Both canoe clubs fought neck-and-neck the entire day with Hui Lanakila and finished with 81 points in the AA division. Hui Lanakila was third with 77.

"We wanted to go all out on this race," said Lanikai coach Curtis Hawkins. "We didn't put an emphasis or say we were going to win. We wanted everybody to paddle their best.

"It started with our kids and it spilled over to the adults. And by the grace of God we tied and that's good enough."

It came down to the final races to decide the winner. Lanikai won the 40 and 55 mixed events, while Kailua won the men's and women's mixed, placed second in the women's 40 and needed to win the men's 40, the final event of the regatta, to win.

It also needed to finish no lower than second in that race or risk losing the title to Lanikai, which didn't enter a crew.

"This is what canoe racing is all about," said Kailua coach Jimmy Bruhn. "Down to the wire, last race of the day and everybody is all excited."

Hui Nalu ended up winning the men's 40 but Kailua caught up to Hui Lanakila with 30 meters left to place second.

"We were told that we had to do well," said Kailua's Kamoa Kalama, who was on the men's 40 crew. "You train hard during the week and you know you're going to come out here with terrific paddlers in the event. We were under added pressure because of the regatta situation.

"The association is full of tradition (that) you always give it your best. Sometimes people can come out on top and sometimes you tie."

Hawkins was concerned that his club didn't have a crew in the final race of the day and thought his club lost the regatta while sitting in the officials boat out in the lagoon.

"It's been a see-saw battle all day today between Lanikai, Kailua and Hui Lanakila," Hawkins said. "The whole season has kind of been like that. It's been exciting."

Kailua stayed in title contention not by winning races, it won just seven, but by finishing in the top four of each race to earn points.

"Winning the race will put you on the top for your race but for the club, as long as you can place fourth and better, you have an opportunity to win at the end," Bruhn said. "You don't necessarily have to win more races but as long as you place in as many as you can."

Lanikai found luck through every means possible, whether it was the men's crews brand new white boardshorts with green floral prints or the youth crews and Hawkins dyeing their hair green.

"Good luck team shorts," said Peter Binney, who paddled on Lanikai's winning men's senior crew. "It came out this week. It gave us extra strength ... extra strength shorts."

Meanwhile, Keahiakahoe won the A division for smaller crews with 26 points.

"We had a lot of strong kids and this year our men's program started to develop and our ladies are coming along," said Keahiakahoe president Stan Dickson. "They'll be pretty solid in the future."

Kailua used the regatta to qualify as many of its crews for the state championship as possible. Crews accumulated points based on their performance in each event the entire season. The top four crews in each event qualify for the state championship Aug. 7 at Ke'ehi Lagoon. The qualifiers will be announced at a later date.

"We're fortunate to be in the picture," Bruhn said. "We wanted to try to qualify as many crews as we could. Our main objective was to qualify as many for states."

Added Kalama: "It's a good prelude going to the state championship knowing our O'ahu association has so many strong teams."

Reach Stanley Lee at slee@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8533.

O'ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association Championship
At Ke'ehi Lagoon
Yesterday

AA Division

1, Lanikai Canoe Club 81

1, Kailua Canoe Club 81

3, Hui Lanakila CC 77

4, Hui Nalu 47

5, Outrigger CC 42

6, New Hope 7

A Division

1, Keahiakahoe 26

2, Healani Canoe Club 18

3, Waikiki Surf Club 13

4, Anuenue Canoe Club 8

5, Waimanalo 4

6, Leeward Kai 2

7, Makaha 1

8, Honolulu CC 0

8, Kai Oni 0

8, Puuloa 0

1/4 mile

Male

12: 1, Kailua (Travis Wilhoite, Joshua Dudoit, Kupono Kanehailua, Kainoa Chang, Chas Bautista, Kawai Makuakane) 2:10.13. 2, Lanikai 2:15.69. 3, Keahiakahoe 2:19:68. 13: 1, Kailua (Patrick Tepea, Carter Casey, Alika Guillaume, Kaonohi Malama-Carter, Kahikolu Pescaia, Keano Bruhn) 2:00.60. 2, Lanikai 2:03.28. 3, Hui Nalu 2:05.28. 14: 1, Lanikai (Devon Ferguson, Jack Roney, Beau Moody, Jon-Michael Grindle, Scotty Irvine, Connor Dowsett) 1:55.15. 2, Hui Nalu 1:57.18. 3, Keahiakahoe 1:57.50.

