The Lanikai Canoe Club showed yesterday why it should still be considered the team to beat in long-distance canoe paddling.

Coming off a sub-par regatta season — at least by its standards — Lanikai won the Duke Kahanamoku Long Distance Race in convincing fashion yesterday.

"This is the fun part of the season," crew member Mike Pedersen said. "And there's not that many (long-distance) races anymore, so it's important to take it serious from the start and put your best effort out there."

Lanikai completed the 26-mile course from Kailua Beach to Duke Kahanamoku Beach in 2 hours, 53 minutes, 8 seconds. It was the opening race of the men's long-distance paddling season, which culminates with the Moloka'i Hoe on Oct. 8.

Paddlers in the winning crew were Ka'ai Bruhn, Kekoa Bruhn, Aaron Creps, Pat Dolan, Jim Foti, John Foti, Mike Judd, Keanu Kuna and Pedersen.

Each team could use six paddlers in the canoe, with three other paddlers available for relief changes throughout the course.

Hui Lanakila placed second in 2:57:44 — about a half-mile behind Lanikai. Outrigger, which won the race last year, was third in 2:58:27.

Hawaiian from Maui was fourth in 3:01:13, and Tui Tonga from the Big Island was fifth in 3:04:45.

Lanikai is the two-time defending Moloka'i Hoe champion, but three paddlers from yesterday's crew — Kuna, Creps and Dolan — were not on the "first team" last year.

Kuna joined Lanikai a few weeks ago after transferring from another club.

"Half the guys didn't even know his name," Jim Foti said. "But he worked hard enough to make the (first) crew."

What's more, several Lanikai men skipped the recently completed regatta season, so yesterday's race was also part of a getting-to-know-you process.

"It doesn't matter how long you've been here — there's a certain level you have to paddle at with this club," Pedersen said.

Kuna said: "Every day is a battle in practice, but that's what makes this team so special. The second and third crews push so hard because everybody wants to be in that first crew."

As proof, Lanikai's second crew placed eighth, and its third crew was 16th (Outrigger had three crews in the top 15 — third, ninth and 11th).

Strong trade winds contributed to a slow start and fast finish for the 50 canoes in the race.

Lanikai took advantage of sloppy conditions off Windward O'ahu to take an early lead.

"I was getting slammed in the face with water," Pedersen said. "But that's where we practice, so we're used to it."

After maintaining the lead around Hanauma Bay, Lanikai increased it by surfing small waves down the stretch.

"It was one of the best surf runs I ever had," said Jim Foti, who steered the canoe. "It wasn't real big, but it was constant. There was good tide and good wind, so you could connect all the (waves)."

Hui Lanakila stayed within sight of Lanikai the entire course, but could never close the gap.

"To be honest, we were happy to be in that position," Hui Lanakila coach and paddler Manny Kulukulualani said. "There's been a lot of races the last couple years when we couldn't even see Lanikai."

Members of the Hui Lanakila crew were Raven Aipa, Norm Bradley, Kelly Foster, Mike Hangai, Scott Hendricks, Kulukulualani, Scott Miranda, Mike Silva and Chris Tseu.

"It's a good starting point for us," Kulukulualani said. "But it shows how strong Lanikai is in the sloppy water."

Lanikai is the host club for the race, but yesterday was its first "Duke" win since 2001.

"We've been the defending Moloka'i champs before and fell on our faces in this race," Pedersen said. "So it's nice to get a win."

Outrigger won the masters 40-older division and placed 11th overall in 3:13:16. New Hope won the 50-older division in 3:41:43, and Waimanalo claimed the 55-older division in 3:31:15.

WAIKIKI BEACH BOYS WIN WOMEN'S RACE

Prior to yesterday's men's race, a 7-mile race for women was run at Kailua Beach.

Waikiki Beach Boys won in 50 minutes, 32 seconds.

Members of the winning crew were Cherie Lee, Andrea Messer, Megan Motz, Jennifer Polcer, Gabriela Contino and Rachel Orange.

"This isn't our first crew. We had to go with whoever was available to race today," Orange said. "But it was a good way to gauge how a crew can stay together and work together in messy conditions."

Kailua placed second in 51:24, and another Kailua crew was third in 51:41.

The Dad Center Long Distance Race for women is scheduled for Sunday. The 25-mile course will start at Kailua Beach and finish at the Outrigger Canoe Club.

TOP FINISHERS

MEN

KAILUA BEACH TO KAIMANA BEACH (26 MILES)

Open: 1, Lanikai-I, 2:53:08. 2, Hui Lanakila-I, 2:57:44. 3, Outrigger-I, 2:58:27. 4, Hawaiian, 3:01:13. 5, Tui Tonga-I, 3:04:45. 6, Tui Tonga-II, 3:05:50. 7, Hui Nalu-I, 3:06:51. 8, Lanikai-II, 3:09:06. 9, Outrigger-II, 3:09:55. 10, Waikiki Beach Boys-I, 3:11:12. 11, Hui Lanakila-II, 3:17:13. 12, Leeward Kai, 3:17:19. 13, Puna-I, 3:20:26. 14, Healani-I, 3:22:33. 15, Lanikai-III, 3:22:46. 16, Kailua-I, 3:24:01. 17, Kai 'Opua, 3:24:20. 18, Healani Blue, 3:25:10. 19, New Hope-I, 3:29:05. 20, Outrigger-III, 3:29:17. 21, Waikiki Beach Boys-III, 3:30:56. 22, Puna-II, 3:31:28. 23, Kilohana, 3:33:54. 24, Waikiki Beach Boys-II, 3:34:41. 25, Manu O Ke Kai, 3:35:05.

Masters 40-older: 1, Outrigger-IV, 3:13:16. 2, Hui Nalu-III, 3:23:20. 3, Koa Kai-I, 3:26:48. 4, Koa Kai-II, 3:28:05. 5, Hui Lanakila-III, 3:28:16.

Masters 50-older: 1, New Hope-V, 3:41:43. 2, Keahiakahoe, 3:44:24.

Masters 55-older: 1, Waimanalo, 3:31:15. 2, Outrigger-V, 3:33:04. 3, Lanikai-V, 3:53:01.

WOMEN

KAILUA BEACH (7 MILES)

Open: 1, Waikiki Beach Boys, 50:32. 2, Kailua-I, 51:24. 3, Kailua-II, 51:41. 4, Lanikai-I, 51:47. 5, Lanikai-II, 53:49. 6, Ka Mo'i, 55:01. 7, Lanikai-VI, 55:35. 8, Manu O Ke Kai, 55:36. 9, Kailua-IV, 56:05. 10, Kailua-VI, 56:49.

Masters 40-older: 1, Lanikai-IV, 52:14. 2, Lanikai-III, 56:20. 3, New Hope-III, 1:05:56.

Masters 50-older: 1, Kailua-V, 52:37. 2, Lanikai-V, 1:00:05. 3, Lanikai, 1:00:35.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.