Bartlett, Dolan ride Pegasus to victory
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
On a day when all the canoes could have used wings, the winning teams in the Starbucks Kaiwi Channel Relay rode Pegasus to victory.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Kai Bartlett and Patrick Dolan won the men's division, completing the 40.2-mile course in 5 hours, 48 minutes, 27 seconds.
Patrick Dolan, a junior at Maryknoll School, celebrates upon crossing the finish line. Dolan teamed with Kai Bartlett to win the men's division of the Starbucks Kaiwi Channel Relay.
Noe Auger and Cherisse Keli'i won the women's division in 6:46:52.
Both winning teams used a canoe called Pegasus. Bartlett's Kai Wa'a company created the Pegasus canoe.
"It's an unbelievable day for me," said Bartlett, 29. "It was a really tough race, but it's all worth it now."
The race started at the Kaluako'i Hotel, Moloka'i, and finished at Magic Island, O'ahu. Light head winds and a relatively calm Kaiwi Channel made for a slow and grueling crossing. The winning times were more than an hour off record pace.
More than 90 teams participated. The race was for one-person canoes (OC-1) and two-person canoes (OC-2). In the OC-1 division, each team could use two paddlers. When one paddler is racing in the canoe, the other follows in an escort boat. They switch every 10 to 20 minutes.
"Conditions were pretty bad," Bartlett said. "You had that breeze in your face, and the water was sloppy. You just had to put your head down and go."
Bartlett's role in the victory was not surprising — he has now won the Kaiwi Channel Relay four times. Dolan's role was the surprise.
Dolan is 16 and a junior at Maryknoll School. Last season, they both paddled for Lanikai Canoe Club, although Dolan was still in the youth divisions.
"There was a little pressure," Dolan said. "I just tried to do my part."
Bartlett said of Dolan: "I knew he was good, but he did better than I expected. He gave us the lead at the start. It was beautiful."
Bartlett and Dolan held the lead for most of the race, and the closest challenge came from Thibert Lussiaa and Kea Pa'iaina.
"It was a struggle — like racing in the Ala Wai Canal," Pa'iaina said. "We got close for a little while, but it was hard to make up ground on a day like today."
Lussiaa and Pa'iaina took a brief lead midway across the channel, but held it for only about 20 minutes. "We felt strong, but we just couldn't close the gap," Pa'iaina said.
Lussiaa and Pa'iaina paddle for Team New Zealand/Hawai'i, and they dedicated yesterday's performance to teammate Bo Herbert, who died in an accident a few weeks ago.
Jimmy Austin and Karel Tresnak Jr. also battled for the lead, but ultimately finished third in 5:50:31. They are considered the best surfing team, so yesterday's conditions worked against them.
"The flat sucks, but I guess it was better for us that the surf wasn't up," Dolan said.
The women's division featured a similar race, with Auger and Keli'i out-muscling the rest of the field.
"There was a little bit of (waves) to work with, but not much," Auger said. "Luckily, I have a strong partner."
Auger and Keli'i alternated every 15 to 20 minutes for most of the course, but Keli'i pulled "double shifts" toward the end.
"She's so much stronger, so we decided to leave her in at the end," Auger said.
Keli'i said: "I was OK. I was motivated to finish."
Auger, who is 34 and from Kaua'i, won the relay title for the second time. Keli'i, who is 32 and from the Big Island, won it for the first time.
Auger and Keli'i pulled away from the other women's teams in the choppy water off Portlock.
"For some reason, I felt like our boat was working really well in that sloppy water," Auger said. "The other teams all had to catch us after that and that's where Cherisse's power came in."
Jessica Eames and Kelsa Teeters were second in 6:49:45, and Jill Schooler and Jeane Barrett were third in 6:50:48.
The mixed crew (two men and two women) of Jason Ignacio, Doug Loke, Katie Slocumb and Shien-Lu Stokesbary won the OC-2 race in 6:32:20.
