More than 100 bicyclists participated in the 15th anniversary Pedal to the Meadow bicycle race that played out on Sunday from sea-level Kekaha to the cool Kokee meadow, a climb of nearly 4,000 feet and 16 miles.
“The event attracted the best cyclists in the state of Hawaii, ‘weekend warriors,’ as well as visitors from the United States and Canada,” said Mary Williamson, one of the event’s organizers.
Following the mass start at the site of the old cane haul road traffic light in Kekaha, Carl Nethercutt and Josh DuBois worked to build a gap early in the race, Williamson said.
“Both men are members of Velohana, an Oahu-based cycling team,” the race organizer said. “Nethercutt, who won the hill climb in 2017, 2018 and 2022, went on to finish first overall with a time of 1 hour, 7 minutes and 37 seconds. Dubois was the first Kauai man over the line at 1:08:43. Timothy Howell was third overall at 1:12:26.”
Jennifer Jones-Patulli of Lihue took the Women’s race with a climb of 1:33:48.
According to Williamson, that time shaved minutes off her previous victories.
“She also hosted the packet pickup fair at Kuleana work at the Kukui Grove Center, the new co-working space and AI lab,” Willamson said.
Courtney Meadows of Kihei, Maui, was the second woman across at 1:38:14, followed by Kimberly Funasaki of Honolulu’s Tradewind Cycling Team at 1:40:44.
“The sole participant in the Juniors category this year was Zac McCracken, 18, who finished in 1:56:46, and an Oregon father-daughter duo on a tandem bicycle broke the two-hour mark,” Williamson said. “Following the race, riders gathered in drizzly Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow for awards, Kokee Lodge chili, and tunes by Desperado Orchestra.”
Race organizers Mary and Binney Williamson extended their thanks and appreciation to the nearly 40 volunteers, county and state agencies, sponsoring businesses, and prize donors for making P2M 2025 the largest event yet.
