KAILUA-KONA — Earlier this week, the 51st annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Race — the world’s largest outrigger event — wrapped up at Kailua Pier, and the five-day event was nothing short of spectacular.
Over 2,400 paddlers from 15 different countries convened in West Hawai‘i from Aug. 29 to Sept. 5, and the races took nearly a year to plan. Kai Opua President and local organizer Kris Hazard told West Hawaii Today that it typically takes around 80,000 total man hours to plan a paddling event of this magnitude.
“We bring almost as many people as Ironman, and we’re able to put on a five-day event smoothly with all volunteers that are community-based,” she said. “Everything stays local.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. People love to see canoes on the water. It reminds them of why we’re all here, and it creates a festival with things for people to come down to experience.”
The week of 581 paddling events began with four-person canoe relay heats and the International Cultural Exchange and Paddlers Reception on Thursday. Organizers partnered with Daughters of Hawai‘i at the evening function for over 600 paddlers and their families at the Huilihe‘e Palace grounds — as the team set out a goal to better educate all of the race’s participants on the paddling culture in Hawai‘i.
“It benefits the whole community, and the cultural aspect of the race is rapidly growing,” Hazard said of the cultural night. “We’re doing more to educate the visitors that come here, and trying to perpetuate the culture and excitement of outrigger paddling.”
Friday saw the Royal Splashfest — a fun-filled activity in which paddlers competed for the biggest splash — and the Talk Story with Micah Kamohoalii‘i on the storied history of Kailua Bay. Saturday was the biggest day of the event, as the famous 18-mile race took place along the coast. Early in the morning, the women began the day by racing from Kailua Pier to Honaunau Bay — nearly 20 miles south. The men then followed after the women, racing all the way back to downtown Kona.
Hazard said that organizers crafted detailed brochures on traffic routes around Honaunau Bay to remain respectful to the families living in the area, as well as rundowns for how to protect the coastal reefs while paddling in the bay’s tropical waters.
Two Big Island clubs posted the fastest times of the 18-mile route in both of the races — Puna Canoe Club in the Unlimited Open Matahina division (2:08:34.73) and Kai ‘Ehitu Outrigger Team in the Unlimited Open Men division (1:50:41.13). Kai ‘Ehitu’s impressive time came during high winds along the coast’s waters.
Some of the other top local winners included Kawaihae Canoe Club and Kai ‘Ehitu combining together to win the Unlimited Matahina Women age-40 division (2:13:18.96), Kai Opua Canoe Club in the age-40 women’s (2:22:56.38), age-50 nine-men (2:09:36.85) and the Unlimited Open Women (2:11:38.32), Hui Wa‘a ‘O Waiakea Canoe Club in the Koa age-40 women’s (2:40:50.17) and age-60 mixed (2:22:19.00), Kawaihae in the age-40 Matahina men’s (1:59:57.97) and Big Island Junior Va‘a in the Iron Junior Boys division (2:01:02.76).
“It was a whirlwind of an event,” Hazard said.
Sunday featured the single and double-hull adult and keiki canoe races. Waikoloa Canoe Club was the lone Big Island team to win a divisional race that day, paddling in 35:06.36 in the double-hull age-60 women’s division. Monday held the Kapuna Classic race to Banyan’s Beach and back — in which Kai ‘Ehitu again posted the fastest overall time in the mixed 50s division with a 44:42.16 finish in the Vai Tere canoe.
To view the official results, please visit the Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Race’s website for a full list of finishers.
All in all, the week’s success is already brewing excitement for next year’s races. While setup has typically only been open to volunteers within the paddling community, Hazard hopes to help open new opportunities for any locals that would want to lend a hand in the year-long planning process.
“We’re looking to give options to anyone who wants to help,” she said. “It’s a wonderful community event to be a part of.”
Next year’s race dates have yet to be announced.