Kai ‘Ehitu ready to continue historic season at World Sprints

KAILUA-KONA — It’s a bustling, overcast, late-summer afternoon on Kailua Pier.

Hundreds of cruise-goers have swarmed onto the small concrete slab to catch the last few tender rides of the day — forming an elongated line underneath the leftward green tents. Fishing and leisure boats dock and leave like a swift revolving door, causing for crowded waters all around the pier’s perimeter.

The western section of the wharf is fully occupied by a line of eager Kamakahonu Beach visitors waiting to rinse themselves off in the outdoor showers from the coast’s squelchy, golden sand. The usual fishers take up the end-tip of the landing, hoping to secure the catch of the day to boast to their close friends.

It’s a hectic, but lively environment that captures the perfect picture of recreation in West Hawaii.

With so much going on, how could any other activity or venture possibly take place? Despite the late-day fiasco in Kona Village’s epicenter, Kai ‘Ehitu Canoe Club treads on with its typical daily training, strategically avoiding the coming-and-going vessels that litter the late-afternoon bay. Many of these paddlers are talented keiki who have been taught how to effectively but safely maneuver the club’s cherry-red and lustrous-white canoes around any possible obstacles.

After all, the International Va‘a Federation World Sprints Championships is rapidly approaching this week in Hilo Bay, and time is of the essence. No practice can be wasted with a global competition on the horizon, no matter who is occupying the pier and bay.

Perhaps this is one of the many reasons the AAA state regatta champions have had a historic season — the persistence and determination for everyone involved in the organization. With 300-plus paddlers’ with ages ranging from 7 to 71, club members have an array of various responsibilities outside of canoeing. Yet, almost all have found the time to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

“In the beginning of this season, I told everyone a part of this that we’re going to paint the town red,” head coach Richard Kimitete said with his trademarked grin as he alluded to his club’s iconic color. “I truly believe we’ve done that this season.”

This is exactly what Kimitete’s late father, club co-founder and former coach Pierre ‘Papa’ Kimitete, would have wanted. Since his son took the coaching reins to the historic club, Kai ‘Ehitu has reached some impressive milestones. After leading the club to its first regatta victory in 2019, Richard Kimitete’s group has ascended from being a smaller club of just six or less crews in the pandemic to a AAA division club with over 20 crews.

But Kimitete maintains that none of it would have been possible without his father’s guidance. Coming to Hawai‘i in the early 1960s as a woodcarver, Pierre Kimitete played a critical role in managing the Tahitian Village in the Polynesian Cultural Center on O‘ahu. Then moving his family to Kona on assignment in 1971, Kimitete fell in love with the Big Island and the ‘ohana culture it offered.

In part of expressing his gratitude to the isle’s aloha, he formed the club we know today — officially being labeled as a Hawai‘i Canoe Outrigger Association organization in 1983. Already a skilled canoe craftsman by this point, Kimitete spent days on-end carving ‘iako, ama, wae and hoe canoes for his paddlers. Two of these original canoes still exist within the club today.

But most importantly, Kimitete taught valuable life lessons to all of the team’s paddlers, such as hard work, perseverance and grinding to accomplish one’s dreams. More than anything, he wanted everyone involved with the team to have Kai ‘Ehitu feel like home.

Even after his passing in 2002, Kimitete’s message and spirit live on within the club to this day — perhaps more than ever.

“My father was a sports guy at heart,” Richard Kimitete explained while watching some of his paddlers race to the quarter-mile buoy just east of the pier. “So it was extremely important to me to keep this going. Every day, we still have to make strong decisions (as an organization)…the right decisions, which is what he taught us.

“We knew we had big shoes to fill, but we were confident in everything he taught us daily.”

This particular season, though, has been arguably Kai ‘Ehitu’s best season in its 41-year history. The club won four MOKU HCRA regattas, including the Aunty Maile/MOKU O‘ Hawai‘i Championship on July 20 — winning the outright island title for the first time in the club’s history.

But with the majority of regattas taking place on the other side of the island in Hilo town, maintaining consistency wasn’t easy. But the culture and mindset surrounding the team prevailed, and Kai ‘Ehitu had strong showings at every single race day, regardless of where it was held.

“It was never in Kai ‘Ehitu’s favor to win one regatta, let alone four,” men’s coach Eddie Hayward said. “This entire season has been very humbling for us.”

Two weekends later, Kai ‘Ehitu took home the state crown in the AAA state championship on O‘ahu, continuing the magical summer for the Kona-side club. The club even set a new record in the 50s division at states, as Hayward, Bruce Johnston Ayau, Jerry Bess, Jason Hauanio, Sean Kaawa and Patrick Von raced in 3:29.87.

