WAIMEA — Namolokama’s mixed division crew was the first boat over the Waimea Pier finish line Saturday as the Kilohana Canoe Club and the Garden Island Racing Canoe Association hosted the Warren Resquer Long Distance Race. Making the eight-mile crossing
WAIMEA — Namolokama’s mixed division crew was the first boat over the Waimea Pier finish line Saturday as the Kilohana Canoe Club and the Garden Island Racing Canoe Association hosted the Warren Resquer Long Distance Race.
Making the eight-mile crossing under growing winds and the resulting choppy seas, Namolokama crossed the line on a 1:05:15 paddle, the first overall finisher at the race, which marked the start of the week-long Waimea Town Celebration.
Mia Pauletto, president of GIRCA said the long distance race also kicks off the 2013 racing schedule for GIRCA, which will conclude in August with the state races and the Na Pali Challenge.
“We had to get them out before the winds got too bad,” said Hua Duncan, a coach with the host Kilohana Canoe Club. “I couldn’t race because someone had to start and end the races.”
Namolokama, consisting of crew members A.J. Irons, Jessi Anderson, Michael Mons, Ally Strelchun, Samantha Hamilton and Brian Market, filled in the top spot of the Mixed Open division followed by Kukui‘ula at 1:10:39, West Kaua‘i (1:12:04) and Niumalu (1:13:45).
“This is only my third time out as a steer,” said the jubilant steersperson for the Kaiola crew, who finished second in the open women division with a 1:11:08 time. “It was pretty windy out there, but I made it!”
Niumalu won the division, crossing the line after 1:09:57, followed by Kaiola and Kukui‘ula (1:11:37).
Kukui‘ula, a new program from the South shore, filled in the top spot of the novice women division on a 1:23:46 run followed by Pu‘uwai at 1:24:18.
Kukui‘ula also topped the master women 40-plus division on a 1:17:09 paddle, followed by Pu‘uwai (1:22:16) and Namolokama (1:29:10).
West Kaua‘i topped the mixed senior masters 50-plus division on its 1:15:44 paddle followed by Namolokama at 1:19:10 and another Namolokama crew at 1:24:88.
The Hanalei crew topped the open men division with a sub-one hour run, crossing the line on the second race at 59:37 followed by Pu‘uwai (1:01:36) and Kukui‘ula (1:01:56).
Pu‘uwai topped the novice men division on a 1:07:07 run followed by Kukui‘ula at 1:30:01.
Kukui‘ula topped the masters 40-plus on a 1:02:26 paddle followed by Hanalei (1:08:05) and Pu‘uwai (1:17:01).
Started in 1991, Kilohana Canoe Club started with a group of novice paddlers anxious to revive Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling on Kaua‘i’s Westside, according to its website.
Honoring the late Warren Resquer, who saw a need for a canoe club in Waimea and whose insisting helped create the Kilohana Canoe Club, the organization, 20 years later, continues to perpetuate not only canoe paddling, but all aspects of the Hawaiian culture under the guidance of coach Kane Turalde.
The next race on the GIRCA calendar is Saturday, when the Kaiola Canoe Club sponsors the Durgh Kane Long Distance Race starting at Kalapaki Beach.
Visit www.gicra.com for more information on the Garden Island Canoe Racing Association. Visit www.wkbpa.org for more information on the 36th annual Waimea Town Celebration week, Feb. 16 through 23.
