Speaking of all things marathon the other day, Bob Wedeman expressed the opinion that he’s “cautiously optimistic” just moments after he said he was “very optimistic.”
He’s probably right on point on both statements, but they require a little unpacking for the sake of understanding.
Wedeman is the owner/race director for the 23rd Annual Big Island International Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier, scheduled for a Bayfront start at 6 a.m. on March 15.
As far as that event is concerned, it’s all a go.
“I’m very optimistic, it looks like we’re good to go,” Wedeman said, referencing the rising concerns of the coronavirus possibly spreading. “On the one hand, I’m like everyone else, I don’t think any of us knows what to expect, but at the same time, we aren’t going to panic.
“Registration is up, noticeably,” he said, “right now, I’m looking at 900-to-1000, ahead of the last two years, for sure, which were about 800-ish.”
Elsewhere, maybe as soon as the Boston Marathon, slated for April 20, who knows what the future holds?
“As far as the future,” he said, “does anyone know if we’ll be running big marathons in heavily congested places months from now? I’m cautiously optimistic that the right people are doing the right things to make it safe for everyone, let’s hope it’s all going to be good.”
Wedeman employs someone to sell the race in Japan and he received an email with four more Japanese entrants this week.
“I think we just need some time for things to settle down,” Wedeman said. “Some things in the news you can read that make it sound like the Black Plague and we’re ll going to die, other things you can read say the actual death toll is very low and I’m encouraged that — fingers crossed — we seem to be in good shape here.”
For those interested in the Hilo Marathon, this would be a good time to sign up online at hilomarathon.org before Wednesday when online registration is shut down and entry fees go up.
Take Your Best Shot
Four years ago, Gavin Tanouye was doing a remote broadcast on KWXX out of the J Hara Store in Kurtistown when he spotted a collection of bows and and arrows that tweaked a long held thought.
“It was always something I wanted to do,” he said, “but it was one of those things that, for one reason or another, I never got around to doing. Then you start working, your mind goes off in a different direction and it sort of got lost to me.”
But only temporarily. After seeing the bows, Tanouye decided to make it happen. He got his equipment, contacted the local club, Hawaii Isle Archery Club, and started showing up.
These days, Tanouye is the vice-president of the club, spreading the word that people can get involved through the website hiarchery.com, and participate Wednesdays and Fridays at Waiakea Recreation Center from 5:30-9 p.m.
“Everyone’s welcome at the range,” he said. “Bring your equipment and get involved, everyone is willing to help you out, get you involved.”
The 10th Annual Memorial Tournament, originally named in memory of member Russell Sabate, was held a week ago, but there are more upcoming opportunities for involvement.
Tanouye started his archery experience in July of 2017 and competed in his first state tournament in October of that year.
Maybe you’re a better indoor shooter, possibly the outdoor challenge with added weather elements is a better fit, but you can try both because there are tournaments ongoing “almost every month,” according to Tanouye.
State Canoe Meet Interrupted
All things being normal, we were supposed to know by now which crews won the state canoe sprint championships last weekend at the Bayfront, but all things were not normal, starting with weather conditions.
The the second day of the competition was shut down Sunday, a postponement that means, as of today, the state of Hawaii still has many champions yet to stamp their tickets as competitive hosts for the IVF World Sprint Championships on Hilo Bay, Aug. 13-23.
The World Sprints will bring more people to Hilo — an estimated 5,000-7,000 — than any other single event this year and the surge in visitors will last most of a month with crews coming in from around the world early, and staying throughout the meet.
As of Thursday, the state sprints were not rescheduled, but that should happen Friday when Mike Atwood, president of the 2020 Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, is planning a conference call with competitors from around the state to discuss a date that works for everyone.
He’s Back In The Ring
Last time we saw Wela Mamone, the former Hilo High School football player was on the sidelines , coaching a Pop Warner team headed for nationals in Florida.
They didn’t win the big trophy, but they almost did in a wild finish that left them one possession short.
These days, he is anything but on the sidelines, having decided, at 21, to pursue his interest in MMA for the first time since high school.
He won his first bout last month on Oahu with a third round knockout, and next up is the Golden Gloves tournament, again on Oahu, in April.
“I just felt the urge to get back into it,” Mamone said after spending two years at Southern Virginia University. “I came back home and wasn’t doing much and I’m not one to sit around.”
Mamone said he still plans to get his Bachelor’s degree, but at the moment, there’s a possibility for professional future just around the corner, if he can pull off a major victory in the Golden Gloves.
“I’m training pretty hard, serious about it,” he said. “It might be considered a long shot, but that’s not how I think of it.
“If I can win at my (155-pound) weight class, I think it’s very possible I can get some offers, but I’ll also get some mainland opportunities, for sure.”
It would be considered a long shot because he’s been away from the ring for several years, but there’s always a chance that can make him a surprise to an opponent.
We know he likes to win — his Panaewa Alii squad was undefeated all season until the finals in Florida — and that deck might seem stacked against him.
But he’s going for it because he thinks he can.
“I’m focused,” he said. “I want to do this.”
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