By KEVIN JAKAHI
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The weather forecast on Saturday calls for 13 mph winds and 40 percent chance of rain at the 10th annual Aunty Maile Mauhili/Moku O Hawaii championships.
That means there will be calm conditions at Hilo Bay, and lots of scorching sunshine as Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association crews chase fast times and state berths, starting at 8 a.m.
In each event, the top three finishers will earn lanes at the Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state championships, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1 at Hilo Bay.
The two most memorable Aunty Maile championships in recent history were 2007 and ’12, the year of the Upset, and Fast Times, respectively.
In 2007, Puna with just 33 crews, beat Kai Opua (39 events) 170 to 148 points for the Aunty Maile championship overall crown.
In 2012, eight crews turned in fast times and set new records at the Aunty Maile championships.
Like the weather, unpredictability reigns.
On June 27 at the Keaukaha regatta, Puna snapped Kai Opua’s string of 42 regatta wins, dating back to 2010, scoring 205 to 200 points.
For the season, Puna has been entering 33 events, fielding no crews for boys 14, boys 15, girls 16, and girls and boys 18.
Kai Opua has those bases covered and is racking up points, and building a lead before Puna hits the water.
During the regatta season, Moku O Hawaii has two divisions: A (15-40 events) and B (1-14). But for the Aunty Maile championships there are three: A (21-42), B (11-20) and C (1-10) to sort of resemble states.
Kai Opua is the seven-time Division A champion; Paddlers of Laka won the B last year with Keoua Honaunau second; and Kailana took the C.
While the subject of the favorite Kai Opua vs. underdog Puna dominates the day, the next most pressing issue is Waikoloa’s quest.
The West Hawaii club is shooting for its first Division B title at the Aunty Maile championships, but rival Keoua Honaunau is standing in the way.
Waikoloa won two consecutive regattas at Hilo Bay then Keoua Honaunau took the next two, including last week’s John Kekua/Kamehameha regatta.
It could be a fight to the finish for the Division B title because both clubs are in the last race of the day, the mixed men and women.
In fact, at the Fourth of July Puna regatta, Keoua Honaunau edged Waikoloa for the B title, 45 to 44 points.
In the last race, Waikoloa was fifth in the half-mile mixed men and women with eight points while Keoua Honaunau was 12th with one point — the difference and a reminder that every point counts.
Regardless, it’s been a historic season for Waikoloa head coach Daniel Legler’s club, which has already qualified its women’s 65 and women open four for states.
The last time Waikoloa sent crews to states was 2008 with the girls 12, mixed 12 and women freshmen. Even better, the girls 12 and mixed 12 captured Aunty Maile championship crowns.
As Kai Opua can point out, thanks to Puna’s upset special on June 27, the only thing that is guaranteed is unpredictability — something that always makes the Aunty Maile championships so intriguing.
