Hawaiian reigns once again
| • | Kai 'Opua seniors win top events |
| • | Paddling results |
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
HILO — Taking a cue from a downpour of rain yesterday at Hilo Bay, the Hawaiian Canoe Club of Kahului, Maui drenched the competition.
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Hawaiian amassed 353 points in 37 races to win the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta for the second consecutive year.
Hawaiian Canoe Club members withstand pouring rain to celebrate at the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta.
"This one is sweeter," Hawaiian head coach Diane Ho said. "It was awesome last year, but it was almost like we didn't have that real belief in ourselves that we could do it. This year, we had that belief. Last year gave us the confidence for this year."
This year, there was no doubt.
Kai 'Opua of the Big Island placed a distant second with 309 points. The traditional O'ahu powers finished somewhat surprisingly even further back: Outrigger was third with 239, Lanikai fourth with 222, Hui Nalu fifth with 216, Kailua sixth with 211, and Hui Lanakila seventh with 208.
It is the first time in the 50-year history of the state race that Neighbor Island clubs finished 1-2. Last year, Hawaiian became the first team from Maui to win a state title. Yesterday, it became the first Neighbor Island team to win back-to-back championships.
"It's a strong statement for Maui," Ho said. "There's a misconception out there that Hawaiian wins everything on Maui. That's not true. We face tough competition week in and week out, and it showed today."
Indeed, Maui clubs swept the first-place trophies. Kihei won the AA division for medium-sized clubs with 137 points; Wailea won the A division for small clubs with 79.
As expected, Hawaiian opened the regatta with a strong showing from its youth paddlers. Unexpectedly, the Hawaiian keiki virtually sealed the regatta before the adult races even started.
Hawaiian won the first three races of the day — girls 12-and-younger, boys 12-and-younger, and mixed 12-and-younger — to build a lead it would never relinquish.
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"We went undefeated all year, so we didn't want to lose this one," said Kilipaki Benavides, a member of the victorious boys 12-and-younger crew. "When we crossed the finish, I looked up and everybody was behind us. That's when we all started yelling."
Racers paddle past the start line during the women’s freshman race of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta at Hilo Bay on the Big Island.
It was the sixth consecutive year that Hawaiian won the boys 12-and-younger race at the state regatta.
"Our young ones work hard, and some of them are paddling for a couple of years before they even reach 12," said Paul Lu'uwai, Hawaiian's youth coach. "So when it comes to the states, we can put in our best."
Of the 13 youth races, Hawaiian won five (the boys 13-and-younger and boys 14-and-younger crews also earned victories) and amassed 160 points.
Outrigger's youth contingent came the closest, winning two races (girls 15-and-younger and girls 16-and-younger), and scoring 112 points.
"I couldn't have asked for a better day," Lu'uwai said. "Our 12s started the day with that streak and it kept going from there. Not all our kids won, but they were all scoring points to help the club."
Once the youth races were completed, Hawaiian "covered whoever was creeping up" in the points standings.
Hawaiian would not win any adult races, yet never relinquished the lead forged by its youth paddlers.
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"We knew our strength was going to be with our kids," Ho said. "We were hoping they would come out with a performance like this and they did."
The Kai ‘Opua senior women paddlers pull away from the competition to win their race. The club from Kailua, Kona won a regatta-high nine races, with its women’s teams sweeping the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior events.
Where the Hawaiian youths left off, the Kai 'Opua adults took over.
The club from Kailua, Kona, won a regatta-high nine races, all by its adult paddlers. The Kai 'Opua women were particularly impressive, sweeping the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior races.
"We were hoping to pull off (the sweep) because we wanted the club to win the state championship," said Cheryl Villegas, who paddled on the victorious women's sophomore and senior crews.
Ultimately, Hawaiian's record 35 crews (out of a possible 37) would play a crucial role. Because every crew in every race earns points (except for those crews disqualified for violations), Hawaiian kept the competition at bay with consistent top-10 finishes from its adults.
"They had 35 crews, we had 30," said Kai 'Opua president Bo Campos. "That makes a big difference."
Still, it was Kai 'Opua's best showing in a state regatta.
"We've had an exceptional year," Campos said, clutching the second-place trophy. "We're happy with this."
Kai 'Opua also earned an exciting victory over Lanikai in the prestigious senior men's race, snapping a 10-year winning streak by Lanikai in that division.
O'ahu champion Outrigger won just three races, and never challenged for the overall lead after the youth races.
Despite the overwhelming victory yesterday, Ho said Hawaiian is still far from becoming a dynasty.
"Nah, the other teams will find a way to beat us," she said. "It's just going to take hard work for us to do this again. We're going back to the drawing board again next year and start over from the beginning."
A heavy downpour of rain persisted throughout the day, but did not create any significant problems for the paddlers.
• AA division: After chasing Hawaiian all year, Kihei stepped into its own weight class and won its first-ever state championship.
Kihei won just one race (women 45-and-older), but amassed 137 points to win the division for clubs with nine to 17 crews.
"Racing against Hawaiian all the time, they bring out the best in us," said Kihei head coach Kawika Williams. "Every week, we looked at it like we were racing against the state champs, and that prepared us for this."
Kane'ohe and Healani tied for second with 129 points each.
• A division: Wailea utilized a high rate of success yesterday, winning three of the eight races it entered (men freshman, men junior and mixed open-6).
The crew of Mark Cluney, Peter Konohia, Jacob Abeytia, Tony Calderon, Felipe Gomes and Kekoa Cramer paddled to victory in both the freshman and junior races.
"We have some real good men," said Wailea head coach Kapena Whitford. "We're not quite ready yet to compete in the senior race, but our goal is to get there, maybe next year."
Wailea's 79 points topped Keahiakahoe's 67. The A division is for clubs with eight crews or fewer, and featured the most entries (32).
By sweeping the three divisions yesterday, Maui clubs have won five of the six first-place trophies at the last two state regattas.
"I wouldn't say that was the plan, but I think Maui has earned a lot of respect in the last two years," Whitford said.
Hawaiian Outrigger had the best success rate, winning the only race it entered yesterday (girls 13-and-younger).
