WAILUA — Kapa‘a High School paddling teams picked up two first places in the varsity level and Kaua‘i picked up the remaining first place slot at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation regatta, Saturday at the Wailua River. Competition in the junior
WAILUA — Kapa‘a High School paddling teams picked up two first places in the varsity level and Kaua‘i picked up the remaining first place slot at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation regatta, Saturday at the Wailua River.
Competition in the junior varsity division was even closer as each school picked up a first place.
“It’s too bad Island School couldn’t be in this competition,” one spectator on the Wailua Marina bank lamented. “It would make the regattas more interesting.”
Last weekend’s event opened the KIF paddling season which will feature a regatta Saturday before taking a two-week break for the Christmas and New Year holidays, both falling on Saturday. The regatta will resume on Jan. 8.
The Kapa‘a A girls team clearly demonstrated its control of the river, establishing the standard on a 4:26.89 paddle for first place in the opening heat. After its Warrior B squad was sandwiched between the Kaua‘i B and C teams, the Warrior wahine returned to the finals where it showed an improvement over its preliminary paddle, ending on a 4:21.24 for first place.
In that race, the Kaua‘i girls also showed improved performances, stopping the clock at 4:34.22 in the preliminary heat and improving to a 4:30.53 run in the finals.
Waimea filled in the third spot with a 4:50.08 paddle in the finals.
The Warriors also demonstrated its dominace in the Mixed division by setting the bar on a 4:03.14 paddle in the prelims, better than 17 seconds ahead of the Kaua‘i A team, crossing at 4:20.33.
Kapa‘a carried that strength into the finals where it cruised to a 4:05.79 paddle over Kaua‘i’s 4:11.61, a difference of about six seconds. Waimea did not field a Mixed team.
The Warriors continued its show by setting the pace in the Boys division, chipping out a first finish in the preliminaries on a 3:50.94 paddle over Kaua‘i’s 3:58.21 and Waimea’s 4:05.57.
But the Warriors cut the corner too tight in the finals, burying the flag and taking a disqualification to give the top spot to Kaua‘i (3:59.47) and Waimea (4:00.71). In the run, the Warriors’ mishap at the turn also resulted in an overall second, a mere .33 second back of the Raider boys.
The Menehune set the pace for the Mixed junior varsity races, its A team crossing on a 4:18.85, the best time through three races. Kapa‘a (4:28.79) and Kaua‘i (4:31.77) filled in the leaderboard.
Kapa‘a boys controlled the JV Boys race on a 4:04.52 paddle, almost 24 seconds ahead of Kaua‘i (4:28.53).
Kaua‘i girls filled in the top spot for the JV Girls races on a 4:33.58 run followed by Kapa‘a at 4:36.73. Waimea, making a strong showing in the third heat of the division, did not have an official team for the regatta.
The next regatta is Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at the Wailua River.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
