The 43rd annual Queen Liliuokalani Long Distance Outrigger Canoe Races kicked off Thursday at Kailua Bay and will continue through Monday. This year’s international event will host more than 2,500 outrigger canoe paddlers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Tahiti, the United Kingdom, the mainland and Hawaii.
The 43rd annual Queen Liliuokalani Long Distance Outrigger Canoe Races kicked off Thursday at Kailua Bay and will continue through Monday. This year’s international event will host more than 2,500 outrigger canoe paddlers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Tahiti, the United Kingdom, the mainland and Hawaii.
One of the major purposes of the five day event is to introduce the non-local competition to the Hawaiian culture. This is done through a series of events.
“It is essential (to include Hawaiian culture into the event),” said Queen Liliuokalani race director Mike Atwood. “Not only is it showing the tradition of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling, but also the culture many, many years ago of the Hawaiians connecting with the sea through the land. The land would provide the tree and the tree would become a canoe and the canoe would become part of the sea and part of the family.”
The cultural exploration for the international group of canoe racers began on Thursday with the Historic Kailua Village Culture Walk and was followed by the Queen Liliuokalani Cultural Fair.
The immersion continues on Friday with a “Talk Story”, an informal sit-down with some of outrigger canoe racing’s best paddlers. This year those paddlers include Hawaii Sports Hall of Famer Joseph “Nappy” Napoleon, Big Island Sports Hall of Famer Manny Veincent, and multiyear Na Wahine o ke Kai finisher Haunaini Olds
Napoleon is a canoe racing pioneer, paddling in his first long distance open ocean canoe race from Molokai to Oahu in 1958. Veincent is the founder of the Kawaihae Canoe Club and has devoted nearly 50 years to coaching a variety of sports including outrigger canoe racing.
The main event of the Queen Liliuokalani races, the 18-mile Wa’a Kaukahi, a single hull canoe competition, will be held Saturday. The wahine will start at 7:30 a.m. in Kailua Bay and the kane will take off at 11:45 a.m. from Honaunau Bay. With both groups racing to the opposite bay with the exception of the iron crews, which will compete in a 36-mile round trip endurance race.
The Wa’a Kaukahi race is a cultural experience in itself.
“The race is the heart of the whole weekend,” Atwood said. “The original intent of the race was to honor Queen Liliuokalani around her birthday, and it was also apart of the training for the Molokai to Oahu race. It started out as just men and as we brought Wahine into the race, it became more popular. From 1972 to today, the growth has been incredible and it has turned into an international event.”
While the main event ends Saturday afternoon, the competition will continue with most of the races backloaded onto the schedule.
Sunday will be the busiest race day with several smaller races taking place, which include the Wa’a Kaulua (double hull canoe), OC1, OC2, stand-up paddle board, and teen (single hull canoe) races.
Monday, the competition and cultural immersion will come together in the form of the Alii Challenge, a Survivor/Amazing Race type competition over land and water. Challenges will include Hawaiian history and games, and also a 17.5 mile, 12-person single hull canoe race.
When pressed for his favorite part of the five-day Queen Liliuokalani event, Atwood quickly and enthusiastically said, “Sharing Kona with people.”
Schedule of events
Friday
Talk Story, 4 p.m.
An informal talk with some of outrigger canoe racing’s best and most well-loved paddlers. The event will take place nn the makai lawn at Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
Saturday
Wa’a Kaukahi
Women, 7:30 a.m., Kailua Bay
Men, 11:45 a.m., Honaunau Bay
In this series of single hull canoe races, women start the race paddling 18 miles from Kailua Bay to Honaunau. The men will then bring it back 18 miles to Kailua Bay. The Ironman division crews race the entire course with no changes.
Award Presentation, 3:30 p.m.
Awards for Saturday races will be given out at Kamakahonu Bay. Everyone is invited to celebrate the 2014 Queen Lili’uokalani Long Distance Outrigger Canoe Race champions.
Torchlight Parade, 6:30 p.m.
The parade will wind its way through Historic Kailua Village starting at Hale Halawai County Pavilion and ending at the Kailua Pier. Participants will meet at Hale Halawai County Pavilion.
Sunday
Teen Races, 7:30 a.m.
QLCR officials are adding three teen divisions (OC-6 – 6 person crews): 16 and under, 18 and under & mixed 18 and under. The single hull canoe races will start in Kailua Bay.
Wa’a Kaulua Race. 8:30 a.m.
Men and women crews tie together two single hull canoes to make a double hull in this race. The women and the mixed double hulls start the race, taking the wa’a three miles South and return to Kailua Bay for a total of six miles.
OC1 & OC2 Races, 9 a.m.
The OC1 and OC2 canoe races are a recent addition to the more traditional racing events. Starting in Kailua Bay, the men and women paddling in this one follow the same course as the double-hull canoes.
Stand-up Paddleboard Race, 9 a.m.
Starting in Kailua Bay, the SUP race heads south. Stock boards race 3.5 miles and Unlimited division races 4.5 miles. Boards are available for rent from the Hulakai booth on the pier or Kona Boys at Kamakahonu Bay.
The Queen Lili’uokalani Canoe Race Luau, 2 p.m.
A luau will be held at the Makaeo County Pavilion.This Hawaiian celebration features traditional foods, music, dance and award presentations for Sunday race winners. Cost is $10.
Monday
Ali’i Challenge, 9 a.m.
The Ali‘I Challenge will test each 12-person crew with land and sea tasks tied to the rich culture of historic Kailua Village. The event will include a 17.5 mile single hull canoe race with an open water change half way through the paddling course. A second crew fill finish the paddling portion and then all 12 crew members join to compete in the skills and tasks portion of the challenge.