WAILUA — The Garden Island Motorcycle Club will hosts it 64th annual Labor Day Hare &Hound off-road dirt bike race Saturday.
The race will be at Kalepa Ridge in Hanamaulu, opposite of the Wailua Motocross Track.
“It goes from Hanamaulu, and then from there in the mountain range, it goes to the Wailua River,” said Bertram Almeida, Garden Island Motorcycle Club president.
Riders will compete in an A class for experts and a B class for intermediates. Riders will be collecting checks along a course about 30 miles long.
“Last year, I think the fastest riders came in under three hours,” Almeida said. “That correlates with the slowest guys coming in, like, six hours. This one’s going to be an all-day event.”
Deadline to register is Friday. Registration fee is $80.
There will be a riders’ meeting at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the Wailua Motocross Track.
On the morning of the race, gates will open 6, registration will begin 6:30 and the race is scheduled for 8.
Riders can register on-site the morning of the race for an additional $20 late fee.
The event will be dedicated to Russell Andrade, son of Garden Island Motorcycle Club and race event founder Larry Andrade.
Russell Andrade passed away in December. He was 72.
“(Russell) was a soft-spoken individual, old school and a super nice guy,” Almeida said. “He did everything with passion. Loved his motorcycles. Loved his family. He was one of those classic guys. He was always smiling and had a good attitude.”
Almeida said the event also draws in riders from the neighbor islands. Participants from Maui and the Big Island, though, won’t be able to attend.
“Because of the hurricane, Young Brothers shipping was uncertain. We usually get three three or four containers that come from the outer islands … with the majority coming from Oahu,” Almeida said. “Maui and Big Island couldn’t make it this year. I think there’s about 10 of them that show up from Maui.
“But Oahu, they wanted to show up but got word that they couldn’t. Then last minute, they found out that they could. They hustled up. I think they got about 20 of them. They got containers. So, they’re on their way,” he continued. “They had to get a container, fill it all up with all their bikes, and they had to ship it all last minute. They really wanted to be here, and they made it happen.”
Info: 651-3000, www.gimc.us
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Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
