Twelve seconds separated the first two finishing craft at the opening race of Outrigger One-Man, Two-Man, Surf Skii and Stand Up Paddle, Jan. 5 hosted by the YMCA/Kauai Hoe Waa Association and sponsored by the Kuhio Auto Group. The team
Twelve seconds separated the first two finishing craft at the opening race of Outrigger One-Man, Two-Man, Surf Skii and Stand Up Paddle, Jan. 5 hosted by the YMCA/Kauai Hoe Waa Association and sponsored by the Kuhio Auto Group.
The team of Dylan Thomas and Sarah Waterman topped a field of 32, crossing the finish line on a run of 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 40 seconds from the Kalapaki Beach start line to the Poipu Beach finish line.
In addition to capturing first overall finish, the Thomas/Waterman team topped the Female/Male division and the Mixed Surf Ski division, the team of Peter Chow and Samantha Hamilton filling in the runner-up berth (1:28:46) and the Mixed OC2 division.
According to Dana Miyake of the Kauai Hoe Waa, Thomas hosted a group of international Surf Ski paddlers from Australia and Canada as part of his personal effort to make Kauai a Surf Ski destination of global recognition.
“We have the conditions, the year-round weather, and warm water as well as enough flat water for beginner paddlers in Wailua and Hanalei rivers,” Thomas said in the release. Thomas also offers Kauai residents an opportunity to “test drive” a Surf Ski by visiting www.surfskikauai.com.
Nearly 50 participants in all divisions paddled the Long Course within a 45-minute span over the run which most racers considered very favorable.
Christian Marston, topping the Male OC-1 division, crossed first on a 1:15:51 paddle, chasing the Thomas/Waterman team by a scant 12 ticks.
Marston’s run was a full 2:38 ahead over Mark Frazier and Luke Evslin, Miyake said.
Alana Goo Frazier topped the Wahine division on a run of 1:30:52, challenged by Lauren Denton (1:31:57) and Katie Curtis (1:38:01) who finished third for the overall wahine and first in the 40-49 age group.
Denise Morrison (1:44:05) topped the Women 50-54 age group, and Lynn Ham Young (1:41:01) topped the Women Surf Ski.
Patrick Fenwick (1:18:36) topped the Men 40-49 age group with Mac McDonald (1:24:19) topping the 55-59 age division, Tom Thompson (1:29:15) topping the 60-64, and Phil Morgan (1:27:52) taking the 65-plus division.
Kennie Denton (1:20:33) topped the Men’s Surf Ski and Tehotu Wong (1:35:54) topped the Men’s V1.
Miyake said the next Kauai Hoe Waa race will have the Long Course launching at Poipu Beach on Jan. 26 for a run to the Salt Pond Beach Park where lunch and refreshments will be waiting.
Registration will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Poipu Beach Park with the Stand Up Paddlers starting at 11:05 a.m. from the Kukuiula Small Boat Harber, the Short Course paddlers leaving Kukuiula at 11:20 a.m., and the Long Course paddlers launching from Poipu at 11:30 a.m.
Visit www.kauaihoewaa.org for more information.
