WAILUA — Kisha Taylor Hermosura, 8, was just one of the many yellow-shirted paddlers voicing their support in cheer of fellow paddlers competing on the Wailua River Saturday at the Walter J. Smith regatta. But, for Hermosura, the story began
WAILUA — Kisha Taylor Hermosura, 8, was just one of the many yellow-shirted paddlers voicing their support in cheer of fellow paddlers competing on the Wailua River Saturday at the Walter J. Smith regatta.
But, for Hermosura, the story began long before Saturday’s event as one paddler offered, “It was back in 1998, or ‘99.”
It was then that readers of TGI were introduced to Hermosura whose picture was featured in the pages of the newspaper during a Walter J. Smith regatta that year.
Hermosura, seated in the stroker’s position in an unused canoe, was pictured with a paddle emulating the movements of a stroker. At the time the photo appeared, Hermosura was only three, too young to take part in the competition.
That picture was titled, “Some Day.”
On the walls of the Kilauea School office of “coach” Mits Yokotake, a copy of that photo is part of his memorabilia. It also is within the pages of several of the Hanalei Canoe Club paddlers who remember it vividly.
Saturday, Hermosura picked up her paddle, and took to the water for her first two races in the Under 10 division.
In one of the races, she took the position of steersperson, while in the other race, she assumed the number five-one slot.
Hermosura steered both crews to victory, a celebratory event marking her first year as a paddler for the club she has supported.
Saturday’s event was dedicated to the memory of Tony Rita and Pam Phillips, event announcer Debra Kekaualua said.
Both people were strong paddling enthusiasts and had an impact on the young paddlers who were competing Saturday.
But, for Hermosura, the only thing that mattered was that she won both her races, and on Saturday, “Some Day” was today.
Full regatta results will appear in a future issue of TGI.
