A water safety discussion and a short off-shore run Nov. 8 will launch the 2010 Hoe Wa‘a OC-1 racing season. Starting at 10 a.m. at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor on Kaua‘i’s South Shore, Laola’s Safety Race Pick-A-Partner Potluck will
A water safety discussion and a short off-shore run Nov. 8 will launch the 2010 Hoe Wa‘a OC-1 racing season.
Starting at 10 a.m. at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor on Kaua‘i’s South Shore, Laola’s Safety Race Pick-A-Partner Potluck will be a relaxed introduction to the sport of one-man outrigger canoe racing (OC-1). Fee for the event is $10.
The run will leave the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor and end at the Salt Pond Beach Park, a distance covering approximately eight miles.
Paddlers will be paired up with one experienced paddler escorting one inexperienced paddler.
Margie Goodno, president of Kaua‘i Hoe Wa‘a, invites paddlers of all experience levels to participate in this season opener.
Registration for the OC-1 paddling season will also be available.
Association dues are $30 for the 2009-10 year and $50 for a family membership which includes a complimentary end-of-season Kaua‘i Hoe Wa‘a T-shirt. Regular season race fee is $15 per race for members and $25 per race for non-members.
During the season, all races with the exception of the Nov. 8 race includes a lunch with the entry fee. The Nov. 8 opener is a potluck. Additionally, random drawings for prizes will be held for participants following the races throughout the season.
The club points competition is a new aspect for the OC-1 Kaua‘i Hoe Wa‘a season and is based on club participation.
Each paddler who races will get one point and the club with the most points at the end of the season will receive a prize.
There will be a competition for the season overall winner in Open Men and Open Women with the perpetual trophy being the most coveted award in the association’s ninth year.
Noe Auger and Mark Frazier are the current trophy holders after winning the award last season.
The Kaua‘i Hoe Wa‘a season will be 10 races followed by the Island Championships, April 11, followed by the Kaua‘i World Challenge, May 5-8.
Representatives of OC-1 canoe manufacturers will also be available for those interested in the sport but do not have a canoe.
For those who own one-man outrigger canoes but cannot make the introductory race, lessons and tips are being offered by experienced paddlers.
For more information, call Tom Bartlett at 652-0406.
