Kane'ohe regains winning form
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
It didn't take long for the Kane'ohe Canoe Club to regain its winning ways in the Na 'Ohana Hui Wa'a season.
Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser
After losing its first regatta last week by one point, Kane'ohe returned to its familiar top spot, winning the Koa Kai Laulima Club Regatta in choppy ocean conditions yesterday at Waimanalo Beach Park.
Koa Kai's Joe Kim, right, celebrates with friend Craig Tillman after winning the men's senior masters race at Waimanalo Beach Park.
Kane'ohe won a regatta-high eight of 36 races and finished with 73 points. Lokahi won six races and scored 66 points. Manu O Ke Kai was third with 55 points and Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i finished fourth with 43 points.
Last week, Lokahi upset Kane'ohe, 67-66, at Kailua Beach Park.
"I felt last week we did our best, but a couple things happened, and we lost by one point," said Kane'ohe paddler Bobby Pratt. "This past week, we were training hard to get our title back."
Kane'ohe — the two-time defending Hui Wa'a champion — has won four of five regattas this season. Yesterday's regatta featured more than 1,000 paddlers from 17 clubs around O'ahu.
Kane'ohe received a boost from its youth crews and clutch performances from its masters and open crews to fend off Lokahi.
Kane'ohe's youth crews won seven of 13 races and scored 45 points. Lokahi's youth crews scored eight points.
"We're just doing our part," said Pratt, whose team has won all five of its races in the boys 16s division this season. "We're just doing the best we can."
Yesterday's regatta was the second consecutive "open steersman" format, meaning clubs were allowed to substitute a stronger, experienced steersman in place of a regular steersman. Organizers believed an expert steersmen would provide greater safety, and prevent canoes from overturning in choppy ocean conditions.
However, the format allows unlimited substitutions of steersmen, and according to some participants, gives clubs with strong steersmen the advantage.
"Some clubs have good open steersmen, like Lokahi," said Kane'ohe coach Clint Anderson, who voted against the "open steersman" format. "It was a challenge."
Koa Kai, foreground, overtakes Lokahi toward the finish line in the men's senior masters race at yesterday's Na 'Ohana Hui Wa'a regatta. Koa Kai won the half-mile race in 4 minutes, 14.06 seconds.
Anderson said the "open steersman" format does not prepare clubs for the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship and the O'ahu championship — two regattas that do not utilize the format.
"We have to learn about the roughness of the ocean," Anderson said. "We had two hulis (overturned canoes) with open steersmen today. What's the difference? All you have to do is teach your crew how to watch the ama (outrigger), all that kind of stuff."
After 24 races, Kane'ohe led Lokahi, 65-38. Lokahi outscored Kane'ohe, 28-8, in the final 12 races.
"We're happy with the win," Anderson said. "Overall, some of our adults scored some points at the end. That was the good part."
In the final six races, Kane'ohe scored just enough points — getting four combined points from its masters men and women, and four combined points from its open four-women and mixed six-paddler crews.
"I think our paddlers are getting better as the season goes on," Lokahi coach Robert Viernes said. "By the time of the Hui Wa'a Championships (on July 23), we should be up there. It's going to be a good fight with (Manu O Ke Kai), (Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i), Kane'ohe and Lokahi. I think all the points are close."
Koa Kai won six races and finished with 60 points to win the AA Division for medium-sized clubs. Waikiki Beach Boys won four races and scored 27 points to win the A Division for small-sized clubs.
Waikiki Beach Boys won the prestigious women's senior race for the fifth consecutive time this season. The crew of Kelsa Teeters, Valerie Hershey, Erin Offenhauser, Dana Gorecki, Andrea Messer and Sue Brown completed the 1 1/2-mile race in 13 minutes, 53.38 seconds.
Likewise, Manu O Ke Kai remained undefeated in the 1 1/2-mile men's senior race, winning in 12:09.70 with the crew of Bobo Tantog, Charlie Tantog, Bonga Perkins, Thomas Schlotman, Brian Amantiad and Moku Sanborn.
The Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i Regatta will be held Sunday at Ma'ili Beach.
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.
