The Hanalei Canoe Club picked up points in all 42 event of the Garden Island Canoe Championships, Saturday at Hanalei Bay. Hanalei, pulling in 15 first-place finishes, piled up 122 points in Na Opio en route to 292 points at
The Hanalei Canoe Club picked up points in all 42 event of the Garden Island Canoe Championships, Saturday at Hanalei Bay.
Hanalei, pulling in 15 first-place finishes, piled up 122 points in Na Opio en route to 292 points at day’s end for the overall win in the AAAA Division for teams participating in 21-42 events.
“The day was majestic with just the right wind, no real surf, and a nice current helping the canoes up and down the course,” said Mia Pauletto, the GICRA vice president, in an e-mail. “The day started with a tribute to Jasmine Kainoa Forrest. The Forrest ‘Ohana joined the Hanalei Canoe Club members in honoring the loss of a wonderful paddler who wanted to share her love of canoe paddling.”
Pauletto said during the half-way point following the completion of Na Opio class, Hanalei Hermosura and the paddling community paid tribute to Forrest with a helicopter drop of flowers along the race course while all canoe club members joined hands at the shore’s edge.
Namolokama, placing third in Na Opio just two points below Niumalu, came back to finish with a solid 227 points for second place in the AAAA Division after participating in, and picking up points in 19 of 23 adult events.
Kaiola Canoe Club, finishing fourth in Na Opio, came back to participate in 10 of the 23 adult events to finish with 143 points for third place in the AAAA Division.
Niumalu Canoe Club, strong in Na Opio Girls 13 Under (2:23.33) and the Boys 15 Under (4:17.25) edged out Namolokama by two points for 76 points in that division and added five events in the adult division to finish with 112 points, tops in the AAA Division for clubs participating in 13-20 events.
Kukui‘ula, coming off a week of celebrating the Koloa Plantation Days by hosting the Paddle Fest last week, competed in two Na Opio events, but piled up the points in the adult division to finish with 102 points and second place in the AAA Division.
Pu‘uwai Canoe Club spread its 67 points between Na Opio (34 points) and the adult division to finish with 67 points and third place in the AAA Division.
Kilohana Canoe Club, traditionally a strong Na Opio contender, edged out Pu‘uwai in Na Opio by two points, ending the day with 61 points and top honors in the AA Division for teams participating in 7-12 events.
Kawaikini piled up all of its 35 points in the adult division, including a first finish in the Women Novice A on a 4:51.51 half-mile paddle, 11 seconds ahead of Kaiola who was DQ-ed. That performance gave it top honors in the A Division for clubs participating in one to six events.