Female

12: 1, Lanikai (Julia Anderson, Tiana Carstairs, Kanoelani Irvine, Lauren Sampsel, Teresa Shun, Hannah Smith) 2:29.45. 2, Waikiki Surf 2:30.56. 3, Hui Nalu 2:31.92. 13: 1, Hui Lanakila (Sasha Andrade, Tierney Ioane, Hiilei Thompson, Chawna Mahelona, Kalau Martinez, Kamalei Ah Yuen) 2:15.26. 2, Lanikai 2:17.99. 3, Kailua 2:21.39. 14: 1, Lanikai (Julia Anderson, Tiana Carstairs, Keala Gabriel, Hannah Smith, Lauren Kugle, Ariel Orodenker) 2:14.14. 2, Hui Lanakila 2:19.99. 3, Outrigger 2:22.87. Novice B: 1, Hui Lanakila (Estee Okumura, Colleen Kelly, Patty Tannahill, Mary Stibbard, Kahealani Miguel, Aloha Yamaguchi) 2:12.39. 2, Healani 2:12.69. 3, Lanikai 2:14.13.

Mixed

12: 1, Keahiakahoe (Taylor Carvalho, Cheyne Silva, Kristal Choy, Moani Himuli Amber Almeida, Kalei Kahookele) 2:21.79. 2, Kailua 2:28.22. 3, Hui Lanakila 2:30.18. Novice B: 1, Healani (Denis Massey, Greg Russell, Holly Greenwell, Mike Gillenkin, Denise Kodani, Jamie Ito) 2:02.30. 2, Waikiki Surf 2:02.57. 3, Lanikai 2:02.80.

1/2 mile

Male

Novice B: 1, Hui Lanakila (Austin Easley, Scot Miranda, Chris Simpson, Michael Kaneshiro, Marc Titcomb, Chino Colburn) 3:50.67. 2, Healani 3:53.63. 3, New Hope 3:54.40. 15: 1, Kailua (Mana Ohia, Derek Poole, Kaipo Sarkissian, John Dudoit, Cody Hernandez, Stephen Agnew-Miller) 4:10.08. 2, Anuenue 4:12.92. 3, Outrigger 4:14.80. 16: 1, Keahiakahoe (Jared Duran, Kevin Snodgrass, John Kupau, Kapili Kalahiki-Anthony, Levi Garcia, Kona Cambra) 4:00.23. 2, Waikiki Surf 4:46.22. 3, Waimanalo 4:46.93. 55: 1, Lanikai (Jerome Cox, Phil Fox, Michael Gibson, Shaka Madali, George Medeiros, Carl Woehrle) 4:00.56. 2, Anuenue 4:07.39. 3, Kailua 4:08.02. 50: 1, Kailua (Hank Leandro, Charles Kalama, Paul Shaner, Benny Quitevis, Read Spencer, Tommy Conner) 3:47.31. 2, New Hope 3:50.71. 3, Outrigger 3:53.07. Fours: 1, Hui Lanakila (Keanu Kuna, Bill Pratt, Andy Penny, Kalama Heine) 3:47.97. 2, Keahiakahoe 3:51.82. 3, Outrigger 3:59.52.

Female

15: 1, Keahiakahoe (Teresa Kahookele, Sarah Keliihoomalu, U'i Heimuli, Tyleen Teixeira-Rosa, Piilani McFadden, Chevy Au-Stein) 4:39.47. 2, Lanikai 4:41.77. 3, Kailua 4:46.17. 16: 1, Lanikai (Kokee Coscina, Arianna Grindle, Dawn Hunt, Amanda Moody, Rachel Orodenker, Dawn Simunovich) 4:44.50. 2, Waikiki Surf 4:46.22. 3, Waimanalo 4:46.93. 18: 1, Hui Lanakila (Kaipo Martinez, Kaui Martinez, Leahi Frias, Kelsi Campos, Kanoe Naauao-Kipapa, Lori Nakamura) 4:22.76. 2, Hui Nalu 4:28.31. 3, Outrigger 4:29.54. Novice A: 1, Hui Nalu (Kerry McQuiston, Barb Craft, Christina Luna, Julie Anne Wassel, Nicole Matney, Lisa Chang) 4:25.73. 2, Kailua 4:26.06. 3, Healani 4:28.64. 55: 1, Kailua (Sarah-Jane Watson, Nani Olds, Yvonne Keahi, Shelly Gilman, Susie Oakland, Mary Martin) 4:47.19. 2, Lanikai 4:55.95. 3, Hui Nalu 4:56.26. 50: 1, Hui Nalu (Lurline McGregor, Mary Fern, Marcia Omura, Katie Scott, Lindsey Styan, Lita Blankenfeld) 4:35.55. 2, Kailua 4:53.08. 3, Waimanalo 4:55.99.

