Refusing to relent in unrelenting conditions, Kai Bartlett and Mike Judd paddled to an inspiring victory in the Rhino Kaiwi Channel Relay yesterday.

Bartlett and Judd completed the 40.2-mile course from Kaluako'i, Moloka'i, to Magic Island, O'ahu, in 5 hours, 29 minutes, 43 seconds.

A flat Kaiwi Channel, calm winds, and hot temperatures combined to create a relatively slow crossing. The winning time was almost one hour behind the course record.

"When conditions are like this, you taste every bit of the race," Judd said. "I could probably look back on the last five-and-a-half hours and remember every part of the race."

A duel with the team of Mael Carey and Danny Ching made it even more memorable.

"The hardest part of the race was that you could never let off," Bartlett said. "You always had to go because you were always running scared."

Lauren Bartlett — Kai's wife — teamed with Andrea Moller to win the women's division with a time of 6:18:29.

The Kaiwi Channel Relay features one-person canoes (OC-1), but each team is allowed to rotate two paddlers throughout the race. When one is paddling, the other follows in an escort boat, and they switch every 10 to 20 minutes.

Bartlett and Judd led for most of the race, but Carey and Ching were within striking distance the entire way.

"There was a lot of strategy between the two boats," Judd said. "It was a chess game out there, for sure."

The key move came just off East O'ahu, when Bartlett and Judd stayed on a straight route, and Carey and Ching veered to the north.

"It seemed to benefit us pretty well," Bartlett said.

Carey and Ching ultimately finished second at 5:32:13.

Jimmy Austin and Simeon Ke-Paloma were third in 5:36:47, followed by Manny Kulukulualani and Tapa Worthington (5:38:32), and Kea Pa'iaina and Aaron Napoleon (5:40:28).

More than 90 teams participated in the race.

It was the fifth relay title for Bartlett, but first with Judd. They are longtime teammates for Lanikai Canoe Club, but this is the first year they have been partners for relay races.

"It's always a special thing, the relay, because it's you and a partner, and it's teamwork," Bartlett said.

After the race, Bartlett donated a new OC-1 for a raffle drawing to help raise money for brothers Patrick and Ryan Dolan. The Dolans are hoping to travel to Europe this summer to represent the USA in international kayak races. The Dolans also paddle for Lanikai.

It was the second relay title for Judd. His first came in 2001. He has been "out of the loop" in recent years due to various injuries and work commitments.

"It was a real honor for me to paddle with Kai," Judd said. "It's exciting for me because I've been out of the loop for a while."

Lauren Bartlett and Moller used a strong finish to win the women's division.

Three hours into the race, the team of Jessie Eames and Arlene Holzman were about three minutes behind Bartlett and Moller.

"The farther it went on, we opened (the lead) up a little bit," Bartlett said.

Eames and Holzman finished around six minutes behind the leaders with a time of 6:24:22. Australians Lea Curtis and Coral Darbishire were third in 6:28:02.

Bartlett and Moller said yesterday's conditions were not nearly as difficult as two weeks ago, when they paddled into a strong headwind during the solo world championship.

"What the solo taught me is to just be grateful as long as it's not upwind," Bartlett said. "Flat water is not that bad."

Moller said: "There was still a little swell on the open ocean that you could read."

Bartlett and Moller reside on Maui and are teammates for Team Bradley. It was the sixth relay title for Bartlett, and second with Moller.

There was also a division for two-person canoes (OC-2).

The team of Ani Alpharo, Kaleo Evangelista, Kawika Ting and Kawika Williams was first in 5:50:23.

In the OC-2 division, each team could use four paddlers, with two in the canoe at a time.

