Maui's Bartlett rides waves to canoe title
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
An expected "surf run" turned into an unexpected championship run for Maui's Kai Bartlett yesterday.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Bartlett won the men's canoe division of the Kona Brewing Co. Moloka'i World Championship, completing the 32-mile course in 3 hours, 52 minutes, 37 seconds.
Kai Bartlett celebrates after winning the canoe division of the Kona Brewing Co. Moloka'i World Championship. Bartlett, 29, took advantage of 10-foot swells to finish the 32-mile course in 3 hours, 52 minutes, 37 seconds.
"I just wanted to do a surf run and play with the ocean," said Bartlett, 29. "I didn't think I had it in me for this. I'm totally blown away with myself."
Hawai'i paddlers took the top four places. Mike Judd finished second in 3:57:45, followed by Manny Kulukulualani in 3:59:13, and Keali'i Pa'iaina in 4:01:30.
Lisa Curry-Kenny of Australia was the first female to finish on a canoe with a time of 4:46:39.
A record 118 crafts entered the race, including more than 60 canoes.
"It was epic," Bartlett said of the conditions.
Some of the ocean swells across the Kaiwi Channel were near 10 feet, helping the paddlers to make a relatively fast crossing.
But the swells also created some damage.
Karel Tresnak Jr., who owns a record five canoe championships in the Moloka'i race, had to withdraw midway through the race after his canoe cracked. At the time, he had an estimated seven-minute lead.
"I dropped down a big wave and did a stupid maneuver and the nose (of the canoe) went under water and just cracked," Tresnak said.
Tresnak and his escort boat crew tried to repair the crack with duct tape, but it was not enough to prevent water from filling the canoe.
"I had a good lead, nothing to worry about," he said. "That's why I always say you never know when it comes to this race."
Bartlett won the race in 2002, but missed last year's race because of an injury. He said he did not expect to be among the leaders yesterday because he was still not 100 percent.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
"I guess it paid off — going out there and trying to have fun instead of going for the gold," Bartlett said.
Lisa Curry-Kenny of Australia is pumped after winning the women's canoe division in 4 hours, 46 minutes, 39 seconds.
Bartlett said he was not aware of Tresnak's withdrawal when he crossed the finish line. When Bartlett won in 2002, Tresnak did not enter the race.
"I thought I finally got him," Bartlett said. "But heck, equipment is part of the race."
Judd said he thought he was in the lead when he passed Tresnak late in the race.
"I was told Karel pulled out and I was in the lead," Judd said. "But a little later, my escort boat told me Kai came down from the north and got in front."
It was Judd's fourth runner-up finish in the last five years.
"If it's not Karel, it's Kai," he said. "But I'm honored to say I can get second to those guys."
In the women's division, Curry-Kenny said she battled Kaua'i's Noe Auger for the first three hours of the race.
"I would say Noe out-surfed me early on," Curry-Kenny said. "But I wanted to conserve some energy for the end and I think that helped me."
Auger finished a distant second at 4:55:07.
Three-time women's champ Lauren Spalding did not race because she is on a maternity break.
Final results
Men
Overall: 1, Kai Bartlett, 3:52:37. 2, Mike Judd, 3:57:45. 3, Manny Kulukulualani, 3:59:13. 4, Keali'i Pa'iaina, 4:01:30. 5, Danny Ching, 4:01:47. 6, Thibert Lussiaa, 4:03:24. 7, Patrick Dolan, 4:03:56. 8, Aaron Creps, 4:06:19. 9, Manutea Owen, 4:08:32. 10, Danny Sheard, 4:10:12. 11, Darren Mercer, 4:10:29. 12, Travis Grant, 4:11:00. 13, Mael Carey, 4:11:29. 14, Jeff Le Marseny, 4:16:27. 15, Maitai Danielson, 4:16:44. 16, Nathan Hendricks, 4:16:46. 17, Mike Silva, 4:18:07. 18, Michael Pedersen, 4:18:43. 19, Kekoa Bruhn, 4:19:38. 20, David Daniels, 4:19:57. 21, George Leslie, 4:20:46. 22, Tapaari Worthington, 4:22:47. 23, Mike Hangai, 4:23:06. 24, Luke Evslin, 4:23:36. 25, Ikaika Hauanio, 4:24:04. 26, Patrick Erwin, 4:24:16. 27, Tim Twigg-Smith, 4:25:22. 28, Kyle Youderian, 4:26:13. 29, Jason Ignacio, 4:27:42. 30, Butch Keahiolalo, 4:29:21. 31, Nicholas Agorastos, 4:29:37. 32, Keola Wright, 4:30:07. 33, Stephen Sinkus, 4:31:19. 34, Robi Solmssen, 4:31:56. 35, Billy Balding, 4:32:08. 36, Barry Tantog, 4:34:47. 37, Taravino Papai, 4:36:50. 38, Marton Buday, 4:40:50. 39, Carlton Helm, 4:44:43. 40, Latu Kafoa, 4:44:55. 41, Mark Miller, 4:45:58. 42, Aaron Abbey, 4:46:33. 43, Bruce Ayau, 4:48:36. 44, Nyle Warinner, 4:52:35. 45, James Bustamante, 4:54:35. 46, Pinati Leao, 4:56:43. 47, Adolph Helm, 5:02:48. 48, Scott McPhail, 5:04:03. 49, Ron Barron, 5:08:37. 50, James Shortis, 5:08:57. 51, Jacques Blais, 5:09:47. 52, Nappy Napoleon, 5:12:54. 53, Hiroaki Takahashi, 5:25:31. 53, Jeremiah Saiz, 5:48:35.
40-49: 1, Danny Sheard, 4:10:12. 2, Jeff Le Marseny, 4:16:27. 3, Patrick Erwin, 4:24:16.
50-59: 1, Adolph Helm, 4:44:43. 2, Nyle Warinner, 4:52:35. 3, Ron Barron, 5:08:37.
60-older: 1, Nappy Napoleon, 5:12:54.
Women
Overall: 1, Lisa Curry-Kenny, 4:46:39. 2, Noe Auger, 4:55:07. 3, Margie Kawaiaea, 5:01:09. 4, Arlene Holzman, 5:13:00. 5, Sue Brown, 5:22:51. 6, Kelsa Teeters, 5:42:52. 7, Nicki Lacey-Enos, 5:49:49. 8, Wendy Simmons, 5:54:15.
40-49: 1, Lisa Curry-Kenny, 4:46:39. 2, Margie Kawaiaea, 5:01:09. 3, Wendy Simmons, 5:54:15.
Two-person canoe
Mixed: 1, Cindy Grover/Jeff Weiss, 4:49:31. 2, Ronona Della Cioppa/Freddie Berengue, 4:55:07.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
