Namolokama O’ Hanalei Canoe Club finished 15th overall to become the first Kauai canoe club to finish the Molokai Hoe on Sunday hosted by the O‘ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association. With its finish, Namolokama Open Division made the crossing from
Namolokama O’ Hanalei Canoe Club finished 15th overall to become the first Kauai canoe club to finish the Molokai Hoe on Sunday hosted by the O‘ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association.
With its finish, Namolokama Open Division made the crossing from Molokai to Oahu on a paddle of 5 hours, 25 minutes, 23 seconds, or one of three boats doing an average of 7.6 miles per hour in the 41-mile race across the Kaiwi Channel, finishing in the Top 25.
Red Bull Va‘a of the Big Island took the overall crossing on a 4:50:01 with an 8.5 mph pace, just 31 seconds ahead of Shell Va‘a, a crew from French Polynesia. Lanikai Canoe Club became the first Oahu team to finish, crossing third overall on an 8.3 mph pace and stopping the clock at 4:58.06 in the event which is considered the world championships of outrigger canoe racing.
Following the Namolokama Open Division team, the Namolokama Jr. Masters 40 finished 31st overall on a 5:42:06 crossing. Pu‘uwai Open Division slipped across six minutes later, 37th overall on a 5:48.14 crossing.
Kukuiula Canoe Club, Senior Masters 50 followed three spots back at 40th place on a 5:50:17 crossing on a 7.0 mph pace, and Namolokama Golden Masters 65-plus rounded out the Kauai showings in 62nd place at 6:10.03 in a field of 101 recorded finishers.
