HANALEI – The Hanalei Canoe Club won the Non-koa masters 45+ division last weekend at the 2002 Hinano Moloka’i Hoe race, a 41-mile open ocean outrigger canoe race featuring 104 canoes from all over the world. Hanalei finished with the
HANALEI – The Hanalei Canoe Club won the Non-koa masters 45+ division last weekend at the 2002 Hinano Moloka’i Hoe race, a 41-mile open ocean outrigger canoe race featuring 104 canoes from all over the world.
Hanalei finished with the time of 6 hours, 7 minutes, and 44 seconds, several minutes faster than Newport Aquatic Center of California (6:25.43) and Hui Lanakila of Oahu (6:28.57).
The race, considered the world championship of men’s outrigger canoe racing, was won overall by Tahiti’s Ra’i, who outlasted Team New Zealand/Hawaii by 20 seconds, finishing in the time of 5 hours, 11 minutes and 34 seconds. Australia’s Ikaika Australia was third and Oahu’s Lanikai and Outrigger rounded the top five.
The Moloka’i Hoe is one of the longest running annual team sporting events in Hawaii, second only to foobtall. The Hinano Molokai Hoe perpetuates one of Hawaii and Polynesia’s most important and historic cultural traditions, while honoring outrigger canoe paddlers around the world. The Hinano Molokai tests the limits of physical and mental strenght and endurance, courage, determination and teamwork, and paddlers must also battle nature’s most extreme elements.
In other divisions, Outrigger-Helumoa of Oahu won the Non-koa masters 35+ in 5:34.50. Kailua of Oahu won the Non-koa masters 55+ in 6:11.22. And in the Koa division, Outrigger-Kakina of Oahu won in 5:51.29.
