HANAPEPE — Kristen Foster crossed the line first overall, but Kai Chong, the first male finisher, and crossing third overall, had the better time Saturday during the 11th annual Kaua‘i World Challenge. Starting at the Kapa‘a Beach Park following words
HANAPEPE — Kristen Foster crossed the line first overall, but Kai Chong, the first male finisher, and crossing third overall, had the better time Saturday during the 11th annual Kaua‘i World Challenge.
Starting at the Kapa‘a Beach Park following words of encouragement from Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., more than 70 paddlers and paddling teams took off from the starting line outside the breakers at Kapa‘a Beach Park.
“I’ve been in this event on every single year, but one,” said Kawika Goodale, one of the event founders. “I believe this is the 11th year. Normally, we launch at Wailua Beach, but because of the construction going on at that site, we are at the Kapa‘a Beach Park.”
Randy Ortiz, one of the Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau water safety officers on duty, said the main concern is the safety of the paddlers.
“We have teams on jet skis out there, and we’re overlapping coverage with the Kealia Beach tower crew, just to make sure,” Ortiz said. “We’ve been at this event since it started.”
Carvalho was thrilled after meeting several paddlers from Russia.
“This is an international affair,” Carvalho said. “I invited the Russians to my office to visit. We have paddlers here from Australia, Canada, and now, Russia.”
The 34-mile relay race was prefaced by a smaller warm-up race Thursday, which moved paddlers from the Kapa‘a Beach Park to Hanama‘ulu Beach, the first of three relay exchange points along the 34-mile course.
“Times were a little slower this year because of the conditions,” said Stephen Spears, a paddler who claims he is not at the level of the Kaua‘i World Challenge. “The paddlers hit headwinds off the start, and there were no waves to help them along.”
The women and mixed crews left on an 8 a.m. start time followed by the men crews leaving at 9 a.m.
Foster, first overall finisher, crossed at a little past 1 p.m., unofficially with a time of more than five hours.
Chong, the first men’s finisher, and third overall, touched the beach at 1:30 p.m., nine minutes after Foster.
“He might be third, but he’s got the faster time since he left an hour later,” one spectator said. “His time would be four hours and change.”
Visit www.kauaiworldchallenge.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
