Moku O Hawaii swept Division AAA (13-20 events) at the 64th annual Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state championships on Saturday at Hilo Bay, where heavy rain and wind also served as worthy opponents.
Moku O Hawaii swept Division AAA (13-20 events) at the 64th annual Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state championships on Saturday at Hilo Bay, where heavy rain and wind also served as worthy opponents.
Puna (20 events) produced 181 points to take down defending state champion Keauhou (18), which finished with 174 points. Kai Ehitu (20) completed the Big Island sweep with a third-place finish and 155 points.
That was it as far as Division titles.
As expected, Maui’s Hawaiian (39) had more crews than any other club, and proved to be No ka oi for the third consecutive year for the Division AAAA (21-41) crown with 375 points. Longtime coach Diane Ho’s club has been the state’s best for 12 of the past 15 years.
Lanikai (38) was second with 348 points, and was followed by Outrigger (36), 341; Hui Nalu (36), 287; Kailua (37), 272; and Kai Opua (30), 238 in the largest division.
In Division AA (7-12), Waikiki Beach Boys (12) captured gold with 108 points. Maui’s Kihei (12) was second with 104 points, and Kawaihae (11) was third with 100 points, and Keaukaha (12) fourth with 90 points.
In Division A (1-6), Maui’s Na Ka Ewalu (6) took home gold with 49 points, and was followed by Oahu’s Waimanalo (6), 43; and Haleiwa Outrigger (5), 37. The Big Island’s highest finisher was Paddlers of Laka (4) in eighth with 30 points. Waikoloa (4) was ninth with 26 points in a crowded field with 24 clubs.
No surprise, Hawaiian collected the most medals, 20 in all, including nine gold.
At least several Moku O Hawaii clubs kept gold medals at home:
• Keauhou’s men 65 and 60, mixed 40, men 40, and men sophomore.
• Puna’s men 50, men open four, and mixed men and women.
• Kawaihae’s mixed 12, and women freshmen.
• Keaukaha boys 15
Despite the increased rain and wind, the Keauhou sophomore men and Kawaihae freshmen women had strong canoe holders (a nose ahead of the line is a disqualification) and won their mile races.
Keauhou (Bruce Ayau, Kainoa Tanoai, Daniel Chun, Chevise Conte, Eldward Aldridge, Kekoa Spoon) outpaced Oahu’s Hui Nalu, 7:24.28 to 7:27.45, to repeat as the sophomore men champion.
Tanoai holds the distinction of being on not only last year’s crew, but also the Keauhou junior gold crew, too.
Kawaihae (Leilani Olson, Lora Schroder Sakai, Nahaku Kalei, Tiffany Hatanaka, Noelani Spencer, Mahealani Gambill) sneaked past Oahu’s Hui Nalu, 8:52.89 to 8:53.56.
Battle of unbeatens
In the men 50 half-mile race, Puna (Brian Peterson, Afa Tuaolo, Forest Parker-Bailey, Louie Mendonca, Terry Andrade, Bubba Baldado) beat a stacked field that featured three undefeated crews, not including the defending state champion.
Puna topped four-time defending champion Lanikai, 3:51.43 to 3:52.20, to finish the season undefeated. Maui’s Kihei, which also entered unbeaten, was third in 4:03.92. Oahu’s Manu O Ke Kai, another spotless crew, was fourth in 4:04.20.
Manu O Ke Kai was second the last two years, but pocketed the Na Ohana O Na Hui Wa’a men 50 title four straight years.
Puna was third last year.
Senior races
In the prestigious senior men and women races, each 1 1/2 miles, Lanikai and Waikiki Beach Boys (the women) won again.
Lanikai beat Hui Nalu, 11:17.69 to 11:18.15, to repeat. Keauhou was third in 11:19.15. Lanikai once won 10 straight from 1991 to 2001.
Waikiki Beach Boys paddled past Outrigger, 12:51.95 to 13:15.14, to claim its seventh consecutive senior women’s title. Kai Opua was third in 13:32.35.