HANALEI — Hanalei Canoe Club will host its annual Haena to Hanalei run Saturday on Kauai’s North Shore.
The races were canceled last year after the flooding in mid-April 2018 damaged the area.
“We talked to the community in Hanalei and in Haena. There’s mixed feelings,” said Mary Mair, Hanalei Canoe Club secretary and a race organizer. “Some people are really excited that we’re doing it, and some people are not ready yet. The road just opened to Haena. You know what’s going on out there. So, yeah, we’re pleased to be able to offer an event to the community that helps us recover.”
The North Shore event features:
- a half marathon which starts at the Hanalei Pier, runners will make their way to Haena Beach Park and then turn back to the finish line at the Hanalei Pier, starts 7 a.m.
- an eight-mile run or walk which starts at Ke‘e Beach and finishes at the Hanalei Pier; runners will start 8 a.m. and walkers will start 7 a.m.
- a 5K run or walk that starts and ends at Hanalei Pier, starts 7 a.m.
- a one-mile youth run that starts and ends at Hanalei Pier, starts 7 a.m. right after the start of the 5K run
For those doing the eight-mile run or walk, a shuttle bus will take them from the Hanalei Pier to the start line in Haena starting at 5:45 a.m.
This is the first year in which a half marathon will be part of the event.
The race also serves as the club’s annual fundraiser.
“We lost nine canoes in the flood. We plan to replace things that we lost during the flood, and we support our youth program with it,” Mair said. “It’s to help us keep functioning, to attend races and things like that — just normal operations that we need money for.”
Online registration ends tonight at midnight at www.hanaleicanoeclub.org/haena-run.
Cost to enter is $40 for the eight-mile run or the 5K run pre-registration and $50 on the day of the race. The half marathon cost is $50 pre-registration and $60 on the day of the race. The cost to enter the one-mile youth run is $10.
Race packet pickup and late registration is Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Hanalei Canoe Club hale or on Saturday, the morning of the race, at 5 a.m. at the Hanalei Pier.
Fees also cover a pancake breakfast and a T-shirt. Late registration does not guarantee a T-shirt.
Awards will be awarded to the top male and female overall finishers and the top-three placers of each age group. The ceremony will be held at the Hanalei Canoe Club hale.
For those not entered in the race, the pancake breakfast will cost $7 per person and will begin 8:30 a.m.
For parking, Mair said drive toward Hanalei Pier, and there will be people directing drivers to the parking area.
Traffic advisory
After additional consultation with the Kauai Police Department, the planned road closures for Hanalei Canoe Club’s 39th annual Haena to Hanalei Run on Saturday have been modified.
To accommodate the event, the Kauai Police Department will be closing only the westbound or Haena-bound lane of Kuhio Highway from Anae Road in Hanalei to Ke‘e Beach. The eastbound or Hanalei-bound lane of Kuhio Highway from Ke‘e Beach to Anae Road will remain open to traffic traveling toward Hanalei. Hanalei bound drivers leaving Haena and Wainiha are asked to drive with caution. Weke Road will be closed from Aku Road to Anae Road, and open to one lane of alternating traffic from Aku Road to Black Pot Beach Park for those going to the pancake breakfast at Hanalei Canoe Club.
All affected roadways will close from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Police will be manning all road closures as well as a turnaround area near Mahimahi Road.
Info: 639-4048; www.hanaleicanoeclub.org
•••
Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
