Kai ‘Ehitu Canoe Club had another successful outing in Moko O Hawai‘i Outrigger Canoe Association’s sixth regatta of the 2024 season last weekend in Hilo. During Saturday’s outing, the club tallied 26 total medals and secured 12 gold — the most of any team competing. Kai ‘Ehitu also posted the most points of the day with 234.
Kai ‘Ehitu’s wins were in the boys age-12 division (2:02.99), the boys age-14 division (1:46.20), the boys age-15 division (3:53.02), the mixed age-18 division (3:55.29), the men’s freshmen division (3:28.59), the men’s sophomore division (3:33.76), the men’s masters age-40 division (3:35.62), the men’s masters age-60 division (3:45.93), the men’s golden masters age-55 division (3:54.45), the senior women’s masters age-50 division (4:24.11), the senior men’s masters age-50 division (3:39.42) and the mixed masters age-40 division (3:59.43).
Additionally, Kai ‘Ehitu’s men’s freshman team of Sean Kaawa, Chase VonNordheim, Ka’eo Peterson, Trey Cox III, Joel Noa and Toa Bertaina posted the fastest half-mile time of the event, racing in 3:28.59.
Puna Canoe Club placed second with 26 total medals and seven gold — tallying 221 points on the day. Its wins were in the women’s novice (2:07.95), the boys 16-and-under division (3:49.86), another women’s novice (4:20.71), the women’s junior division (8:41.23), the men’s junior division (7:19.67), the women’s masters age-60 division (4:40.11) and the women’s golden masters age-55 division (4:30.58). Puna also recorded the fastest one-mile time, raced by the men’s junior team of Kili Wakana, Kekoa Sumera-Lee, Kenui Viveiros, Jonah Kalima, J.B. Weitz and Derek Park.
Kawaihae Canoe Club finished third overall with 15 cumulative medals and seven gold, along with 194 points — barely scraping past Kai Opua Canoe Club, who finished with 193. Kawaihae’s division victories were in the girls age-12 division (1:55.78), the girls age-13 division (2:05.93), the men’s novice (1:43.84), the mixed novice (1:47.87), the women’s freshmen (4:05.68), the women’s sophomore division (4:14.24) and the women’s masters age-40 division (4:07.60). The club also had the quickest quarter-mile time of 1:43.84, raced by Edison Dela Cruz, Keahi Esquerra, Jordon Lagaret, Charlie Lee, Charles Clifford and Dahlton Franco in the men’s novice (group B).
The youngest paddler of the regatta was Kailana Canoe Club’s Leivai Tahutini, who raced at 7 years of age. Keaukaha Canoe Club’s George Thomas was the oldest at 86. Over 1,200 people participated with 324 different crews.
To read extended results, please see Page 3B. The last regatta of the season on the Big Island will take place Saturday at Hilo Akiona Course.