Canoe paddling: Kai Opua overcomes rough start to edge Puna

KAILUA-KONA — Despite a few problems early on, Kai Opua continued to dominate the competition with their third Moku O Hawaii regatta victory of the season at Kailua Bay on Saturday. Kai Opua, the host club of this week’s race, edged Puna for the win.

“It was a rough day,” Kai Opua president Bo Campos said. “We had problems with DQs , paper work, running over flags — it was just a difficult start for us.”

Despite the problems, Kai Opua totaled 207 points while competing in 40 races. Puna, which only competed in 32 races, finished second with 191 points. Kai Ehitu rounded out the top three with 179 points after competing in 34 races.

Waikoloa won the B division with 52 points. Rounding out the top three were Keoua Honaunau (43) and Milolii (24).

Trailing early isn’t unusual for Kai Opua but they had more ground to cover than usual Saturday because of their mistakes and a dominating youth performance by Kai Ehitu. Kai Opua managed to turn the corner with wins in the Mixed Masters (40), Senior Women Masters (50), Men Golden Masters (55) and Mixed Masters (60).

The Senior Women Masters team of Angela Rey, Annalee Akagi, Cheryl Villegas, Amy Young, Sherri Carney, and Kathleen Leahy is undefeated this season, with wins in all three races at Kailua Bay.

“It is nice to know that even on a rough day we can come out the winners,” Campos said. “You have clubs like Kai Ehitu, clubs like Puna and Keauhou, they are bringing it. And to see clubs like Waikoloa coming in first in races, it’s a good thing. It is the heritage I love. It’s the kids I love. It is everybody competing and everybody being happy.”

Youth movement

Kai Ehitu paddled their way into first place early in the day thanks to a dominating performance in the youth races. The Richard Kimetete-led group took six races, including Girls 12, Girls 13 Boys 13, Girls 14, Boys 14 and Girls 15.

“What the coaches have been doing is helping a whole lot,” Kimetete said. “They are showing a lot of patience, humbleness, and giving the kids all the time they need to prepare themselves for every race.”

Many of the youth races were close finishes Saturday. Kai Ehitu managed to pull out wins in the Boys 14, Girls 14, and the Boys 13 races by just a little more than a second.

In the Girls 14 race, the team of Kyrie Kaupe-DeLeon, Hunter Kalima, Myra Liufau, Sinavaioleola Liufau, Tianna Avanilla and Berri Lagmay finished in a time of 2:04.14. The Paddlers of Laka followed right behind with a time of 2:05.28.

In the Boys 14 race, the Kai Ehitu team of Baba Weza, Lokepa Aponte, Bronson Leslie, Moses Brooks, Hiram Anakalea Jr. and Kalai Ballesteros won in a time of 1:47.20, just head of Kai Opua, who finished at 1:48.45.

The Kai Ehitu Boys 13 team of Kelil Pelekane, Malosi Abraham, Keola Kaleookamanu-Pelekane, Justin Jr Kaupe-DeLeon, Setu Vole and Kalai Ballesteros won the Boys 13 race in a time of 1:58.40. Keaukaha followed in second with a time of 2:00.24.

Kimetete credits a lot of the improvement to condition training that the team did over the recent two-week break.

“They did a lot of running,” the head coach said. “That is their strength. Every kid is coming out every day and they will all get a chance. They should do a good job.”

Kai Opua entered the third regatta of the season having swept the Girls 12, Girls 15, Girls 18-and-under, and Boys 18-and-under races but where shut out in those four events on Saturday. They did finish with two youth wins, sweeping the 16-and-under division. Keaukaha took both 18-and-under races.

