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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 2, 2003

Paddling keeps growing

 •  Chart: The canoe clubs

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i canoe club's girls 15 crew captured their race in the Hui Wa'a Regatta last year.

Advertiser library photo

Another year, another new crop of paddlers.

Continuing a decade-long trend, outrigger canoe paddling is once again expected to grow this year, according to club officials.

More than 7,500 paddlers are expected to be registered across the state this year, including approximately 4,500 on O'ahu.

"Once you start paddling, it's in your blood," said June Leialoha, president of Na 'Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a organization on O'ahu. "Every year it seems like all the clubs get a few new paddlers and that all adds up."

The regatta season will begin at the end of this month and will culminate with the state championships on Aug. 2 at Ke'ehi Lagoon. Each regatta will include races for age groups ranging from 12 and younger to 55 and older. There also are separate divisions for novice paddlers.

"Everybody gets excited at this time of the year," said Hannie Anderson, president of the O'ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, the state's largest organization with more than 2,700 paddlers.

OHCRA will feature 16 clubs this year, including one new one — New Hope.

The regatta season begins at the end of May and culminates with the state championships Aug. 2 at Ke'ehi Lagoon.

Advertiser library photo

The Honolulu Pearl Canoe Club, which practices at Pearl Harbor, increased its numbers this year by putting up fliers around the military bases.

"We got maybe 20 paddlers to come out from the military," said club representative Al Picardal. "It's such a unique sport to some of them, and they take to it immediately."

Hui Wa'a, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, will feature 17 clubs, including newcomer Ka Mamalahoe.

The club was created in November and already has 90 members.

"I can't tell you where they're coming from because I don't really know," said club representative Scott Thompson. "It really is amazing to see this kind of turnout."

On O'ahu, 33 clubs are currently conducting practices. Many of them are still accepting paddlers.

For general information on the Internet, visit ohcra.com or huiwaa.com.

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