Hui Lanakila knows the score

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hui Lanakila, which practices in the Ala Wai Canal, is expected to vie for several men's titles at tomorrow's state canoe paddling championships, including the prestigious senior men's race. Photographs by Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state championship WHAT: Team outrigger-canoe races WHERE: Hilo Bay WHEN: Tomorrow, 9 a.m. start WHO: More than 2,500 paddlers representing 52 clubs from around the state in divisions ranging from 12-younger to 55-older

Behind the strength of its men, Hui Lanakila is expected to make an impact at tomorrow's Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta at Hilo Bay.

But based on the overall strength of other clubs, Hui Lanakila is not expected to win a state championship trophy.

"Because of the scoring system, it's going to be hard for us to stay with some of the other teams," said Hui Lanakila head coach Leighton Look. "We don't have the kids and the women that some other clubs have. But we're still going out there to win. We're going to do what ever we can to score points."

More than 50 clubs from around the state are scheduled to compete in the day-long regatta. Hui Lanakila is one of seven clubs vying for the AAA trophy (overall championship).

With 21 crews out of a possible 37, Hui Lanakila is the smallest of the so-called "big clubs." The biggest is Maui's Hawaiian Canoe Club, which will field a record 35 crews.

Had Hui Lanakila cut four crews, it could have dropped to the AA division for medium-sized clubs and become a favorite for that trophy. But Look said "that wasn't even a thought."

"We're going with what we have," he said. "We might not win the big trophy, but we can still go out and win some races."

In particular, Hui Lanakila is expected to contend in nearly every men's race.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Ala Wai-based club emerged with the top men's program during the O'ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (OHCRA) regatta season. For more than a decade, that title rested with the Lanikai Canoe Club, and Outrigger and Hui Nalu were considered the closest challengers.

"My goal before the season was to win a senior race; just one," said Raven Aipa, the Hui Lanakila men's coach. "We ended up winning three. We knew we had a chance to be up there, but it was still a little surprising to pull that off."

Senior men is considered the top division in canoe regattas, and Hui Lanakila finished the regular-season as OHCRA's No. 1 seed for the state race. In addition, Hui Lanakila finished the OHCRA season with the top-ranked men in the novice A, novice B, freshman, sophomore and 45-and-older divisions.

"If you could pick one race to win at states, it's senior men," said Kalama Heine, the steersman for the crew. "The sophomore race would be next. The quality of paddlers in both those races is the highest."

Like many other clubs, Hui Lanakila uses the same crew for both the sophomore and senior races. Tomorrow, they will consist of Aipa, Manny Kulukulualani, Tomas Schlotman, Greg Poole, Mel Pu'u and Heine.

Making their success more impressive, five of those six paddlers (all except Kulukulualani) are eligible for the masters division (for ages 35-and-older).

"I think the competition keeps us young," Aipa said. "Plus, winning helped a lot. Once we started winning this year, our confidence shot way up."

Still, Hui Lanakila will face formidable competition in the men's races tomorrow. Lanikai is the 10-time defending state champion in the men's senior race, and Healani, Outrigger, Puna and Kai 'Opua all have strong men's programs.

"We're still the underdogs," Aipa said. "I consider us still as still building."

Indeed, Hui Lanakila has quickly climbed a ladder of success thanks mostly to its men. Only four years ago, Hui Lanakila participated in the A division for the smallest clubs at the 1998 state regatta. Two years ago, they won the AA division.

"I remember when we couldn't even make a (senior men's) crew," Heine said. "So it's been real exciting to see us grow the way we did this year."

While the sophomore/senior crew received much of the attention, Hui Lanakila's novice A and novice B crews were actually the most successful this year.

The crew of Robert Keller, Mark Riegel, Allen Mahuka Jr., Scott Melemai, Tino Campos and Gavin Hanoa went undefeated in the novice B division (for first-year paddlers). The novice A crew won five of six races, finishing second in the other.

"At first, we were surprised," Hanoa said. "But after we won the first couple weeks, we started believing that we could do it every week."

It helps that Aipa makes the novice paddlers practice with the open men's crews. "Our practices are short, but we try to make it tough," he said.

Adam Treinen-Aea, steersman for the novice A crew, said: "Every day, you feel small compared to those other guys. But it also makes you want to be as good as them."

Mike Mason, head coach of Outrigger, credited the Hui Lanakila men with an assist in Outrigger's OHCRA team championship.

"They took points away from Lanikai and Hui Nalu, and that helped us," Mason said. "I was really impressed with that program this year. They did an outstanding job considering that they don't have as many numbers (of paddlers) as the other big clubs."

Now if only Hui Lanakila can bring in more youth and female paddlers.

"We're working on that," Look said with a laugh. "We know it's not our time yet, but we hope to get there some day."