US Hawaiians Too takes overall PK distance race

LIHUE — Prince Jonah Kuhio commissioned the first Hawaiian outrigger canoe in 1903, and in his honor, the Garden Island Racing Canoe Association hosted a long distance canoe race Saturday.

Men raced from Kalapaki Beach, moving from a LeMans start to an ocean start at Kukui Point, ending at the Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor, just a short distance from the Prince Kuhio Park, birthplace of Kuhio.

From there, women got into their canoes for a race to the Salt Pond Beach Park.

The team of U.S. Hawaiians Too Puuwai Open Mixed topped the field, making the haul in 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 45.2 seconds for overall honors, touching nearly 8 minutes ahead of Hemakani Awiwi Kaiola Open Mixed (1:11:31).

In addition to capturing top overall honors, the team topped the open mixed division.

Iosepa West Kauai Novice Mixed topped that division on a 1:18:19 paddle.

Hukualele Na Molokama Open Men topped the men’s division races, touching at 1:31:54.

Top honors in the novice division went to Keoneloa Kukuiula Novice Men (1:43.04) with U.S. Hawaiians Too Puuwai Men 40 (1:45:16) taking top honors in the master men 40s division followed by Tahiti Nui Na Molokama Men 50 (1:41:05) taking top honors in the master men 50s bracket.

Ikaikamaikalani Hanalei Men 55 (1:59:49) topped their division with Te Uira Namolokama Men 60 (1:41:51) taking the master men 60s division.

On the women’s course, Hokualele Na Molokama Open Women, touching third overall, topped the field on a 1:12:24.4, steering the team to the top of that division as well.

Keoneloa Kukuiula Novice Women (1:20:11) topped the Novice women division followed by Alapai Niumalu Women 40 (1:19:40) topping the master w-omen 40s.

Hui Ohana Hanalei Women 55 (1:21:59) topped the Master Women 55s division.

Te Uira Na Molokama Open Mixed (1:13.30) topped the open mixed division.