“This wasn’t even in our thoughts or dreams,” Kimitete said. “All we really do is go out there every day, practice really hard and have fun. That’s all it really is.

“To me, as long as there’s a happy feeling within the culture of the club, then I feel like the koa is alive. Then, amazing things can happen. Honestly, I don’t think my dad would’ve ever imagined us getting to this point.”

The organization credits the new influx of talented paddlers that have recently joined the red and white in helping this all become possible. Kai ‘Ehitu also lauds its renowned coaching staff, which includes Hayward, Darcy Daniel, Kaeo Peterson, Bruce Ayau, Charlie Becerra, Nate Libarios, Hiram Anakalea, Tati Tan, Loke Perez, Tia Ulufaleilupe and LeAnn Alani-Hayward.

“We’re like a family,” Kimitete added. “I think working together like a family goes a long way.”

Kimitete also believes mindset played a massive factor with the 2024 team’s success. Since the beginning, he has stressed the same message to every paddler, regardless of status or age: “Don’t think who is going to win, know who is going to win.”

“I know my crews are gonna do well,” he said. “That’s why I’m always proud of them.”

Kai ‘Ehitu plans to continue following that mantra into the World Sprints this week. The club will be competing in the World Club Championship division against other individual teams from around the world in a variety of races.

In the World Elite division — which is a mix of the top paddlers in each IVF country competing against one another — Kai ‘Ehitu will have its best of the best among the crews for Team Hawai‘i.

The club’s paddlers in the Elite Men V6 – 500, which is also know as the junior division, are as follows: Taylor Balanga, Toa Bertina, Nathan Grocholski Jr., Sig Konohia, Oliver Powers and Kaimi Santos. The heats begin at 8:25 a.m. Friday.

In the Elite Open Men’s division, Avan Bercerra, Trey Cox, Rusty Crabbe, Jose Lizardi, Keakua Nolan and Chase VonNordheim will be racing for Kai ‘Ehitu.

The Elite Men V6 – 1000m crews will have several Kai ‘Ehitu paddlers. The official roster still has yet to be released. Heats begin at 10:22 a.m. Friday.

The World Club Championship begins after the conclusion of the elite divisions on Sunday and will continue through the end of the sprints, featuring dozens of Kai ‘Ehitu paddlers that will race for world glory. Kimitete encourages all to come out to support the team on the global stage during this Cinderella season, as he anticipates a big crowd of Kai ‘Ehitu’s fanbase to show out.

“Just like we painted Kona red, we’re going to paint World Sprints red, too,” he said near the conclusion of his team’s practice. “We can’t wait to show (the world) what we can do.”

At the conclusion of the sprints, Kai ‘Ehitu plans to compete in upcoming reputable paddling events this fall, such as the Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Race and Molokai Hoe Canoe Race.

But Kai ‘Ehitu’s goals go far beyond World Sprints and 2024. Hoping to continue to expand the organization, the club’s leaders have put a special emphasis on trying to keep its keiki around, as it firmly believes they are the key to the future of the organization.

“I’m a believer that youth is the foundation of the club,” Hayward said. “So if you keep that in mind and understand how valuable they are to a canoe club, then they’ll want to continue paddling into their adulthoods.”

“They’re the future, so it’s important to take care of them,” Kimitete said. “If I could adopt every one of them, I would.”

Kai ‘Ehitu isn’t just accepting keiki for new paddlers, though. Anyone interested in trying out for the team can visit the team’s table at Kailua Pier at 3 p.m. on any weekday during the season to learn more information. Prospects can even practice with the team on the day they inquire. Visiting the club’s website is another option.

Hayward encourages anyone on the fence to come down to the pier to give it a try, noting that paddling is a sport anyone can excel at, regardless of age or physique.

“There’s no limitations to paddling,” Hayward said. “When was the last time you went to an event where they had athletes from age 8 to 80 competing on the same vessel? It’s a lifetime thing. It’s easy on your joints. You can only play football or basketball at certain points in life, but paddling is much different.”

Kimitete shares the same sentiment, staring off into the bay as he watches his paddlers race back to the pier in their canoe like a gazelle over the turquoise Kona waters.

“I always tell people, ‘what’s a better sport than being on the ocean?’”

To read the results on Kai ‘Ehitu’s performance during the World Sprints, along with other participating Big Island canoe clubs, please see the paper in the coming days.