Japan club wins 50th HIBT title

It was a golden outing for Kona Game Fishing Club-Bellhope of Japan, which won the 50th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament championship that concluded yesterday in Kailua-Kona.

KGFC finished with five Pacific blue marlin and one ahi, including yesterday's tag-and-release marlin estimated at 150 points, that pushed the winning total to 1,643 points.

Old South Marlin Club No. 4 of North Carolina vaulted from fourth to second (1,550 points), thanks to a tagged marlin yesterday. The Malibu (Calif.) Marlin Club, which led for three of the five days, was third with 1,467 points.

Kona Seafari captain David Bertuleit earned the Henry Chee Award as the top charger boat captain.

Nine countries and four states were represented in this year's event.

Mitchell going for eighth consecutive Molokai to Oahu title

Australian Jamie Mitchell was introduced during Wednesday's 14th Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race press conference at Duke's Waikiki. The 32-year-old has won the 32-mile event seven years in a row, setting the course record of 4 hours, 48 minutes and 23 seconds in 2007. Tomorrow's race starts off Kaluakoi with the first finishers expected around noon at Maunalua Bay.

Hawaii's Kanesa Duncan is the defending women's champ, six-time winner and course record holder (5:53:49, 2004). The races also has categories for stand-up paddling and two-person paddleboard.

Moore, Manuel into surf semis

Hawaii's Carissa Moore and Malia Manuel won their respective quarterfinal heats yesterday to advance to today's semifinals of the ASP Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Moore had to be rescued by the lifeguard safety boat after her leash snapped during her quarterfinals heat. She placed second in the heat then defeated Australia's Rebecca Woods.

Moore will go against California's Courtney Conlogue, who had a near-perfect 19.63 score in her round of 12 earlier yesterday. Not advancing out of the round of 12 was Hawaii's Coco Ho.

Manuel will face Australia's Laura Enever in her semifinals match.

No Hawaii male surfer remains in the contest. Andy Irons, Dustin Cuizon and Granger Larsen were eliminated when finishing third in their round of 24 heats.

In the Nike 6.0 Pro Junior Men, Hawaii's Kaimana Jaquias, Kai Barger and Tonino Benson advanced to today's semifinals. Keanu Asing was eliminated in yesterday's quarterfinals.

The junior women's final has Ho and Manuel in the four-surfer final. Moore and Alana Blanchard did not advance out of the semifinals.

Hawaii enjoys haul at judo event

Hawaii judokas earned four gold medals on the first day of the USA Judo National Championships at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., yesterday.

Cole Chandler, Mindy Chow, Cassidy Chandler and Dane Pestano all won their divisions. Nicole Taniguchi, Jared Kaneko and Kaimana Lundquist also won medals.