Saturday at Kailua Bay

A division

Kai Opua Canoe Club 207; Puna Canoe Club 191; Kai ‘Ehitu 179; Kawaihae Canoe Club 146; Keaukaha Canoe Club 140; Keauhou Canoe Club 128; Kamehameha Canoe Club 111; Paddlers of Laka 48

B division

Waikoloa Canoe Club 52; Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club 43; Miloli’i Canoe Club 24; Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 22; Kailana Canoe Club 15; Na Wa’a Hanakahi 15

Girls 12

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:14.93 (Kiana Anakalea, Xochitl Avendano-Kahalewai, Malie Grace, Destiny Kaimiola, Sinavaioleola Liufau, Vaihere Otare)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:18.79

3. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:25.60

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:26.88

5. Puna Canoe Club 2:41.53

6. Waikoloa Canoe Club 3:08.34

DQ Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club 2:51.77

Boys 12

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:07.84 (Laif Showalter, Kekoa Ahana, Keenan Pahio, Kai Fasciano, Jaydon Tripp, Kawaihiwa Rios-Griego)

2. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:10.41

3. Puna Canoe Club 2:24.94

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:28.99

5. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:31.85

6. Kailana Canoe Club 2:37.32

7. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:42.20

8. Paddlers of Laka 2:55.09

Mixed Boys and Girls 12

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:12.86 (Laif Showalter, Kaila Sylva, Keenan Pahio, Keahiwai Lindsey, Jaydon Tripp, Julia Salvador)

2. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:22.13

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:27.92

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:29.44

5. Keoua Honaunau CC 2:30.62

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:32.26

7. Puna Canoe Club 2:36.71

DQ Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:43.06

Girls 13

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:07.23 (Malie Grace, Nayeli Silva-Kahalewai, Myra Liufau, Lilei Ynigues, Hunter Kalima, Kiana Anakalea)

2. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:14.19

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:21.26

4. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:22.52

5. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:23.64

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:24.93

7. Puna Canoe Club 2:25.98

8. Kailana Canoe Club 2:28.59

9. Keoua Honaunau CC 2:33.61

10. Waikoloa Canoe Club 2:38.79

11. Paddlers of Laka 2:45.29

Boys 13

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 1:58.44 (keli’I Pelekane, Malosi Abraham, Keola Kaleookamanu-Pelekane, Justin Jr Kaupe-DeLeon, Setu Vole, Kala’i Ballesteros)

2. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:00.24

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:07.22

4. Paddlers of Laka 2:09.61

5. Puna Canoe Club 2:13.16

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:19.08

7. Kailana Canoe Club 2:21.33

8. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:27.17

9. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:29.48

Women Novice B

1. Miloli’i Canoe Club 2:09.22 (Laila Grace Kaupu, Lei Kaupu, Hala Camacho, Mel Kaupiko, Ana Paulo, Amoe Taetuna)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:09.83

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:12.85

4. Puna Canoe Club 2:13.91

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:14.62

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:16.15

7. Paddlers of Laka 2:17.55

8. Keoua Honaunau CC 2:23.20

9. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:34.30

Girls 14

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:04.14 (Kyrie Kaupe-DeLeon, Hunter Kalima, Myra Liufau, Sinavaioleola Liufau, Tianna Avanilla, Berri Lagmay)

2. Paddlers of Laka 2:05.28

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 2:06.84

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 2:09.74

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 2:15.07

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 2:16.75

7. Puna Canoe Club 2:23.13

8. Kailana Canoe Club 2:24.39

9. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:27.44

10. Waikoloa Canoe Club 2:31.88

Boys 14

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 1:47.20 (Baba Weza, Iokepa Aponte, Bronson Leslie, Moses Brooks, Hiram Anakalea Jr., Kala’i Ballesteros)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 1:48.45

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 1:54.42

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 1:55.01

Mixed Novice B

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 1:52.33 (Fabio Martins, Puna Garmon, Troy Kawahara, Kanoe Cummings, Amy Gappa, Lanakila Kuoha)

2. Puna Canoe Club 1:53.49

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 1:57.98

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 2:03.90

5. Miloli’i Canoe Club 2:05.76

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 2:07.29

7. Waikoloa Canoe Club 2:08.49

8. Keoua Honaunau CC 2:14.06

DQ Kailana Canoe Club

Girls 15

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:43.30 (Lilia Garcia, Nayeli Silva-Kahalewai, Kyrie Kaupe-DeLeon, Chelsi Kaleohano-Kepa’a, Tianna Avanilla, Wynter Ah Mow)

2. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:46.94

3. Keaukaha Canoe Club 5:06.25

4. Paddlers of Laka 5:09.04

DQ Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:51.10

Boys 15

1. Keaukaha Canoe Club 3:58.72 (Kekoa Viernes, Zayden Mokiao, Lawai’a Nakoa, Pono Mortensen, Nainoa Reis, Kamaha’o Kawelu)

2. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:06.60

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:08.05

DQ Kai ‘Ehitu 4:17.47

Men Novice B

1. Miloli’i Canoe Club 4:03.34 (Pace Samuels, Brendan Reyes, Justin Kailiawa, Nohea Kaiaokamalie, Elroy Reyes, Dave Wallace)

2. Puna Canoe Club 4:06.36

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:09.83

4. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:15.35

5. Kailana Canoe Club 4:21.62

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:37.12

Girls 16 & Under

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:38.38 (Luna Sharfin, Aaliyah Butler, Lea Thong, Erika Larsen, Abcde Tan, Nala Mrozinski-Foti)

2. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4 :42.71

3. Paddlers of Laka 4:46.87

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:53.35

5. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:57.99

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:59.83

Boys 16 & Under

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:04.26 (Kade Pelekane, Rammell Jay Transfiguracion, Kukahi Lee, Russell John Transfiguracion, Keao Nitta, Hanalei Akazawa)

2. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:07.73

3 Paddlers of Laka 4:27.84

DQ Kai ‘Ehitu 4:29.37

Girls 18 & Under

1. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:40.64 (Kali Kepo’o, Vannah DePonte, Jainine Abraham, Nawai Makua, Shyla Ribordy, Hele Joaquin)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4 :43.10

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:44.78

Boys 18 & Under

1. Keaukaha Canoe Club 8:21.25 (Kualono Kaupu, No’eau Nunes, Keahi Denne-Kimi, Kalani Fujiyama-Medeiros, Aven Kualii, Grant Kauahi Jr.)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:39.11

3. Kai ‘Ehitu 9:16.57

DQ Keauhou Canoe Club 10:03.32

Women Novice A

1. Puna Canoe Club 4:29.18 (Mili Browning, Sarah Graves, Ellen Cordeiro, Tasha Ann Kamohai, Maile Kapuniai, Lauren Rusert)

2. Keoua Honaunau CClub 4:30.26

3. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:35.38

4. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:36.60

5. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:40.25

6. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:47.82

DQ Keauhou Canoe Club 5:06.25

Men Novice A

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 8:02.35 (Kehau Brown, Vale Wilson, Jake Rivera, Steve Longballa, Darren Pucong, Tawai Marquardt)

2. Puna Canoe Club 8:07.17

3. Keaukaha Canoe Club 8:12.10

4. Keoua Honaunau CC 8:15.37

5. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:22.63

6. Keauhou Canoe Club 8:28.69

7. Kawaihae Canoe Club 8:43.84

8. Kamehameha Canoe Club 8:53.11

9. Paddlers of Laka 8:59.17

Women Freshmen

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 8:45.06 (Lora Schroder Sakai, Mahealani Gambill, Leilani Olson, Makalapua Pahia, Noelani Spencer, Bernice Davis-Lim)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:58.11

3. Puna Canoe Club 9:11.94

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 9:37.00

5. Na Wa’a Hanakahi 9:46.25

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 9:50.77

7. Kamehameha Canoe Club 9:56.01

Men Freshmen

1. Keaukaha Canoe Club 7:36.51 (Gregory Nasario, Tyler Makaiwi, Nate Kaluhiwa, Jose Lizardi, Kyle Keamo, Kama Leeloy)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 7:40.23

3. Puna Canoe Club 7:44.39

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 7:55.40

5. Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 8:31.38

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 8:43.38

Women Sophomore

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 8:49.74 (Mahealani Gambill, Mahea Leialoha, Noelani Spencer, Lora Schroder Sakai, Tiffany Hatanaka, Leilani Olson)

