HANALEI — Zachary Safford of Lihu‘e, swimming in the keiki 9-12 division, was the first to touch bottom in the 6th annual Namolokama Canoe Club Open Water Swim at Hanalei Bay Saturday.
“Participants and spectators from Kaua‘i, California, Texas, Canada and as far away as France were treated to a break in the rainy weather just as Kumu Alpha Goto finished the pule to kick off the event,” said Barbara Smith of Namolokama in an email. “More than 180 swimmers, the biggest field in six years, participated with swimmers ranging in age from 4 to 80 years old.”
Zachary crossed the tape of the 200 meter course at 2:55 followed less than a minute later by his sister Julia who stopped the clock at 3:20.
In a photo finish, brothers Ari and Adan Hendrickson, crossing 15th and 16th respectively, topped the keiki 1-8 division with identical 4:11 swims followed by Sarah Burrell of California at 4:33, the first female in the Keiki 1-8 division.
Each of the 44 keiki swimmers, emerging to the rousing cheers of family and volunteers, earned “star swimmer” ribbons.
Anya Littlefield who graduated from Kapa‘a High School in May and is heading on to collegiate swimming, topped the two-mile swim, crossing the finish at 33:53, or a 16:56 pace. She was followed by Tyson Chihara, a Kaua‘i High School alumni now of Lahaina, Maui, crossing at 35:30, or a 17:45 pace in the 27-swimmer field for the distance course.
Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics coach Billy Brown, who recently swam the Strait of Gibraltar, finished in the No. 3 spot at 35:42, or a 17:51 pace, just 12 seconds behind Chihara.
Yasmine Ware, a Kaua‘i High School swimmer and Maddie Hashman of Austin, Texas, topped the one-mile and half-mile events to complete an all-female sweep of the distance events.
Ware, swimming in the 1-19 division, crossed the tape on a 19:48 swim with Jonathan McMullen of Long Beach, Calif., on her tail with a 20:13 swim in the 52-swimmer field for the one mile.
Hanna and Mitchell Landry, both of Riverside, Calif., touched at 20:14 and 20:19 respectively before Dylan Thomas of Princeville filled in the No. 5 spot with a 20:28 swim.
Carolyn Price of Koloa, pocketing a third finish in the Family Fun Run Sunday, preceded that feat with a sixth finish in the one mile on a 22:27 swim. The Island School eighth grade student admitted on Sunday that gymnastics and swimming are her favorite sporting events.
Hashman finished the half-mile swim on a 13:02 swim with Jack Machorek, the SKA swimmer from Kalaheo who recently grabbed ink with his performance at the state meet, in her shadow with an identical 13:02 mark in the 40-swimmer field for the half-mile event.
Smith said swimmers for the event hailed from all parts of the island, from ‘Ele‘ele to Ha‘ena, with Koko Kaneali‘i doing the microphone duties and Sue Boynton snapping photos of the top three finishers in each age group.
Smith said proceeds will be distributed to a variety of local recipients, including the “Save the Pier” effort being spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay.
Visit www.namolokama.com for more information on Namolokama O’Hanalei Canoe Club. Visit www.jtltiming.com for full race results.
