Outrigger seeking morning glory

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

If any of the other teams in Sunday's Hawaii Modular Space Moloka'i Hoe want a wake-up call, check with the Outrigger Canoe Club.

Outrigger Canoe Club is expected to challenge for the title of the 41-mile Hawaii Modular Space Moloka'i Hoe on Sunday. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

"There was some resistance at first," Outrigger coach Kala Judd said of the 6 a.m. practice starting times. "But I think we all realize now that we've had higher productivity because of the morning workouts."

Outrigger is arguably Hawai'i's top seed for the Moloka'i Hoe. The 41-mile race from Hale O Lono Harbor, Moloka'i, to Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, is considered the world championship of long-distance team canoe paddling, and more than 100 crews are expected to participate.

"We're cautiously optimistic because we believe that winning is an attainable goal," Judd said.

That's because Outrigger has been winning a lot this year. Outrigger entered five long-distance races leading to the Moloka'i Hoe. They won three, and finished second twice.

The biggest victory came in Catalina, Calif., last month.

"That was probably our turning point," Judd said. "That was the one race that seemed to bring us all together."

Milton Laughlin, a paddler for Tahiti's powerful Rai team, perhaps put it best: "We always know that Lanikai and Team New Zealand/Hawai'i are strong. But this year, we are hearing much about Outrigger."

Members of the Outrigger crew are Kevin Allen, Tom Allen, Jimmy Austin, Bret Chuckovich, Scott Hendricks, Byron Ho, Karel Tresnak Jr., Tim Twigg-Smith and John Wacker.

The most significant addition to the crew is Tresnak. Although only 23, he is considered one of Hawai'i's best steersmen.

He was on Moloka'i Hoe championship crews at Lanikai (2000) and Team New Zealand/Hawai'i (2001 and 2003). He transferred to Outrigger this year.

According to Judd, Tresnak's steering skills have meshed with the paddling power of the rest of the crew to form "a synergy" that has led to success.

"Karel is the only guy in the crew who has won Moloka'i before," Judd said. "But the others are guys who have done well for many years. This has been a work in progress for a few years."

Tresnak added: "This is a really good surfing crew. I just have to find a (wave) and all the guys know what to do."

The paddlers range in age from the 23-year-old Tresnak to Twigg-Smith and Ho, who are both 42. They are bonded by a desire to win — and the early-morning workouts.

"We have the experience, we have the youth, and we have the guys in between," Twigg-Smith said. "It's a really good mix, and the fact that we're all waking up this early in the morning shows how much we want it."

It might help that all the canoe races, including the Moloka'i Hoe, start around 7:30 a.m.

"When you practice in the afternoon, your body gets used to peaking in the afternoon," Twigg-Smith said. "We're used to paddling in the morning, so on the day of the race, we're on schedule."

Judd said the morning practices have also instilled a sense of discipline, especially in the younger paddlers.

"We lost a couple of guys because they didn't want to practice that early; it cut into their social schedule," Judd said. "So this keeps guys honest. There are no excuses about being held up at work or anything like that."

What's more, the paddlers are free to cross-train — or paddle some more — in the afternoons.

"Some days, I'm exhausted at work," Twigg-Smith said. "But most of the time, the exercise invigorates you for the rest of the day."

Tresnak said: "I don't like waking up that early, to be honest. But it's working, so I can't complain."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.