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Na Keiki O Ka Moi holds off Manu O Ke Kai in Haleiwa


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POSTED: Monday, May 31, 2010

In the 26 years since helping found the Manu O Ke Kai Canoe Club, president Randy Sanborn had been patiently waiting for an overall regatta victory.

Over the years, the club has knocked on the door, finishing within mere points of winning various regattas, but has never quite managed to cross the threshold.

Na Keiki O Ka Moi made sure that trend continued for at least another week by posting an event-high eight victories to claim the Na Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a outrigger canoe paddling organization's Manu O Ke Kai Canoe Club Haleiwa Regatta yesterday at Haleiwa Beach Park. Na Keiki racked up 70 points to claim the overall points race, and topped the AAA Division (25-39 crews entered).

Manu O Ke Kai rallied late, winning four of the day's final nine races to finish second in the large-club division with 58 points. Kaneohe—the seven-time defending Hui Wa'a champion—finished third in the AAA Division with 43 points.

“;We really wanted to win this one today, being on our home course,”; Sanborn said. “;The men did awesome today, but we have a lot of work to do with our youth (paddlers).”;

Another Sanborn—Randy's son Moku—was instrumental in leading Manu O Ke Kai as the steersman for victorious crews in both the men's senior and 40 events.

“;The water was really good and flat,”; said Moku Sanborn after guiding the men's senior crew to a win over the Waikiki Beachboys crew that raced to victory in the event last week. “;They beat us last week, so it was good to get revenge.”;

Waikiki claimed the AA Division (13-24 crews entered) with 54 points resulting primarily from six victories. Koa Kai (41 points) and Lokahi (21 points) rounded out the top three in the medium-size division.

The Beachboys were back to near-full strength following the return of a core group of experienced female paddlers fresh off last week's inaugural Pa'a Eono Hoe endurance race from Molokai to Oahu. The grueling 32-mile event was unique in that all six paddlers stayed in the canoe throughout the entire trek in contrast to the Molokai Hoe, where paddlers can substitute in and out from motored escort boats.

“;It was intense, but it was fun to be a part of it,”; said Dana Gorecki, the stroker for the victorious Waikiki women's freshman and senior races, and club president. “;The six of us stayed in the boat the entire time. We had a backup plan in place just in case (of any emergency or fatigued paddlers), but we were able to have our food and water systems in place to get through it.”;

The Waikiki women's squad has yet to fully merge, thanks to its dedication to training for the fall long-distance season. In addition to the ironman race, a few paddlers also participated in the World Sprints as members of Team Hawaii, so practice for the regatta season—a collection of short sprints—has been on the back burner until now.

“;We're still ahead of schedule as far as training is concerned, but we're still disjointed,”; said Gorecki. “;You go from a 32-mile race to a mile-and-a-half race. You have to adjust your stroke count and pace. There are all kinds of glitches and kinks to work out.”;

Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club won the day's final race—the open mixed event—to capture the A Division (6-12 crews entered) with 20 points, and edged North Shore (18 points) and Kamehameha (15 points).