Team Hawai'i wins Liberty canoe race

Advertiser Staff

Team Hawai'i continued its domination of the men's division of the Liberty World Challenge yesterday, winning the 15 1/2-mile outrigger-canoe race for the fourth consecutive year.

Team Hawai'i, which is comprised of paddlers from various clubs around the state, completed the course in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 38 seconds, and was the only crew to finish under two hours. The course travels around New York Harbor, passing the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and World Trade Center.

Members of the winning crew were Steve Cole (Hanalei), Jim Foti (Lanikai), John Foti (Lanikai), Walter Guild (Outrigger), Mike Judd (Lanikai), Thiebert Lussiaa (Kai 'Opua) and Kea Paiaina (Healani).

Northeast Outrigger was second at 2:03:41, followed by Binghampton New York at 2:04:58.

In the women's division, Team Hawai'i saw its two-year winning streak snapped by the OffShore Canoe Club of California.

OffShore's winning time of 2:25:09 was 18 seconds ahead of Team Hawai'i. Another Hawai'i crew, the Outrigger Canoe Club, placed third at 2:26:28.

More than 80 teams from around the world participated in the event.