HILO — Kai ‘Ehitu Canoe Club concluded the island’s paddling regatta regular season with its fourth victory of 2024 in the Aunty Maile/Moko O Hawai‘i Championship on Saturday in Hilo Bay. The event was sponsored by Hoemana Canoe Club.
The club totaled 28 medals — 14 of them gold — to go along with 251 total points. Kai ‘Ehitu’s victories were in the boys age-12 division (2:00.28), boys age-14 division (1:40.88), boys age-15 division (3:55.29), boys 16-and-under division (3:47.41), boys 18-and-under division (3:36.26), mixed age-18 division (4:05.47), men’s sophomore division (3:33.78), men’s senior division (11:41.11), men’s masters age-40 division (3:43.02), men’s masters age-60 division (3:53.20), men’s golden masters age-55 division (3:56.30), senior men’s masters age-50 division (3:42.43), mixed masters age-55 division (3:59.77) and the mixed masters age-40 division (3:55.54).
Puna Canoe Club placed second overall with 25 total medals and 223 points. Puna’s 10 gold-medal wins were in the girls age-13 division (1:56.28), women’s novice (4:16.88), women’s senior division (14:01.59), women’s masters age-40 division (4:19.14), women’s masters age-60 division (4:43.34), women’s golden masters age-55 division (4:33.41), senior women’s masters age-50 division (4:26.15), women’s open four (4:30.91), men’s open four (3:40.51) and the mixed men and women division (3:47.86).
Puna also rostered the most experienced paddler in the event, as Jimmy Nani‘ole raced in the men’s masters at 84 years old.
Kai Opua Canoe club earned the No. 3 overall spot with 25 medals and 203 cumulative points. The club won eight events — the women’s novice (1:58.36), men’s novice (1:37.53), girls age-14 division (1:54.77), mixed novice (1:44.85), another men’s novice (3:39.91), women’s freshmen division (4:02.29), women’s junior division (9:01.16) and the men’s age-65 division (4:08.06).
Kai Opua additionally posted the fastest quarter-mile time of the day, as its men’s novice team of Kaleo Lee, Drew Manning, Saul Gutiennez, Ala Ablao, Joshua Gonzalez and Oliver Fujima raced in 1:37.53.
Keaukaha Canoe Club posted the fastest half-mile and mile times — Brawn Albino, Kama Leeloy, Tyler Makaiwi, Jose Lizardi, Rusty Crabbe and Robert Whitney Jr. finished in 3:24.83 in the men’s freshmen division, while Leeloy, Makaiwi, Lizardi, Crabbe, Spencer Kamauoha-Smith and Mario Mausio raced the men’s junior division in 7:22.76.
Kailana Canoe Club’s Leivai Tahutini was the regatta’s youngest paddler at 7 years of age.
She raced in the girls age-13 division.
With the regatta regular season now in the rearview mirror, HCRA’s focus will shift to long distance events, which resumes Aug. 10 in Miloli‘i Bay.
The Eo Moloka‘i Nui A Hina Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta will take place Aug. 3 at Ke‘ehi Lagoon on O‘ahu.