NAWILIWILI — Island School paddling teams took first place in three of six events on Saturday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation distance regatta at the Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor that was pelted with strong trade winds.
The Voyager varsity girls started the competition before the crowd spread out along the seawall separating the boat harbor from the mouth of the Hule‘ia River, and set the pace by winning its race on a 4-mile paddle of 28 minutes, 16.26 seconds.
The Voyager girls’ finish provided enough space for the tight second and third finishes between the Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a varsity girls, who crossed the finish plane by less than a second apart amid strong and enthusiastic cheering by everyone else.
The Voyagers went on to claim first finishes in the junior varsity girls and the varsity mixed classes after its varsity boys and the Kaua‘i High varsity boys crews were disqualified for interference at the starting turn.
The Kapaa B JV mixed team suffered a huli, or canoe flipping over, at the races that otherwise ran smoothly.
Following the second week of regattas, Island School is in the lead of the JV girls with 10 points, the varsity girls with 10 points, and tied with Waimea High in the varsity mixed division with eight points each.
Waimea High is tied for second in the JV girls with Kapa‘a High, each holding five points. Kaua‘i High has the lead in the JV boys with 10 points, and tied with Kapa‘a in the JV mixed, each school holding eight points.
Kapa‘a High has the lead in varsity boys with 10 points.
Saturday marks the final distance regatta at the Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor. The first race comes off the buoy starting at 9 a.m. From Jan. 7, the KIF regatta moves to the Wailua River for the sprint races.
Results
JV girls: 1. Island A (14:22.90); 2. Waimea A (15:41.46); 3. Kapa‘a A (16:19.26); 4. Kaua‘i High A (16:56.06 — 1 min. infraction); 5. Kaua‘i High B (16:43.54), Island B — unofficial (14:51.43).
JV boys: 1. Kaua‘i High A (12:22.58); 2. Kapa‘a A (12:45.07); 3. Kaua‘i High B (13:15.67); 4. Kapa‘a B (14:24.54).
JV mixed: 1. Kaua‘i High A (12:44.47); 2. Kapa‘a A (13:38.04); 3. Island A (13:53.55); 4. Waimea A (14:59.42); 5. Kaua‘i High B (14:16.22); 6. Kaua‘i High (14:27.34) 7. Kapa‘a B (huli, 18:48.18).
Varsity girls: 1. Island A (28:16.26); 2. Kaua‘i High A (29:46:32); 3. Kapa‘a A (29:47.49); 4. Waimea A (30:16.93); 5. Kaua‘i High B (14:54.46, one lap).
Varsity boys: 1. Kapa‘a A (24:52.17); 2. Waimea A (26:01.96); 3. Island A (DQ, 24:50.57); 4. Kaua‘i High A (DQ, 26:11.20).
Varsity mixed: 1. Island A (24:56.74); 2. Waimea A (25:24.42); 3. Kapa‘a A (27:03.81); 4. Kaua‘i High A (27:22.39); 5. Kapa‘a B (28:38.96); 6. Island B (unofficial, 27:12.35); 7. Waimea B (unofficial, 30:25.14); 8. Kaua‘i High B (unofficial, 31:10.61).
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
