12. Mary Smolenski (2:23:12) finished second.

Holzman used the same formula that she has in winning each time this year: She put her head down, and paddled as hard as she could to keep up with her training partners - all guys.

And she's entered in every remaining race on the schedule - including a couple of non-series competitions - with hopes of peaking at the world championship.

"Every single one," Holzman said. "I've been having a good year, so I figured, 'What the heck? I might as well.'"

Among the other division winners at the Oahu Championships: Geordan Purdy won the men's long-course surfski title in 1:53:38; David Buck (1:06:02) the men's short-course surfski; Ryan Dolan (1:08:02) the men's OC-1 short course and Denise Darval (1:19:49) the women's OC-1 short course.