Lloyd Akiona’s Na Waa Hanakahi finally got a chance to host a regatta Saturday, and it was going off without a hitch until a gust of wind blew the tarp off the officials’ tent at Hilo Bay.
By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Lloyd Akiona’s Na Waa Hanakahi finally got a chance to host a regatta Saturday, and it was going off without a hitch until a gust of wind blew the tarp off the officials’ tent at Hilo Bay.
Unfazed, Paddlers of Laka coach Doug Bumatay and a few of his club’s members simply picked up their tent and moved it to the adjacent area.
“The show must go on,” Bumatay said.
So to did Kai Opua’s stranglehold on Moku O Hawaii canoe paddling. The West Hawaii dynasty (258 points) claimed 16 races to easily outdistance its nearest competitor, Keauhou (13 wins, 189 points.) Conditions were choppier and wetter than a week ago at Hilo Bay, but the top five in the A division remained the same. Keaukaha finished third, followed by Puna and Kawaihae.
The third regatta of the season was supposed to be held in Kailua-Kona, but a cancellation allowed a pair of small East Hawaii clubs, Laka and Hanakahi, to become first-time co-hosts.
“From the very beginning, 12 years ago, we’ve asked for a regatta, but there were no dates,” Akiona said. “Somebody pulled out, so we grabbed it.”
Hanakahi’s mixed novice B crew almost pulled off a victory for the second straight week, but it lost by less than a second and was runner-up as Keauhou picked up its first victory of the day.
“That’s the most competitive crew that we have,” Akiona said of first-year paddlers Haunani Hassenritter, Joshua Villanueva, Christopher Agpoon, Melissa Pang Ching, Charlotte De Reis and John Cook.
“We’ve probably have a little more mature paddlers than some other clubs, averaging in their 30s,” he said. “They’ve made up their mind that this is what they want to do and they set their mind to it. They’ve dedicated themselves and do quality practices every time.”
Hanakahi, which entered 11 of 38 races, also got a runner-up finish from its men’s novice B crew. Kamehameha got its lone victory in a race in which Kai Opua and Keauhou were both disqualified.
“We’ll take it,” Akiona said. “(Kai Opua and Keauhou) are beating us up right now, but our time will come.
“It’s more about the camaraderie for us. Last week’s win was a club win, and it made us closer.”
Kawaihae scored three victories, including one from its undefeated girls 14 crew. In boys 14, Puna scored an upset over a Keaukaha crew that had previously been unbeaten.
Hui Wa’a O Waiakea took B division, powered by the third victory in as many weeks from its boys 15 crew.
Paddlers of Laka entered 14 races, including all five involving paddlers 13 and younger. The mixed masters crew finished runner-up behind Kawaihae to give the club its best finish. The boys and girls 12 crews and the girls 13 canoe nabbed fourth-place finishes.
“Laka has primarily been a kids’ organization,” Bumatay said. “In the last 4-5 years we’ve had a lot of adults show interest, and now we’ve even got 60-and-older crews. We’re doing decent for a small club. We don’t have any star crews like we’ve had in the past, but everybody is doing their part.
“The bigger clubs are in a different zone, but every dog has its day.”