HANALEI — Thousands of participants are anticipated when the Hanalei Canoe Club hosts the 42nd Ha‘ena to Hanalei Race on June 1.
In the interest of keeping traffic flowing, the race starts at 5:45 a.m. in Ha‘ena and ends in Hanalei at about 10:30 a.m. Race participants in the 8-mile event can take advantage of free shuttle buses that leaves the Hanalei Pier starting at 4:30 a.m. on race day.
“This race really kicks off the summer and continues to grow each year,” said Mary Mair, the Hanalei Canoe Club secretary. “With the funds that we raise from this race, the Hanalei Canoe Club is able to maintain our canoes, send our youth paddlers to state, and support our robust programs that are meant to help perpetuate the ancient art of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling.”
The event, which attracts thousands of participants from the mainland and neighbor islands, starts at the end of the road in Ha‘ena at Ke‘e Beach. The route traverses the scenic stretch of road and one-lane bridges along the North Shore, ending at the historic Hanalei Pier to a waiting pancake breakfast.
Participants are able to choose between the 8-mile run or 8-mile walk, the 5K run or the Keiki 1-mile run. Both the 5K and the keiki run start and end at the Hanalei Pier.
Race organizers suggest that professional and amateur runners training for the marathon season can choose to run the Half Marathon, which is an “out-and-back” from the Hanalei Pier to Ha‘ena, a full 13.1-mile course.
Registration for the event is available online through midnight on May 30 at www.hanaleicanoeclub.org/haena-run or flpregister.com/664. Race organizers encourage online registration. Late registration will be available on race day starting at 4:15 a.m.
Race packets and registration will be available on May 31 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hanalei Canoe Club.
For non-run/walk participants who just want the pancake breakfast and commemorative shirt, email secretary@hanaleicanoeclub.org, or visit www.hanaleicanoeclub.org/haena-run.
