Puna and Kai Opua know all about the Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association early point cushion, which makes the rivalry between the clubs so intriguing.
Puna and Kai Opua know all about the Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association early point cushion, which makes the rivalry between the clubs so intriguing.
It’s a well-worn tale that Puna trails early in the youth races (ages 12 to 18) then charges late to make a run at Kai Opua, the perennial powerhouse blessed with quality depth.
Sometimes, Puna, the club known for doing more with less, overcomes depth issues and huge point deficits to pull a rabbit out the hat and shock Big Blue.
Last year, Puna, the annual Green Pride underdog, scored one of the greatest upsets (on the Big Island or any other) to win the Aunty Maile Mauhili/Moku O Hawaii championships.
Puna entered 35 crews, Kai Opua the maximum 42 and held a comfortable 63-26 point cushion after the youth races.
To handicap itself even more, Puna didn’t have any crews for the boys 14, 15, 16, and boys and girls 18. That’s zero points with no dog in the hunt.
Before the adults and old-timers were done stretching, Puna was staring at a 37-point deficit. That’s a deep hole in the sand, considering head coach Afa Tuaolo’s club won 233-223 points for the title.
But that was last year.
Still, to show it was no fluke, Puna took down Kai Opua at the Keaukaha regatta, also known as double dubious day with 31 scratches and a record 17 disqualifications.
Puna is almost on a level playing field, with Kai Opua, fielding 37 crews. Only the boys 18 event is not filled for the youth ranks. So credit the club’s power of persuasion to recruit more youngsters.
Known for the strength with its older paddlers, Puna has another powerful weapon in its battles against Kai Opua: a foe who’s more like a friend.
Kai Ehitu has built a reputation as the best farm system. Richard Kimitete’s club fills all the youth races and produces the most points.
At last year’s Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii championships, Kai Ehitu had 68 points, Kai Opua 63 and Puna just 26 in the youth events.
In CPA-speak, the most recent accounting is last week’s John Kekua Jr. regatta, where Kai Ehitu racked up 65 points, Kai Opua 58 and Puna 37 points for the young ones.
What’s all that mean?
Puna needs to keep the early point cushion as manageable as possible. If the club that wears green pride shirts can’t win a race, then it’s as good as gravy if someone else beats Kai Opua.
Meanwhile, all the clubs from Division A (21-42 events), Division B (11-20) and Division C (1-10) are still trying to qualify crews for the Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state championships.
Moku O Hawaii has only two lanes for each event at states, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 at Oahu’s Keehi Lagoon. (The top two crews in the Moku O Hawaii standings qualify.)
It doesn’t need repeating that the winner of the 11th annual Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii championships will be celebrated as a big deal.
Why is that?
Well, nobody remembers how many crews a club qualified for states a year or a decade ago, unless you’re a paddler with a really sharp memory.
Most everyone loves an underdog story. And Green Pride Puna won the Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii crown in 2007 and last year, both times over well-stacked Big Blue.
That counts for something, especially when Puna produced one of the greatest upsets and the biggest in Moku O Hawaii history last summer.
Race for second
The following are races to watch for a second lane at states with the first-place crew followed by close competitors:
Event 1 girls 12: Kai Opua, 48 points; Kawaihae, 35; and Puna, 33.
Event 3 mixed 12: Kawaihae, 60; Kai Ehitu, 52; Keaukaha, 51.
Event 8 boys 14: Kai Ehitu, 56; Paddlers of Laka, 42; Kawaihae, 40.
Event 9 mixed novice B: Kai Opua, 49; Puna, 47; Kai Ehitu, 44; Kawaihae, 43.
Event 12 men novice B: Kai Opua, 32; Kai Ehitu, 27; Kawaihae, 27.
Event 13 girls 16: Keauhou, 39; Kai Ehitu, 39; Kai Opua, 36.
Event 15 girls 18: Paddlers of Laka, 38; Keaukaha, 37; Kai Opua, 35.
Event 23 women junior: Kai Opua, 43; Kawaihae, 35; Puna, 34.
Event 36 men 50: Puna, 42; Waikoloa, 25; Kawaihae, 23.
Event 39 mixed 40: Keauhou, 49; Kai Opua, 46; Puna, 45; Kai Ehitu, 45.
Perfect crews
There are 11 undefeated crews:
• Kai Opua girls 12, boys 16, women 65, and men 55.
• Kai Ehitu boys 12 and 14.
• Puna women novice B, women 50, men 50, and mixed 55.
• Paddlers of Laka girls 15.
Best race
The 64th annual HCRA state championships were held at Hilo Bay last summer, and Maui’s Hawaiian captured its third straight title, including 12 of the last 15.
If anyone was asked, what’s the most prestigious race?
Everyone, except those from the Big Island, would answer: the senior men, a 1 ½-mile event.
It’s the longest and probably has the best history of any event at states: Oahu’s Lanikai won it last year and once captured 10 races in a row from 1991 to 2001.
In fact, the senior men and women races are not held during the Moku O Hawaii regatta season, only at the Aunty Maile championships because of their time consumption.
Ask anyone Saturday at Hilo Bay what’s the best race and that would produce an easy answer.
It’s the last race of the day, event 42, the mixed men and women. The half-mile race is the only one to field a full house with all 13 crews.
But best of all, the last race of the day just might determine the grand winner of the 11th annual Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii championships: most likely another epic battle between Green Pride and Big Blue.