Kai 'Opua wins 32-mile Kamakawiwo'ole race
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Just for the record, the men of Kai 'Opua are pretty good paddlers, too.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
That was made clear yesterday when the club from Kailua, Kona won the Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole Men's International Canoe Race. Kai 'Opua completed the 32-mile course from Maunalua Bay to the Ko Olina Marina in 3 hours, 41 minutes, 4 seconds.
Kai 'Opua of Kailua, Kona won the Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole Men's International Canoe Race from Maunalua Bay to Ko Olina Resort in 3 hours, 41 minutes, 4 seconds. It was the first time the club had won a men's long-distance race away from the Big Island.
"It's big for the whole Kai 'Opua Canoe Club, but especially for the men," said paddler Bruce Ayau. "Our women have won everything the last two years. Now we know we can be up there as well."
Yesterday's event, which featured 53 crews, was the final race before the Bank of Hawai'i/Hinano Moloka'i Hoe on Oct. 7. The women's Na Wahine O Ke Kai, which was won by Kai 'Opua last year, is scheduled for Sunday.
"This is just one race," Ayau said. "We're humble enough to know that any one of these teams can kick our butts in Moloka'i."
Inspired by kona-like conditions and in dedication to the victims of last Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the United States, Kai 'Opua did the butt-kicking yesterday.
"Canoe-paddling is a Hawaiian sport and usually, we do things for Hawai'i," said Kai 'Opua steersman Billy Balding. "But this was for the USA."
An American flag was tied to the back of the Kai 'Opua canoe. For the most part, the other crews spent the entire race chasing Kai 'Opua's Old Glory.
Members of the winning crew were Ayau, Balding, Steve Boreri, Kafoa Halalatu, Scott Jones, Ikaika Kanuha, Kevin Lindsey, Thibert Lussiaa and Nue Youderian. Each team was allowed to rotate nine paddlers in the six-person canoe throughout the course.
Lanikai, the defending Moloka'i Hoe champion, was second in 3:43:08. Team New Zea-land/Hawai'i was third in 3:47:16, and Anuenue fourth in 3:50:32.
Hui Lanakila had a strong overall showing, with separate crews placing seventh in the open division, first in 35-and-older and first in 45-and-older. Hui Lanakila's 35-older crew was an impressive 12th overall in 4:05:57.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
"(Kai 'Opua) was in front the whole way," said Lanikai steersman Jim Foti. "We came close a couple times, but we never could make that move to get by 'em."
In honor of the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Kai 'Opua tied an American flag to the back of its winning canoe.
It probably helped Kai 'Opua that the ocean was generally calm off O'ahu yesterday.
"Back home, our water is flat," Youderian said. "There were some small waves out there today, but that's a lot more than what we usually get at home."
It also helped that Lanikai apparently hit the snooze button once too often prior to yesterday's race. After arriving at Maunalua Bay late, Lanikai was still some 50 yards behind the starting line when the race was officially started at 9 a.m.
Because of that, it had to battle through the sloppy water created by the wakes of the other canoes and escort boats, and then weave its way around the slower canoes to get near the lead pack. "It was our own fault," paddler John Foti said. "We showed up late; no excuses."
Once Kai 'Opua got ahead of a fast-starting Team New Zea-land/Hawai'i, the lead became insurmountable. It was the first time a men's crew from Kai 'Opua ever won a long-distance race away from the Big Island.
"We've come close before, but it seemed like we could never finish strong," Ayau said. "So our goal this time was to come out strong, stay focused and finish strong."
They did that, extending the gap on Lanikai down the stretch. "It seemed like we were creeping up on them near Barbers Point, but they put the hammer down and put it out of reach," Jim Foti said.
Effects of the terrorist attacks extended beyond symbolism for many of the teams. Kai 'Opua, for example, contemplated withdrawing from the race because of the airport delays.
Lanikai was without one of its top paddlers, a former marine who opted not to compete. Team New Zealand/Hawai'i was without two paddlers who could not make flights to Honolulu earlier in the week.
"It was nice to race and push hard and be around friends and family," Jim Foti said. "But (the attacks are) obviously still on everybody's minds. We're all keeping everything in perspective."
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Top finishers
Open: 1, Kai 'Opua (Bruce Ayau, Billy Balding, Steve Boreri, Kafoa Halalatu, Scott Jones, Ikaika Kanuha, Kevin Lindsey, Thibert Lussiaa, Nue Youderian), 3:41:04. 2, Lanikai-1, 3:43:08. 3, New Zealand/Hawai'i, 3:47:16. 4, Anuenue-2, 3:50:32. 5, Waikiki Surf-1, 3:52:25. 6, Kailua-1, 3:53:59. 7, Hui Lanakila-5, 3:54:51. 8, Kawaihae, 3:55:09. 9, Hui Nalu-1, 3:56:53. 10, Outrigger-1 (koa canoe), 3:59:54. 11, Lanikai-2, 4:04:54. 12, Waikiki Beach Boys-1, 4:08:34. 13, Hui Lanakila-4, 4:10:43. 14, Waikiki Yacht-1, 4:10:54. 15, Leeward Kai-Green, 4:11:51. 16, Hui Nalu-2, 4:13:25. 17, Healani-1, 4:15:59. 18, Outrigger-2, 4:16:44. 19, Manu O Ke Kai-1, 4:17:01. 20, Lokahi-1, 4:18:06. 35-older: 1, Hui Lanakila-3 (Bradford Cole, Jim Hewitt, Steven Holbrook, Chris Kobayashi, Ekolu Lindsey, Leighton Look, Eric Phillips, Mel Puu, Miles Sakai), 4:05:57. 2, Kailua-2, 4:14:46. 45-older: 1, Hui Lanakila-2 (Ben Garces, Don Isaacs, Allan Moon, Benny Quitevis, Mike Swanson, Lindsey Todd, Butch Ukishima, Eassie Wills, Lloyd Yamasaki), 4:26:01. 2, Outrigger-3, 4:33:03. 3, Lokahi-3, 4:35:27. 4, Kai Oni-2, 5:04:38.
