WAILUA — The Hanalei Canoe Club paddlers ages 18 and under picked up 11 first places in 19 events for to top Na ‘Opio division standings at the Pu‘uwai Regatta, yesterday at the Wailua River. The young yellow-shirted paddlers piled
WAILUA — The Hanalei Canoe Club paddlers ages 18 and under picked up 11 first places in 19 events for to top Na ‘Opio division standings at the Pu‘uwai Regatta, yesterday at the Wailua River.
The young yellow-shirted paddlers piled up 126 points to dominate the division. They were followed by Kaiola Canoe Club with 77 points and Kilohana Canoe Club with 71 points. Host Pu‘uwai ended in fourth place with 63 points, followed by Niumalu Canoe Club with 14 points.
Hanalei won the first two events for boys and girls 10 and under, followed by seven second-place finishes for age groups 10 to 14 to score the bulk of its points.
From that point, Kilohana Canoe Club controlled the lead in all the age divisions. Kilohana took the lead in the first 10 events for age groups 10 to 14, with six first-place finishes.
That all changed when the older kids took the water. Hanalei dominated the Under 15, Under 16 and Under 18 divisions for boys and girls.
Kilohana’s toughest challenge came in the eighth race when its Boys 13 Under crew topped the field on a 2:09.28 run through the 1/4-mile course, crossing the finish line just four seconds ahead of second-place finisher Kaiola Canoe Club at 2:04.41.
In the teen divisions, Hanalei soared to the top after its Boys 15 Under team stopped the clock on a 3:45.83 run through the 1/2-mile course, edging out the Pu‘uwai team at 3:48:75.
Races continued through the day and results from the adult divisions will appear in a future issue of TGI.
Canoe paddling will change is venue next weekend as the Hanalei Canoe Club is involved in the Ha‘ena to Hanalei Run/Walk. Paddling returns June 14 with the Kaiola Canoe Club hosting its regatta.
Participants in the run/walk which starts at Ke‘e Beach will stroll to the Hanalei Canoe Club where they have an opportunity to enjoy a pancake breakfast following the event which ends at the Hanalei Pier.
“The summer has begun and canoe paddling is in full swing,” Mia Pauletto, vice president of the GICRA and a paddler for Hanalei Canoe Club, said via e-mail.
