WAILUA — Kauai High School paddling coach Lori Parraga had a good day Saturday during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship paddling regatta on the Wailua River.
The Red Raider varsity girls and the varsity boys won the finals of their respective races. The Waimea Menehune completed the day of upsets by taking the varsity mixed race, adding to its wins in the junior varsity boys and JV mixed classes. The teams held Kapaa High School, strong throughout the season, to just a win in the junior varsity girls.
“Kauai High had a great day,” said Parraga. “We won both the varsity girls and boys races. The girls, despite the win, came up five points short, but the boys ended tying Kapaa with 27 points each. Under the KIF rules, the crew to win on champs gets the championship. We’ve got the boys going to states!”
Following the excitement, Kapaa claims the varsity girls title with 28 points, challenged by Kauai at 23 points and Waimea ending with 12 points, and Island School with five points. In the varsity boys, Kauai claims the title after tying Kapaa at 27 points each. Waimea finishes at third with 15 points followed by Island School at 12 points.
Kapaa also claims the varsity mixed division with 29 points, followed by Waimea tallying 22 points, Kauai getting 13 points to tie with Island School for third.
Kapaa High School will be sending its varsity girls and varsity mixed crews to the Hawaiian Airlines Hawaii High School Athletic Association Canoe Paddling championships Feb. 3 on Hilo Bay. Kauai High School will be sending its varsity boys crew to represent the KIF.
In the junior varsity division, Kapaa claims the JV girls with 35 points followed by Kauai at 21 points and Waimea at 12 points.
Waimea claims both the JV boys and mixed divisions with 35 points in each class. Kapaa finished with 20 points in both the JV boys and mixed divisions, followed by Kauai getting 13 points in the JV boys and 15 points in the JV mixed.
For Kauai High, the varsity girls finished third during the preliminary heats, crossing the line at 5 minutes, 10.55 seconds to the 5:03.97 pace set by the Menehune. But adjustments for the finals saw the Raiders break the five-minute mark, crossing at 4:59.59 to Kapaa’s 5:03.12 mark.
The Raider boys were a different story, setting the pace during the preliminary run at 4:31.49, and improving on that run to a 4:27.84 pace during the finals.
Similar excitement governed the mixed race when Island School’s A team set the pace at 4:56.59 during the preliminary heats, beating out the Menehune (5:00.24) and the Warriors (4:57.83) to advance to the finals, eliminating the Raiders from contention.
Waimea rebounded in the finals, stroking to a 4:47.07 pace, nearly four seconds ahead of the Voyagers (4:51.57) and the Warriors (4:57.48).
Results
(Results are by lane assignments, not necessarily fastest to slowest)
JV girls: Kauai A (5:18.63), Kapaa A (5:13.82), Waimea A (5:30.04); Kauai B (5:44.67), Kapaa B (5:26.20), Kapaa C (5:45.55)
JV boys: Kapaa A (4:48.26), Kauai A (4:54.65), Waimea A (4:32.96)
JV mixed: Waimea A (4:54.01), Kapaa A (4:56.80), Kauai A (5:02.78); Kapaa C (5:23.09), Kapaa B (5:11.72), Waimea B (5:24.78)
Preliminaries varsity girls: Waimea A (5:03.97), Kauai A (5:10.55); Kapaa A (5:05.50), Island (5:49.57)
Preliminaries varsity boys: Island (4:50.32), Kapaa A (4:32.85); Waimea A (4:38.40), Kauai A (4:31.49)
Preliminaries varsity mixed: Waimea A (5:00.24), Island (4:56.59); Kapaa A (4:57.83), Kauai A (5:08.52); Island B (5:19.60), Waimea B (5:11.86), Kap (5:29.29)
Finals varsity girls: Kapaa (5:03.12), Waimea (5:06.45), Kauai (4:59.59)
Finals varsity boys: Kapaa (4:30.89), Kauai (4:27.84), Waimea (4:40.29)
Finals varsity mixed: Kapaa (4:57.48), Island (4:51.58), Waimea (4:47.07)
