Thanks in part to an intense training program, the oldest paddlers for Kailua have become key contributors to the club's overall success.

"They train just as hard as our open men," Kailua head coach Jimmy Bruhn said. "Just because they're up there in age doesn't mean they take it easy."

Many of the other big clubs throughout the state cite youth paddlers as a strength. At Kailua, the elders have earned that respect.

"If I had to pick one (strength), I would say it's our masters," Bruhn said. "We're pretty solid all-around, but the masters is our most consistent group."

The Kailua masters — paddlers ages 40 and older — will need to be at their best again tomorrow during the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta at Ke'ehi Lagoon.

"We came into this year considering ourselves underdogs anyway, so that's nothing new," Bruhn said. "But for this race, because of the numbers, we're big underdogs."

But in the masters races, Kailua is expected to fare well. In particular, the men's senior masters (50 and older) and golden masters (55 and older) crews are considered to be among the state's best.

"We've had this program going for about 10 years now, and it's been a good run," said Hank Leandro, coach of the Kailua senior and golden masters. "My feeling is, the harder you push your body, the longer you can retain your youth."

Leandro makes sure the Kailua men push hard — two hours a day, four days a week. The men range from 50 to 68, but there is no age discrimination among the group.

"They don't take it easy on me and I don't want them to," said Dr. Howard Keller, 68. "I don't think about age. I just go, go, go."

Charlie Kalama, 55, has discovered the hard way just how hard the practices are. After 24 years away from paddling, Kalama rejoined Kailua this year after retiring as a firefighter. "I lost 25 pounds in the first six weeks," he said.

The weekly practice schedule includes sessions on one-man canoes as well as six-person canoes. The paddlers are also expected to run or swim on their own.

"It's actually quite rigorous for guys this age," said Leandro, who is also a paddler in the golden masters crew. "Every year we get a couple of new guys come out and they leave after a week or two. It takes a lot of commitment to be in this program."

The work has resulted in the last two Moloka'i Hoe championship trophies for the 55-and-older division.

"Winning isn't everything, we realize that," Leandro said. "But it sure is fun to win."

Mike Watson, 60, said he joined Kailua four years ago "to paddle with the best." Watson is a retired school teacher who lives in Makaha. Four days a week, he makes the drive across the island to attend practice.

The success of the men's masters program has also had a direct impact on the women's masters program at Kailua: four wives of the Kailua men are now paddling for the Kailua women.

"I have to give a lot of credit to (Leandro)," said Kaila Malama, coach of the Kailua women's masters. "He developed a strong program and got guys to come out. I lucked out because it so happened that those guys brought their wives, too."

Like Leandro with the men, Malama said he does not ease up on the older women.

"I get furious when they show up late for practice, or don't come out at all," Malama said. "There's no way I take it easy on them. They're out here to compete and they want to win like anybody else. That only comes with hard work."

The only problem with some of the masters paddlers is that they treat work retirement like a ... retirement.

"It seems like every week somebody's on a trip," Malama said. "But other than that, they work just as hard as any other paddler in the club, no matter what age."

Looking ahead

"The Men of Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Racing" 2004 calendar will be on sale at the state championship regatta tomorrow.

The calendar features color pictures and a list of accomplishments of some of the top male paddlers in the state, including John Foti, Walter Guild, Karel Tresnak Jr., Kai Bartlett and Bill Pratt.