• • •
Top finishers
Men OC-1
Open: 1, Kai Bartlett/Patrick Dolan, 5:48:27. 2, Thibert Lussiaa/Kea Pa'iaina, 5:49:32. 3, Jimmy Austin/Karel Tresnak Jr., 5:50:31. 4, Jim Foti/John Foti, 5:54:34. 5, Mike Judd/Tapa Worthington, 5:56:12. 6, Travis Grant/Mike Mills-Thom, 5:56:53. 7, Michael Hangai/Manny Kulukulualani, 6:02:11. 8, Jacob Abeytia/Kekoa Kramer, 6:02:48. 9, Walter Guild/Nate Hendricks, 6:04:35. 10, Ikaika Hauanio/Rick Nu'u, 6:04:42. 11, Raven Aipa/George Leslie, 6:05:01. 12, Kekoa Bruhn/JB Guard, 6:05:50. 13, Kafoa Hala Latu/Andrew Penny, 6:09:45. 14, Joshua Crayton/Michael Eisert, 6:11:35. 15, Aaron Creps/David Daniels, 6:14:33.
Masters (40-older): 1, Sam Alama/Eric Levora, 6:16:02. 2, Kawika Williams/Rory Frampton, 6:20:54. 3, Jim Beaton/Tim Twigg-Smith, 6:23:33. 4, Steve Zoll/Glenn Baldado, 6:24:45. 5, Ron Cotteen/Steve Holbrook, 6:27:21.
Senior masters (50-older): 1, Lambert Lee Loy/Jacques Blais, 6:49:16. 2, Gerome Kalma/Adolph Helm, 6:55:46. 3, Nappy Napoleon/Gaylord Wilcox, 7:02:36.
Juniors (18-younger): 1, Paul Casken/Jack Roney, 6:45:53. 2, Christopher Beuret/Damien Casken, 7:42:27.
Women OC-1
Open: 1, Noe Auger/Cherisse Keli'i, 6:46:52. 2, Jessica Eames/Kelsa Teeters, 6:49:45. 3, Jill Schooler/Jeane Barrett, 6:50:48. 4, Arlene Holzman/Kanesa Duncan, 6:52:38. 5, Donna Kahakui/Megan Harrington, 6:53:35. 6, Loretta Toth/Jaimie Kinard, 7:07:46. 7, Margie Kawaiaea/Dane Ward, 7:08:45. 8, Tania Moohin/Alison Green, 7:13:58.
Masters (40-older): 1, Cheryl Skribe/Nancy Esse, 6:57:41. 2, Jane McKee/Wendy Simmons, 7:08:24. 3, Mary Smolenski/Paula Crabb, 7:09:03.
Mixed OC-1
Open: 1, Andrea Moller/Mael Carey, 6:25:11. 2, Theresa Felgate/Eric Barto, 6:33:22. 3, Alana Goo/Mark Frazier, 6:37:12. 4, Peter Konohia III/Jennifer Konohia, 6:50:07. 5, John Perell/Jenn Perell, 7:41:56.
OC-2
Mixed: 1, Katie Slocumb/Jason Ignacio/Shien Lu Stokesbary/Doug Loke, 6:32:20. 2, Ricky Balidoy/Sharon Balidoy/Reggie Balidoy/Jocelyn Hrkach, 6:43:36. 3, Beverly Tuaolo/Afa Tuaolo, Ronona Della Cioppa/Freddie Berengue, 6:44:53.
Men: 1, J.P. Millbauer/Mark Shimer/Tony Calderon/Nabill Vogela, 6:45:56. 2, Cana Day/Nicholas Ho/Donovan Leandro/Kawai Mahoe, 6:49:21. 3, Dave Kalama/Junya McGurn/Leleo Kinimaka/Mel Pu'u, 7:02:36.
Women: 1, Kehau Lau/Lorey Bode/Denise Darval-Chang/Lois Wise, 6:34:07. 2, Sera Eames/Patricia Eames/Danielle Ho/Jacqueline Wilkum, 6:44:22.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
