The boys 16 half-mile was one of the most heated races at the 10th annual Aunty Maile Mauhili/Moku O Hawaii championships on Saturday at Hilo Bay, where Kai Ehitu solidified its reputation as an emerging youth powerhouse.
Entering the day, Kai Opua topped the boys 16 race in the Moku O Hawaii standings with 27 points, and was followed by a three-way tie with Kai Ehitu, Keaukaha and Keauhou with 20 points each. Paddlers of Laka was fifth with 14 points.
The top three earn a lane at the Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state championships, which will be held Aug. 1 at Hilo Bay for the first time since 2009.
It was a dream musical chair scenario: three crews fighting for two seats.
No surprise that Kai Opua, which has won four regattas, seized gold in 4 minutes, 9.37 seconds. Keauhou was second in 4:12.33 and Kai Ehitu, which had a bit of a slow turn, was third in 4:13.42. Laka was fourth in 4:23.92 and Keaukaha fifth in 4:24.63.
It was an all-around good day for Kai Ehitu chief Richard Kimitete, men’s and women’s coach Eddie Hayward, and youth coach Hiram Anakalea, and the paddlers.
“If you look at it percentage-wise, the amount of crews we enter and getting points, we’d get an A+,” Kimitete joked.
For so long, Kai Opua has bulldozed its way to Aunty Maile championships, relying on its depth and keiki to score points all across the board. Now, Kai Ehitu is paddling fast and hard to to claim its share of medals and points.
Through the first 10 events, a sign of a club’s youth prowess, Kai Ehitu led the standings in the Division A (21-42 events) with 67 points, followed by Kai Opua, 54; Kawaihae, 50; Puna, 45; Keauhou, 29; and Kamehameha, 19. (The first four races are for 65 and 60.)
Kai Ehitu’s boys 16 crew (Hailama Alapai, Kawika Lawrence, Nevin Brown, Kelii Kamanawa-Cisneros, Hiram Anakalea Jr., Kepa Aponte-Perez) has remained intact for the Moku O Hawaii season, despite the lure of BIIF football training, travel sports teams and family vacations.
What’s more, Anakalea and Aponte-Perez are on Kai Ehitu’s boys 14 undefeated crew, which won in 1:48.79 in a quarter-mile race ahead of Kai Opua, 1:50.33, and Keauhou, 1:54.97.
Kai Ehitu’s other crew members are Kalai Ballesteros, Moses Brooks, Bronson Leslie and Baba Weza. Most were on the boys 13 crew that won gold at states over Hawaiian, from Maui, last year.
In fact, Kai Ehitu and Hawaiian are building a nice little youth rivalry. Last year, Kai Ehitu’s girls 12 was second at states, behind Hawaiian.
Like the boys 14, the girls 13 for both clubs will be favorites for state titles. Also up for grabs is Maui’s unofficial state slogan: Maui no ka oi. Kai Ehitu can be the best in those races, but only with a gold in hand.
Kai Ehitu’s girls 13 captured a gold medal at the Aunty Maile championships, helping build early points. The club’s boys 12, boys 13 and boys 14 also won gold.
Kiana Anakalea, Lilia Garcia, Malie Grace, Hunter Kalima, Nayeli Silva-Kahalewai, Lilei Ynigues are on the Kai Ehitu girls 13 crew, which was unbeaten until the Keaukaha regatta on June 27.
At the starting line, someone’s paddle broke, and the one of the girls paddled with her hands. To show that Kai Ehitu’s pretty fast with just five paddles, the girls placed fifth in the nine-crew field.
“The key for us is heart,” coach Anakalea said. “I tell the kids that all the training is all about heart.
“The boys 16 race was definitely amped because it was a three-way tie. That brought our morale much higher.”
On the day, Hiram “Nana” Anakalea Jr. and his sister Kiana can compare medals. He scored a gold and a bronze. She pocketed a gold and a silver in the girls 12.
Of course, Nana has the hammer. His crew beat Hawaiian for gold at states last year. She can change that when Kai Ehitu’s girls 13 and Hawaiian meet again on Aug. 1.