TOP FINISHERS

OC-1

Men open: 1, Mike Judd/Kai Bartlett, 5:29:43. 2, Danny Ching/Mael Carey, 5:32:13. 3, Jimmy Austin/Simeon Ke-Paloma, 5:36:47. 4, Manny Kulukulualani/Taparii Worthington, 5:38:32. 5, Kea Pa'iaina/Aaron Napoleon, 5:40:28. 6, Mark Frazier/Aaron Creps, 5:41:46. 7, Andrew McAleenan/Nick Wendt, 5:42:00. 8, Carlton Helm/Kaeo'okalani Abbey, 5:47:42. 9, Alfred Van Gieson/Bonga Perkins, 5:47:49. 10, Luke Evslin/Kelly Foster, 5:49:39. 11, William Lawson/Gary Johnson, 5:55:13. 12, Jace Faufata/Tyson Rodrigues, 5:55:32. 13, Keola Wright/Kekoa Kau, 5:56:32. 14, Justin Watts/Kekama Akana, 5:58:35. 15, Christopher Tseu/Glen Williams, 5:58:54. 16, Kamuela Lau/Kalei Kahookele, 6:01:30. 17, Peter Konohia/Kekoa Cramer, 6:04:24. 18, Ka'ai Bruhn/Dustin Dawson, 6:05:43. 19, Wyatt Jones/Danny Loui, 6:09:25. 20, Kyle Morioka/Kai Chong, 6:11:15. 21, Makena Fernandez/Maika Scott, 6:12:34. 22, Erik Deryke/Donovan Leandro, 6:13:25. 23, Andrew Penny/Matt Dubrule, 6:13:44. 24, Eckhart Diestel/Eric Olson, 6:16:27. 25, Kahuku Aspelund/Matt Crowley, 6:17:39.

Men 40-49: 1, Danny Sheard/Mike Mills-Thom, 5:50:14. 2, Ray Shipment/Ross Flemer, 6:04:42. 3, Mel Pu'u/Tomas Schlotman, 6:21:40. 4, Robby Johnson/Andy Cummings, 6:25:24. 5, Bob Stewart/Calvin Chow, 6:27:34. 6, Charles Tantog/Brian Amantiad, 6:35:51. 7, Cliff Tillotson/Terence Quong, 6:36:22. 8, Bruce Stewart/Gary Mathis, 6:49:40. 9, Wendell Balai/Patrick Aweau, 6:56:59. 10, Lance Mamiya/Chris Wong, 6:58:33.

Men 50-59: 1, Afa Tuaolo/Steve Zoll, 6:11:47. 2, Grant Hughes/Kennie Denton, 6:13:02. 3, Beanie Heen/Pat Erwin, 6:26:56. 4, Scott Ferry/Grant Kojima, 6:33:03. 5, Gary Samura/Harvey Aki, 6:37:44.

Women open: 1, Lauren Bartlett/Andrea Moller, 6:18:29. 2, Jessie Eames/Arlene Holzman, 6:24:22. 3, Lea Curtis/Coral Darbishire, 6:28:02. 4, Jaimie Kinard/Emili Janchevis, 6:37:45. 5, Kehau Lau/Amy Robertson, 6:43:44. 6, Molly Bishop/Tayte Brock, 6:47:41. 7, Lori Nakamura/Savannah McCue, 6:49:02. 8, Madisen Minkel/Shien-Lu Stokesbary, 6:51:11. 9, Andrea Messer/Andrea Wilson-Ignacio, 6:53:55. 10, Lisa Kopacz/Jennifer Polcer, 6:56:10. 11, Kau'i Pelekane/Rachel Bruntsch, 7:06:37. 12, Anna Mathisen/Sarah Gilman, 7:06:53. 13, Kimiko Iwata/Yurie Sugimasa, 7:18:14. 14, Katy Arnold/Julie Kippen, 7:18:39. 15, Linda Warren/Liliaana Barrios, 7:39:44. 16, Catherine Bender/Janelle Jinbo, 7:44:31.

Women 40-49: 1, Jane McKee/Paula Crabb, 6:38:46. 2, Jill Dawrs/Sheila Cadaoas, 7:14:34.

OC-2

Men: 1, Kaleo Evangelista/Kawika Ting/Ani Alpharo/Kawika Williams, 5:50:23. 2, Mike Pemberton/Brian Carter/Don Mooman/John Kegle, 5:53:25. 3, Craig Waltz/Cormac O'Carroll/Darragh O'Carroll/Steve Torkildson, 6:21:04.

Women: 1, Mary Beth Faust/Vanessa Weis/Faith Mori/Jeanette Ka'auamo, 6:47:13.

Mixed: 1, Ronona Della Cioppa/Freddie Berengue/Jane Dulaney/Duane Webster, 5:53:13. 2, Ricky Balidoy/Mike Delima/Sharon Balidoy/Joanna Lee, 6:08:39. 3, Kamuela Aea/Laola Lake-Aea/Midge Horwood/Junior Hoopii, 6:09:50. 4, Colleen Ford/Donna Abdill/Vince Robinson/Solomon Pali, 6:31:46.