HONOLULU — The Waimea High School mixed paddling team finished in third place at the 2023 Hawaiian Airlines Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association canoe paddling championship at Ke‘ehi Lagoons, where the start was delayed due to the arrival of inclement weather.
The Menehune mixed team, including and according to a Jan. 14 KIF entry form, Jai Pacillio, Olivia Blackmer, Mya Quaries, Henry Naka‘ahiki, Allani Moclun and Kahu‘aina Makua, stroked the finals in 4 minutes, 1.10 seconds, missing the second-place berth by less than 2 seconds to Seabury Hall, whose crew included Jake Brocklehurst, Sig Konohia, Rio Imperato, Makalani Carey and Lei‘ohu Turley.
Punahou topped the mixed class with a 3:56.13 paddle.
Punahou also captured top honors in the varsity boys class with its 3:28.77 run over Kalaheo High School and Seabury Hall. Kapa‘a, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation representative in the class, finished in sixth place with a 3:49.70 paddle.
Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama took the varsity girls class when its team of Kana‘iaulani Aweau-Savusa, Tessia Mauai, Halia Sniffen, Mailelauli‘iokalani Brown, Sarah Sataraka and Bethani Kaleleiki stopped the clocks at 4:14.55 over teams from Punahou, Seabury Hall and ‘Iolani.
Island School girls, the KIF representative to the state championships, finished in fifth place with a 4:28.13 paddle.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
