Trevor Cabell followed in his father’s footsteps when he captained a Kaua‘i team sponsored by Kai Kane Hanalei to a successful first finish at the Aston Hotels and Resorts Na Holo Kai sailing canoe race last Saturday at Kalapaki Beach.
Trevor Cabell followed in his father’s footsteps when he captained a Kaua‘i team sponsored by Kai Kane Hanalei to a successful first finish at the Aston Hotels and Resorts Na Holo Kai sailing canoe race last Saturday at Kalapaki Beach.
Trevor’s dad, Joey Cabell, a reknown waterman and surfing champion, took the 1st Annual Na Holo Kai event 17 years ago.
Trevor, using a borrowed canoe from O‘ahu, the Laamaomao, worked with a crew of novice canoe sailors to not only win the 17th event, but also set a new record in the finish.
Race day conditions were perfect, the race having once being postponed due to lightning on the morning of the originally-scheduled race day.
Winds were blowing at 25 knots out of the East on 8-12 foot seas.
“It was great. We literally surfed all the way to Kaua‘i,” said Trevor.
“In these types of long distance races, teamwork is really important. It takes a unified crew to do well, and that’s what we did n we worked together.”
The crew aboard the Laamaomao consisted of Trevor Cabell, Del Segar, Chad Pa, Kanoa Parker, Jackie Seely, and Jimmy Tune.
Trevor Cabell and Seger both work at the Princeville Hotel running sailing and canoe tours in Hanalei.
“As far as the finish of the race goes,” Trevor notes. ” We all had the same situation to deal with. It’s not like the tug and barge snuck up on us.”
“It’s (tug and barge) huge; you can see it for miles away. Marvin (Otsuji) thought he could drop below it and come around. He was wrong, and it’s as simple as that,” Trevor noted.
“When the race committee says the race is from beach-to-beach, then that’s what it means, and everything in between is fair game whether it is in the first or last mile.”
Trevor said, “That’s racing. One wrong move and it can cost you the race.”
“To me, it’s not about winning or losing. It’s about paying respect to every one to sail this channel on a canoe in more recent times as well as in past times.”
“It is an honor to be a part of such a race,” Trevor said.
