Kane'ohe and Manu O Ke Kai battled stroke for stroke, and race for race during yesterday's Na 'Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a Regatta at Ma'ili Beach.

It went down to the final race before Kane'ohe, which had won the first six Hui Wa'a regattas by an average of 25 points, finally prevailed.

Kane'ohe and Manu O Ke Kai went into the 39th and final race — the mixed open 4 event — tied at 64.

Kane'ohe won the 1/2-mile race in 4 minutes, 29.19 seconds. The Waikiki Beach Boys were second in 4:31.40, and Ka Mamalahoe third in 4:49.01. Manu O Ke Kai finished fifth.

Points are awarded on a 5-3-2-1 basis.

Kane'ohe finished with 69 points to win the AAA Division, which is for clubs with 25 or more crews. Manu O Ke Kai had 64, and Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i finished third with 50.

Members of Kane'ohe's winning mixed open 4 crew were Seth Ramolete, Travis Hawkins, Cheryl Parrish, Louis Figueroa, Kehau Ching and Titi Kawainui.

"I never doubted it," said Kawainui, the steerswoman. "I have a strong crew right in front of me. We just told each other we have to do it for the club. Every race they tell us you have to push and get points, but I tell uncle (coach Clint Anderson) every week, 'No worries uncle because I have a crew that wants it so bad. You don't have to worry.' "

Anderson told Kawainui prior to the race to take a wide turn to compensate for the wind and current. Kawainui said she pulled a muscle in her right arm last week and was favoring it after yesterday's race.

"It pulls. It rips especially today because the current is real strong," she said. "When you hit beaches like this you have to dig and give everything. Not just arms, you're using your whole body and practically hanging out of the boat just to get the blade down deep enough so you can make a better turn."

This is how close things were at the end.

Through 36 events, Manu O Ke Kai led, 63-61.

Through 37 events, Kane'ohe led, 64-63.

Through 38 events, the two were tied 64-64.

"Close is only good in horseshoes and grenades," said Manu O Ke Kai coach Randy Sandborn. "But we did the best we could up until the last event. Kane'ohe is tough; hard to beat. But overall I think we did awesome."

Kane'ohe won seven of the 13 youth races. The club's mixed 12 and girls 15 crews remained undefeated this season.

Manu O Ke Kai won seven races.

The conditions were rough because of a stiff off-shore breeze. Most of the paddlers were ankle-high in water after their races.

The crews started into the breeze, but could catch some small waves on the way back toward shore.

"The ocean was good," Anderson said. "Everything was even."

The other two divisions were also close.

Koa Kai finished with 47 points to win its first AA Division (13 or fewer crews) title. The Waikiki Beach Boys were second with 45, and 'Alapa Hoe third with 14.

Koa Kai won the girls 14, senior men's masters (50-older) and men's sophomore events.

"It's exciting; it was a full team effort," said coach Dave Randall. "We didn't win many races today but we got points from almost every crew we put into the regatta. We had consistency across and it's a nice feeling to have everybody contribute to this (the trophy)."

Kalihi Kai won the A Division (12 or fewer crews) with 19 points, while Ka Mamalahoe finished second with 18.

Manu O Ke Kai won the 1 1/2-mile men's senior race in 12:31.06. Na Keiki O Ka Mo'i was second in 12:40.09 and Koa Kai third in 12:41.89.

Members of the winning crew were Greg Wright, Glenn Williams, Robert Pactol, Tomas Schlotman, Johnny Mack and Moku Sandborn.

"We finally all blended together," said Sandborn, the coach's son. "We finally got into the groove to get the boat moving. Last week, we did terrible (fourth place). The week before that we won the race, but we got DQ'd from the start, being ahead of the flag."

The Waikiki Beach Boys remained undefeated in the women's senior race.

They finished the 1 1/2-mile race in 14:34.09. Lokahi was second in 15:48.24 and Manu O Ke Kai third in 15:59.87.

Members of the winning crew were Kelsa Teeters, Dana Gorecki, Jennifer Polcer, Erin Offenhauser, Andrea Messer and Susan Brown.

"Today was definitely a challenge," Brown said of the conditions.

The next Hui Wa'a regatta will be Sunday at Waikiki Beach.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.