Posted on: Sunday, August 29, 2004
Kailua iron men up to challenge
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
You can add the Kailua Canoe Club to the list of top men's crews for 2004.
Well, maybe.
Kailua overcame an early mistake and relied on home-course knowledge to win the Kailua Bay Men's Iron Challenge. Kailua Canoe Club has hosted the race for 10 years, but yesterday was the first time it won the open men's division.
"Right at the end, when we were bringing it home, it was all adrenaline," said crew member Donovan Leandro. "We never win, so we were fired up."
Kailua completed the 9›-mile triangle course off Kailua Beach in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 41 seconds. Members of the winning crew were Leandro, Chris Bartels, Kealii Martin, Vili Malamala, Cana Day and Kekama Akana.
All teams in the race had to paddle "iron" style, meaning there were no relief changes for the six paddlers in the canoe. Most long-distance races allow for three relief paddlers.
"It's a good test because you have to put six strong guys out there," Bartels said. "In the other races, you get to come out and rest every half-hour or so. This one, you're going hard the whole way."
Lanikai placed second at 1:11:15, and two separate Hui Lanakila crews were third and fourth.
Several of the state's top men's teams did not enter yesterday's race, including Outrigger, Team New Zealand/Hawai'i, Hawaiian and Kai 'Opua.
"We hope to be up there with those guys," Leandro said. "But I don't know about that yet. It's hard to tell off this race. We just have to keep it going now."
Lanikai was also not at full strength, as several of its top paddlers were not available for various reasons.
"It wasn't our best crew out there; we mixed it up," Lanikai paddler James Bustamante said. "So it's nice to know that we weren't 100 percent and still had a pretty good race."
Lanikai actually led for the first 20 minutes of the race, in part because it avoided a "log jam" at the start. Kailua got caught in the jam, and its canoe got turned backwards in the chaos.
"It was actually one of our other canoes that spun us," Leandro said. "It slowed us down, but ended up being minor."
Once righted, Kailua chased down the lead pack and led the way for the final 45 minutes of the race.
"It was real smooth, real calm," Bartels said. "It was a lot calmer than what we normally see out here, so we were comfortable."
Yesterday's race was also a prelude to the Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Races, which are scheduled for next weekend at Kailua, Kona. Those races will also feature "iron" style paddling, but over an 18-mile course.
"Anything can happen in any race," Bartels said. "This win gives us confidence and we feel like we have a shot ... but so do a lot of others."
Women's teams will paddle today in the Dad Center Long Distance Race. The 24-mile course will start at Kailua Beach and finish at the Outrigger Canoe Club.
Final results
Open: 1, Kailua-1 (Chris Bartels, Donovan Leandro, Kealii Martin, Vili Malamala, Cana Day, Kekama Akana), 1:10:41. 2, Lanikai-2, 1:11:15. 3, Hui Lanakila-2, 1:12:06. 4, Hui Lanakila-1, 1:13:05. 5, Lanikai-1, 1:13:50. 6, Hui Nalu-1, 1:14:25. 7, Kailua-2, 1:16:21. 8, Lokahi Black, 1:19:42. 9, 'Anuenue, 1:20;11. 10, Kailua-3, 1:20:32. Masters 40-older: 1, Lanikai-3 (David Smith, Jeff Cummings, Toby Morris, Brad Cole, Daniel Kauai, Scott Freitas), 1:16:39. 2, Kailua-5, 1:18:26. 3, New Hope-3, 1:29:06. Masters 50-older: 1, Waimanalo (Miner Lii, Charles Kalama, Dennis Sallas, Jeff Metzger, Harold Akeo, Raymond Lii), 1:21:37. 2, Keahiakahoe Silver, 1:27:44. 3, New Hope-2, 1:38:23. Masters 55-older: 1, Kailua-4 (Hank Leandro, Mike Watson, Paul Shaner, Duke Goldstein, Bob Thurston, Tom Conner), 1:20:43. 2, Keahiakahoe Gold-1, 1:26:43. 3, Lanikai Gold-1, 1:30:37. Malia canoe: 1, Honolulu Pearl.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
