Kukui‘ula Outrigger Canoe Club is the newest member of the Garden Island Canoe Racing Association, a news release states. They are in their fourth year as a club, and with the help of Pu‘uwai Canoe Club, finally obtained full membership in 2010.
The club is lead by head coach Keone Miyake, President Dana Miyake, and board members Jonathan Parrish, Tony Zina, Denise Morrison, Tenley Ueda, Mac and Fran McDonald and Kamu and Laola Aea.
While Kukui‘ula has made a great showing at the many long distance canoe races, the club’s greatest triumphs so far have been the Na Wahine O Ke Kai women’s Molokai race and the men’s Molokai Hoe, both in 2009, the release says. The women placed 22nd overall, with four paddlers who were brand new to the channel race, and the men’s team took 29th overall and second place in the Masters division, with four Novice B (first-year) paddlers.
Kukui‘ula recently hosted its first long distance canoe race, the Kukui‘ula Klassic, in Poipu with 30 six-man canoe entries. The Kukui‘ula men took first place in the masters, and second in the open and novice divisions. The women achieved first and fourth in the open division, and the mixed crew placed first in the masters division, second overall, the release says.
The club is also involved in a number of community service and fundraising activities. They regularly participate in collecting food and donations for the Kaua‘i Food Bank, and part of the proceeds for the TriKauai Triathlon, jointly run with Pu‘uwai Canoe Club, goes to local charities.
Funds for new boats, race entries and a new hale are raised through car washes, T-shirt sales and sponsoring canoe races. Upcoming events include the TriKauai Triathlon, regularly held in April, July and November, and Paddlefest, part of Koloa Days in July.
Kukui‘ula always welcomes new members. The club’s goals are to have fun, be competitive, and spread the art of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling and its culture. Novice paddlers practice on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:30 at Kukui‘ula small boat harbor, and anyone can stop by for more information or call Keone Miyake at 808-332-7625. Experienced paddlers practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and keikis practice is Wednesdays at 4 p.m.