Fours: 1, Hui Lanakila (Allison Sokei, Lehua Heine, Gail Grabowsky, Katie Slocumb) 4:40.60. 2, Outrigger 4:40.93. 3, Kailua 4:47.48.

Mixed

55: 1, Lanikai (Mauliola Aspelund, Lori Auhll, Hoppy Smith, Kimo Jadrnicek, Robert Milne, William Watson) 4:31.17. 2, Hui Nalu 4:35.66. 3, Outrigger 4:40.28. 40: 1, Lanikai (Cathy Bender, Judy Sangiuliano, Heidi Smith, Cory Mehau, Peter Roney, David Smith) 4:02.66. 2, Outrigger 4:04.05. 3, Hui Lanakila 4:11.14.

Men & Women: 1, Kailua (Kahai Canario, Jason Ignacio, Pat Von, Loretta Toth, Donna Kahakui, Kisha Hudson) 3:48.46. 2, Hui Lanakila 3:54.83. 3, Healani 3:56.03.

1 mile

Male

18: 1, Lanikai (Keith Beers, Zane Chess, Matt Crowley, Jonny Kono, Ian Smith, Matthew Sullivan) 7:28.46. 2, Keahiakahoe 7:51.79. 3, Hui Nalu 7:52.48. Novice A: 1, Hui Lanakila (Gavin Hanoa, Sean McElligott, Kalai Fernandez, Kaleo Cambra, Allen Mahuka, Isaac Brumaghim) 7:39.19. 2, Healani 7:53.74. 3, Kailua 7:58.52. Freshman: 1, Kailua (Kealii Martin, Boyd Mobriga, Zion Thompson, Jacob Anderson, Cana Day, Nahina Leeloy) 7:20.67. 2, Outrigger 7:29.59. 3, Hui Lanakila 7:38.57. Sophomore: 1, Hui Lanakila (Tapa Worthington, Chris Tseu, Mel Puu, Tomas Schlotman, Manny Kulukulualani, Billy Balding) 6:56.90. 2, Lanikai 7:00.57. 3, Kailua 7:02.42. Junior: 1, Hui Lanakila (Manny Kulukulualani, Mark Riegel, Tomas Schlotman, Maui Kjeldsen, Raven Aipa, Billy Balding) 6:58.59. 2, Lanikai 7:06.11. 3, Hui Nalu 7:09.84. 40: 1, Hui Nalu (Giovani Camusso, Bruce Blankenfeld, Rob Harrison, Chris Baird, Roger Yokoyama, Nainoa Thompson) 7:09.15. 2, Kailua 7:14.52. 3, Hui Lanakila 7:17.46.

Female

Freshman: 1, Outrigger (Mahealani Batlik, Laurie Lawsen, Anne Rosa, Sarah Rosa, Pa'a Kincaid, Elizabeth Perry) 8:34.35. 2, Lanikai 8:37.03. 3, Kailua 8:38.84. Sophomore: 1, Outrigger (Tracy Phillips, Laurie Lawson, Megan Clark, Jennifer Thayer, Mary Smolenski, Kisi Haine) 8:20.96. 2, Hui Lanakila 8:23.71. 3, Hui Nalu 8:32.74. Junior: 1, Hui Lanakila (Pauahi Ioane, Bernie Suafoa, Jennifer Von Ruden, Seraphina Earnes, Jody Kono, Ilima Kim) 8:21.21. 2, Hui Nalu 8:29.33. 3, Kailua 8:38.63. 40: 1, Hui Nalu (Patsy Vasquez, Lois Wise, Jane Fee, Lorey Bode, Terry Brussehoff, Ellen Komatsu) 8:46.00. 2, Kailua 9:00.84. 3, Lanikai 9:31.49.

1 1/2 mile

Male

Senior: 1, Lanikai (Kai Bartlett, Peter Binney, Kekoa Bruhn, Jim Foti, John Foti, George Leslie) 10:42.54. 2, Kailua 10:47.13. 3, Outrigger 10:48.43.

Female