WAILUA — The Kapa‘a High School paddling teams continued its dominance over the Wailua River, finishing with five of six first finishes, Saturday. This was a repeat of last week’s Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation paddling regatta when the Kapa‘a High School
WAILUA — The Kapa‘a High School paddling teams continued its dominance over the Wailua River, finishing with five of six first finishes, Saturday.
This was a repeat of last week’s Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation paddling regatta when the Kapa‘a High School teams were almost perfect in its outings.
Kapa‘a took first places in the Junior Varsity Boys, the Junior Varsity Mixed, the Varsity Girls, the Varsity Boys, and the Varsity Mixed events, leaving Kaua‘i High School to savor a first finish in the Junior Varsity Girls division.
Both Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a high schools fielded three teams in the JV Girls race, the final being settled by the Red Raiders’ “A” team which crossed the line at 4:27.20, more than two seconds ahead of the Warriors’ “A” team that slipped in at 4:29.67. Waimea High School did not field a JV Girls team.
Kapa‘a and Kaua‘i both fielded two JV Boys team for Saturday’s race on the Wailua River, and the Warriors asserted itself with both teams finishing faster than the quickest Kaua‘i team.
The Kapa‘a “A” team sealed the JV Boys berth on a 3:51.69 paddle over Kaua‘i’s “A” Team which slipped across at 4:05.32, the Kapa‘a “B” team crossing on a 4:02.49 paddle.
In the JV Mixed team, Kapa‘a’s “B” team picked up the win, crossing on a 4:10.44 paddle in the second race after Kaua‘i’s “A” team won the turn, and the first race, on a 4:12.00 run for second place. Waimea’s “A” team filled in third place for the division on a 4:20.70.
Kaua‘i girls held the lead coming into the turn, but could not stop the Warriors’ wahine running in Lane 3. Kaua‘i’s girls had Lane 1, the apparent favored lane for its quiet water, but Kapa‘a working the current, slipped ahead just before the turn, navigating the flag successfully and riding the current down for a 4:06.30 paddle over Waimea (4:20.64) and Kaua‘i (4:21.41).
Leading into the turn, Waimea was in third place, but used the down run of the river to take the Raiders on the top end.
The Kapa‘a boys, roaring back following a first-race disqualification earlier in the season, dominated the river, taking the finals of the varsity boys on an easy 3:41.24 run in Lane 2 over Kaua‘i (3:49.34) and Waimea (3:54.20).
Kapa‘a’s varsity Mixed team controlled the outcome of that division on a 4:00.35 run in the finals over Kaua‘i (4:13.06).
Saturday is the final KIF season regatta before the KIF Championships on Jan. 22. The first teams take the water at 10 a.m. at the Wailua River.
The KIF Championships is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. at the Wailua River due to SAT testing.
