The week’s heavy rainfall went away just in time for the East side’s inaugural paddling event of the season on Saturday — Hui Wa‘a O Waiakea’s Ira and Barbara Kekaualua Long Distance.
The week’s heavy rainfall went away just in time for the East side’s inaugural paddling event of the season on Saturday — Hui Wa‘a O Waiakea’s Ira and Barbara Kekaualua Long Distance.
Roughly 445 paddlers, nearly half of them youths, raced around Hilo Bay beneath a clear view of Maunakea.
Puna Canoe Club kept up its momentum — grossing seven gold medals, six silver and five bronze.
Kamehameha Canoe Club, Hui Wa‘a Waiakea and Paddlers of Laka collected three gold medals each.
Saturday also saw the inaugural regattas for Maui and Oahu’s associations, which fleshed out the statewide leaderboard of fastest times for regattas. Despite some crews from other islands recording fast enough times to take the lead in the standings, several Big Island crews still top the charts.
Waikoloa Canoe Club’s Women 65 crew (Julie Barreto, Em Claspell, Leila Duim, Sandy Holmes-Sater, Louise Morris and Kim Schneider) still hold the season record for their division’s fastest half-mile — 5:08.87.
Kai Opua Canoe Club’s Women’s Novice B and Mixed Novice B crews lead their respective quarter-mile time standings — and Kai Opua’s Men Novice B crew still boasts its divisions fastest half-mile.
Next week, another Moku ‘O Hawai‘i long distance will take place — Kai Opua’s King Kamehameha Day Race in Kailua Bay.
The following weekend, paddling action will return to Hilo Bay with the East side’s first regatta of the season, hosted by Kailana Canoe Club.
