New Zealand-Hawai'i prevails
| • | Youth-crew victories propel Lanikai |
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Team New Zealand/Hawai'i wound up on top Down Under last week.
Team New Zealand/Hawai'i won the prestigious Hamilton Island Cup outrigger canoe race for the second consecutive year. Many of the best paddling teams in the world compete in the race, and it is considered the largest paddling event in Australia.
Team New Zealand/Hawai'i completed the 42-kilometer course in 3 hours, 10 minutes, 20 seconds. Rai from Tahiti, the defending Moloka'i Hoe champion, was second in 3:12:02.
"We got off to a really good start, and then we pretty much survived the conditions after that," said Karel Tresnak Jr., who steered the winning crew.
Team New Zealand/Hawai'i is made up of five paddlers from Hawai'i (Raven Aipa, Kea Pa'iaina, Bill Pratt, Thibert Lussiaa and Tresnak) and four from New Zealand (Bo Herbert, Rob Kaiwai, Woogie Marsh and Andrew Penny).
The Hamilton Island Cup is a week-long event featuring races of various lengths and divisions. The 42-kilometer race is the signature competition.
"It's a rough, rough race," Pratt said. "The conditions are so extreme, and the course goes around the different islands so you face a little bit of everything."
Tresnak added: "You go up against these really strong currents — during some parts, the wave stacks up right in front of you and you have to power through it. But then when you come back the other way, the current is so strong, it pushes you right along."
Each team paddled a six-person canoe, but was allowed to employ nine paddlers. While six paddled, three followed in an escort boat, available for relief changes at any time.
Team New Zealand/Hawai'i paddlers split the $6,000 first prize equally among the nine team members. They also won a 500-meter sprint race.
They were not the only successful paddlers from Hawai'i.
Team Hawai'i won the men's senior masters division (ages 45 and older) for the third consecutive year. The team consisted of paddlers from various clubs around O'ahu: Fred Delos Santos, Pat Erwin, Kamoa Kalama, Chris Kincaid, Jimmy Kincaid, Leighton Look, Bruce Lukas, Rocky Owens and Greg Poole.
They completed the course in 3:43:19 to beat Northcliffe of Australia by four minutes and win $3,000. Team Hawai'i also won the senior masters division in the 500-meter race.
Another crew called Team Hawai'i also split $3,000 for winning the women's masters division (ages 35 and older).
They consisted of paddlers from O'ahu and Maui: Theresa Felgate, Jen Horner, Pauahi Ioane, Margie Kawaiaea, Lisa Livingston, Deneen McNichol, Carleen Ornellas, Cindy Razga and Loretta Toth.
They completed the course in 4:09:53, which was almost five minutes faster than the second-place women's masters crew. Only five open women's teams had faster times than Team Hawai'i.
Mooloolaba won the open women's division; Kai 'Opua from the Big Island placed third.
Team Hawai'i-Wailea won the open men's 500-meter race.
In individual competition, Tresnak won the 16-kilometer race in convincing fashion. Times were not available, but as Pratt put it, "no one was even close to (Tresnak), except at the start."
Mike Beyer of the Outrigger Canoe Club won two individual races: 500 meters and 8 kilometers.
• Sponsors needed: Hawai'i Modular Space has secured the title sponsorship for the Moloka'i Hoe and Na Wahine O Ke Kai races, and the O'ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association summer regatta series.
However, the events are seeking "associate sponsors" to help cover additional costs and perhaps create prize purses. "Sponsorship funds go entirely toward the production of the races," said OHCRA president Hannie Anderson.
For information on sponsorships, call Mike Fox at 682-5559, ext. 18.
