There would be no need for an asterisk at yesterday's Duke Kahanamoku Long Distance Race.

The Outrigger Canoe Club won it, fair and square.

"Any time you can start the season like this, you take it," Outrigger steersman Karel Tresnak Jr. said. "It's still too early to tell how we match-up with the other clubs, but at least we know we have the speed to keep up."

Outrigger completed the 24-mile course from Kailua Beach to Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, in 2 hours, 55 minutes, 5 seconds.

It was the first major men's canoe race of the long-distance season.

Last year, Outrigger crossed the finish line first in the Duke Kahanamoku race, but was later disqualified for a course violation.

"We made it clear this year to know what the course was and exactly which buoys we had to turn on," Tresnak said.

Members of the winning crew were Tresnak, Kevin Allen, Jimmy Austin, Kapono Brown, Bret Chuckovich, Rob Harrison, Byron Ho, Mike Kane and Ben Komer.

Each team could use six paddlers in the canoe, with three available for relief changes throughout the course. Forty-eight teams completed the race.

"We have a new coach, so we're still working on a lot of things," Austin said. "For our first race together, it turned out OK."

John Puakea started coaching the Outrigger men's program just last week.

"I don't even know everybody's name yet," Puakea said. "I do know that we have a long way to go, but I'm pleased because we did do better than I expected today."

Lanikai placed second in 2:56:59, and Team Tui Tonga was third in 2:57:05. A second Lanikai crew was fourth in 2:58:37, and Hui Nalu was fifth in 2:59:40.

"You always know Outrigger is going to be up there, especially in this race," said Jim Foti, steersman of Lanikai's first crew. "It was no surprise to us that they pulled away from everybody. We just have to go back and analyze this race and make decisions for the next race."

The ocean off East O'ahu was generally calm, turning the race into a "paddle battle."

Outrigger pulled ahead of the pack off Makapu'u and maintained the lead the rest of the way.

"It was a hard race; a lot of paddling, not too much surfing," Tresnak said. "But I didn't have the best day out there. I was kind of all over the place, so I know we can get faster."

Puakea added: "I think this result can only help because it's a starting point and we at least know that we can compete with some of the best."

Lanikai's two crews and Team Tui Tonga stayed together for most of the course, with the first Lanikai crew edging ahead for second place late in the race.

"We did awesome across the board as a club," Foti said of Lanikai getting three crews among the top eight finishers. "So we have to be happy with that."

Team Tui Tonga featured paddlers from the Big Island, most of them from Kai E Hitu Canoe Club in Kona.

"It was good for us to come here and see how we fit because there's really nobody for us to spar with on the Big Island," steersman Mike Field said. "Now we can go back to the Big Island and figure out what we did wrong and try to improve."

Hui Lanakila placed 12th overall and won the masters division (for paddlers 40 and older) in 3:12:21.

Prior to the men's race, a 7-mile race for female and mixed crews was staged off Kailua Beach. Kailua won the women's race in 48:13, beating Lanikai by 1:05.

FINAL RESULTS

MEN

KAILUA BEACH TO DUKE KAHANAMOKU BEACH (24 MILES)

Open: 1, Outrigger-I, 2:55:05. 2, Lanikai-I, 2:56:59. 3, Team Tui Tonga, 2:57:05. 4, Lanikai-II, 2:58:37. 5, Hui Nalu-I, 2:59:40. 6, Hui Lanakila-I, 3:02:57. 7, Kailua-I, 3:04:41. 8, Lanikai-III, 3:06:11. 9, Healani-I, 3:06:39. 10, Waikiki Beach Boys-I, 3:11:22. 11, Boiler Boyz, 3:12:11. 12, I Mua, 3:12:56. 13, Hui Nalu-II, 3:15:01. 14, Leeward Kai, 3:16:58. 15, Hui Lanakila-II, 3:16:58. 16, Koa Kai-I, 3:17:05. 17, Outrigger-II, 3:17:51. 18, Kailua-IV, 3:18:22. 19, 'Anuenue, 3:20:01. 20, Lokahi-I, 3:20:17. 21, Waikiki Yacht-I, 3:24:35. 22, Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i, 3:25:21. 23, New Hope-I, 3:25:31. 24, Hui Nalu-III, 3:28:20. 25, Lanikai-IV, 3:29:51. 26, Waikiki Beach Boys-II, 3:29:51. 27, Healani-II, 3:30:33. 28, Kailua-III, 3:31:13. 29, Koa Kai-III, 3:33:55. 30, Waikiki Surf, 3:34:22. 31, Healani-IV, 3:35:00. 32, Kamehameha-Hilo, 3:35:57. 33, Healani-III, 3:36:03. 34, Waikiki Yacht-II, 3:39:38. 35, Honolulu Pearl-II, 3:42:52. 36, Ka Mamalahoe, 3:44:50. 37, I Mua, 3:54:18. 38, New Hope-II, 3:55:28. 39, New Hope-III, 3:58:14.

Masters 40-older: 1, Hui Lanakila, 3:12:21. 2, Kailua-II, 3:19:52. 3, Koa Kai-II, 3:34:32. 4, New Hope-IV, 3:34:38. 5, New Hope-V, 3:37:44. 6, Honolulu Pearl-I, 4:04:58.

Masters 50-older: 1, Hui Lanakila, 3:33:46.

Masters 55-older: 1, Waimanalo, 3:24:04. 2, Lanikai-V, 3:49:45.

WOMEN

FIGURE-EIGHT COURSE OFF KAILUA BEACH (7 MILES)

Open: 1, Kailua, 48:13. 2, Lanikai-I, 49:18. 3, Hui Lanakila-II, 49:41. 4, Hui Lanakila, 51:01. 5, 'Anuenue, 51:14. 6, Kailua-I, 51:45. 7, Lanikai-III, 51:53. 8, Lanikai-IV, 53:43. 9, New Hope-III, 54:13. 10, Kailua-III, 54:58.

Masters 40-older: 1, Kailua-II, 48:29. 2, Lanikai-II, 50:28. 3, Ka Mamalahoe, 53:45. 4, Lanikai-V, 56:54.

Masters 50-older: 1, Kailua-V, 54:40. 2, New Hope-IV, 54:42. 3, Lanikai-VI, 54:51. 4, Lanikai-VIII, 58:08.

Masters 55-older: 1, Lanikai-VII, 1:02:48.

MIXED

Masters 40-older: 1, Hawaiian Outrigger, 53:56.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.