The women crossed the Kaiwi Channel a couple of weeks ago in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai. Now, it’s the men’s turn.
The 66th annual Molokai Hoe long-distance outrigger canoe race is set for Sunday. Crews will paddle about 41 miles from Molokai to Oahu.
“The comparison you hear the most, it’s the Super Bowl for paddlers,” said local paddler Christian Marston Jr. “It’s our Olympics for paddling, anything outside of Tahiti. Tahiti has their own race, but they still consider (the Molokai Hoe) the one to win.”
Marston, of Hanalei, is part of an all-Kauai crew that will compete in the Open division at Molokai Hoe called Kauai Wa’a. For him, this will be his sixth time crossing the channel in the Molokai Hoe.
Kauai Wa’a crew members are: Marston, Parker Keawe Smith, Jody Simpson, Hobey Beck, Sebastian Romero, Tyrus Siale, BJ Aiwohi, Jesse Palumbo and Mark Frazier. Auxiliary paddlers are Bronson Aiwohi and Mikey Thornton.
“For me, it’s always the ending (that’s tough). Your line, which is your course, that’s one of the most important things about the race. But the most grueling part of the race is when you get to mile 36, and you have another nine miles to go,” Marston said. “When you get to Hawaii Kai and you get wind, then you have a downwind run to Diamond Head. If not, sometimes that’s just the grind. When you get later into the race, that’s when everybody starts hurting.”
Marston said Kauai Wa’a aims to place in the top 10 on Sunday.
“Before the race starts, there’s a big pule — the prayer — at Hale O Lono. You have every single paddler there on the shore getting their canoes ready. Everybody’s holding hands together doing the opening ceremonies. That’s pretty heavy to see that,” Marston said. “There’s like 800 people there or more, maybe 1,000. They’re all there. They do a prayer with everyone, then everyone does their own stuff. It’s unreal.”
Going back to defend its title is Namolokama-Kaiola.
The Kauai crew, made up of paddlers from local clubs Namolokama and Kaiola, aim to again win the Masters 65 division.
“We’re the bullseye right now I hear,” said Namolokama paddler Gene Lopez. “I’ve been kind of nervous all week. I’ve been training really hard. The whole crew has. This particular division, all the other guys have been around. They know how to paddle. The know how to read the ocean. They know how to move the canoe. The experience, it’s just a challenge in this division because you are dealing with seasoned paddlers.”
Namolokama-Kaiola has 12 members — 10 from Kauai and two from the Big Island. Lopez, who resides in Hanalei, is about to make his 21st crossing in the Molokai Hoe.
Crew members are: Lopez, Ata Chow, Kawika Goodale, Phil Morgan, Mike Kobayashi, Andy Reich, Jeff O’Hara, Tom Thompson, Tim Haentjens, Jack Edgehill, Jeffrey Estep and Roger Dunn.
Lopez, in addition to winning the division, said the crew aims to complete the 41-mile course in less than six hours.
“This division, at our age, we’re pretty fortunate to be doing this race,” he said. “Anybody paddling at this age, you got to hand it to those guys. They train hard. We train hard. And then to go out there and compete, to be able to go in the Super Bowl of paddling and be part of it, that’s just phenomenal. We guys dream about that. A lot of guys don’t get to do this.”
Also paddling in the long-distance race is a local crew comprised of members from local clubs Puuwai and Kukuiula.
This crew, which is called Team Kauai Masters 40s, will compete in the Masters 40 division. Local crew members are: Miyake, Bryan Miyake, Jacob Akaka, Tim Self, Kawika Moniz and Joe Rapozo.
Puuwai paddler Keone Miyake, of Anahola, said the crew hopes to be a top finisher in the division. He, too, said the hardest part of the race is when the finish line is in sight.
He added he feels anxious leading up to the race, but once he’s in the canoe at the starting line, all of his nervous tension vanishes.
“I feel calm. It’s weird,” Miyake said. “Leading up to it all the way until I get into the canoe on race day, and getting in the canoe, I feel nervous. As many times as I’ve raced, always right before the race, I get nervous. But once I get in the canoe and get to the starting line, I feel calm. I’m in element. I feel comfortable.”
For Miyake, this will be his return paddling in the Molokai Hoe after taking the last couple of years off to coach other crews in the long-distance race. This will be his 21st time doing the race.
“It’s going to be fun for me. I’ve been waiting to race again,” he said. “I gave up the last couple of years to coach. … I’m feeling good and strong. Feeling confident. I’m excited.”
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Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