2. Puna Canoe Club 9:03.67

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 9:11.84

4. Kai ‘Ehitu 9:40.86

Men Sophomore

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 7:46.31 (Eddie Hayward, Lima Kiel, Peter Ebaniz, Ina Ynigues Jr, Skye Ching, Alton Kaono)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 7:52.88

3. Puna Canoe Club 8:01.92

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 8:02.36

5. Keauhou Canoe Club 8:16.78

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 8:24.50

7. Keaukaha Canoe Club 8:32.11

Women Junior

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:57.08 (Summer Pila, Tiapepe Ulufaleilupe, Maile Leslie, Angela Rey, Tasha Aipa, Melanie Kelekolio)

2. Kai ‘Ehitu 9:05.64

3. Puna Canoe Club 9:18.05

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 9:28.43

5. Keauhou Canoe Club 9:43.66

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 9:48.52

7. Paddlers of Laka 9:58.68

8. Kawaihae Canoe Club 9:59.22

Men Junior

1. Keaukaha Canoe Club 7:36.67 (Gregory Nasario, Jose Lizardi, Kama Leeloy, Tyler Makaiwi, Malani Alameda, Nate Kaluhiwa)

2. Puna Canoe Club 7:41.02

3. Kai ‘Ehitu 7:52.02

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 8:03.20

5. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:10.73

6. Kamehameha Canoe Club 9:01.66

7. Kawaihae Canoe Club 9:13.27

Women Masters (40)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 9:19.21 (Rebekah Lussia’a, Dani Ho, Cheryl Villegas, IPO Morgan, Kathleen Leahy, Mana Spencer)

2. Puna Canoe Club 9:40.40

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 9:47.11

4. Kamehameha CC 10:06.13

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 10:10.07

6. Kai ‘Ehitu 10:40.59

Men Masters (40)

1. Keauhou Canoe Club 7:58.02 (Andy Witherspoon, Kevin Lindsey, Justin Udovch, Ivan Mcivor, Theron Ogata, Lambert Lee Loy)

2. Puna Canoe Club 8:09.12

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 8:23.22

4. Kai Opua Canoe Club 8:24.94

5. Keaukaha Canoe Club 8:48.98

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 9:23.15

DQ Kai ‘Ehitu

Woman (65)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 5:16.13 (Marianne Starr, Carol Clifford, Loke Kapela, Sue Lalanne, Betty Guidotti, Gail Quitevis)

2. Kawaihae Canoe Club 5:45.55

Men (65)

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:15.27 (Freddie Berengue, Mana Manasas, Peter Greenwell, Leo Santimer, Stephen Arnett, Timothy Oesterling)

2. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:15.81

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:26.47

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:27.84

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:29.31

6. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:48.98

7. Paddlers of Laka 4:53.63

Woman Masters (60 yrs)

1. Puna Canoe Club 4:49.94 (Nerak Mickievic, Tweetie Anderson-Perreira, Betty Ben, Susan O’Shaughnessy, Susan Skipper, Linda Robb)

2. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:59.75

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 5:06.99

4. Keauhou Canoe Club 5:21.49

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 5:29.42

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 5:35.79

Men Masters (60 yrs)

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:01.58 (Robert Abad, Stephen Arnett, Leo Santimer, Mana Manasas, Graham Haines, Timothy Oesterling)

2. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:02.22

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:12.78

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:17.31

5. Puna Canoe Club 4:18.76

6. Keoua Honaunau CC 4:27.26

7. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:47.52

8. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:50.20

9. Paddlers of Laka 5:03.87

Women Golden Masters (55)

1. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:50.29 (Cindy Oswald, Emily Claspell, Jolie Kaae, Dee Edmunds, Gemma Ley, Madeleine Budde)

2. Puna Canoe Club 4:52.89

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:54.40

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 5:03.93

5. Kai Opua Canoe Club 5:06.56

6 Keaukaha Canoe Club 5:41.59

Men Golden Masters (55)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 3:55.03 (Hunter Anderson, Jeff King, Dane Enos, Mark Aiona, Brian Cornel, John Lowney)

2. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:09.08

3. Puna Canoe Club 4:15.93

4. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:21.93

5. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:25.03

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:41.91

Senior Women Masters (50)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:33.20 (Angela Rey, Annalee Akagi, Cheryl Villegas, Amy Young, Sherri Carney, Kathleen Leahy)

2. Puna Canoe Club 4:34.35

3. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:44.96

4. Keoua Honaunau CC 4:57.03

5. Keauhou Canoe Club 5:09.68

6. Kawaihae Canoe Club 5:23.28

Senior Men Masters (50)

1. Puna Canoe Club 3:43.77 (Kevin Thompson, Forest Parker-Bailey, Brian Peterson, Louie Mendonca, Bubba Baldado, Afa Tuaolo)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 3:52.47

3. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:03.44

4. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:13.87

5. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:26.54

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:54.51

Mixed Masters (60)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:30.80 (John Phillips, Michael Cron, Sherri Carney, Joyce Chip, Becky Walton, Ned Burns)

2. Puna Canoe Club 4:31.81

3. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:37.77

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:40.77

5. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:56.86

6. Waikoloa Canoe Club 5:07.75

Mixed Masters (55)

1. Puna Canoe Club 4:15.68 (Afa Tuaolo, Willie Viveiros, Brian Peterson, Miri Sumida, Ellen Williams, Maud Gooch)

2. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:22.18

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:28.48

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:33.66

5. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:35.66

6. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:36.68

7. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:40.85

DQ Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club 4:46.74

Mixed Masters (40)

1. Kai Opua Canoe Club 3:54.21 (Rebekah Lussia’a, Angela Smith, Melanie Kelekolio, John Husak, Nue Youderian, Bonga Perkins)

2. Kai ‘Ehitu 3:56.79

3. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:02.78

4. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:10.50

5. Puna Canoe Club 4:12.54

6. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:17.87

7. Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 4:18.86

8. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:26.04

9. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:31.04

10. Na Wa’a Hanakahi 4:56.69

11. Paddlers of Laka 5:07.50

Women Open Four

1. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:41.89 (Hi’ilei Aldridge, Summer Dwyer Zandovskis, Kahea Waiwaiole, Sarah Taylor-Balanga)

2. Puna Canoe Club 4:44.46

3. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:52.38

4. Keoua Honaunau CC 4:56.17

5. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:57.42

6. Kamehameha Canoe Club 5:13.23

7. Kai Opua Canoe Club 5:18.69

8. Kai ‘Ehitu 5:23.94

9. Paddlers of Laka 5:25.00

10. Na Wa’a Hanakahi 5:28.12

11. Keauhou Canoe Club 5:33.12

12. Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 5:38.97

Men Open Four

1. Puna Canoe Club 3:51.86 (Lance Oliveira, Jonah Kalima, Jeremy Padayao, Kekoa Sumera-Lee)

2. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:00.94

3. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:05.05

4. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:05.93

5. Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 4:09.97

6. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:12.27

7. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:13.81

8. Kai ‘Ehitu 4:15.60

9. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:23.31

10. Keoua Honaunau CC 4:25.84

11. Na Wa’a Hanakahi 4:30.18

12. Paddlers of Laka 4:49.94

Mixed Men and Women

1. Kai ‘Ehitu 3:53.17 (Brawn Albino, Keola Dudoit, Kawika Leicher, Leann Alani, Nicola Fernandez, Kayti-Ann Bowman)

2. Puna Canoe Club 3:54.64

3. Kai Opua Canoe Club 4:00.60

4. Waikoloa Canoe Club 4:04.46

5. Kamehameha Canoe Club 4:15.07

6. Paddlers of Laka 4:16.11

7. Keaukaha Canoe Club 4:16.92

8. Hui Wa’a O Waiakea 4:20.19

9. Kawaihae Canoe Club 4:21.02

10. Na Wa’a Hanakahi 4:21.89

11. Keauhou Canoe Club 4:22.99

12. Miloli’i Canoe Club 4:24.00

13. Keoua Honaunau CC 4:25.43