NAWILIWILI — Island School padding teams took three of the six events offered on Saturday during the final distance races in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation paddling season.
Paddling at the Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, Voyagers claimed top finishes in the junior varsity, varsity girls and varsity boys. Kaua‘i High, Kapa‘a and Waimea crews took one first finish apiece.
For the Voyagers, the wins in JV girls and varsity girls are the third consecutive first finishes in the three races offered.
The Voyager JV girls took advantage of the proverbial calm before the storm to snake the 2-mile course on a paddle that stopped the clock at 12 minutes, 58.65 seconds, nearly two minutes faster than its race on Dec. 10, where it clocked 14:22.90.
Similarly, the Voyager varsity girls stopped the clocks at 25:43.01 over the 4-mile course, shaving nearly three minutes off its Dec. 10 time, when it crossed the finish line on a 28:16.26 paddle. The Voyager girls were just four seconds ahead of the Menehune team that crossed the finish line at 25:47.42.
The KIF paddlers take a break for Christmas and New Year’s, returning to the Wailua River for the sprints regatta on Jan. 7, 2023. Start time for the first races is 9 a.m.
Results
Junior varsity girls (2 miles): Island A (12:58.65); Waimea A (13:30.01); Kaua‘i High A (13:42.01); Kapa‘a A (13:42.01); Island B (unofficial, 14:15.99).
Junior varsity boys (2 miles): Kaua‘i High A (11:47.07); Kapa‘a A (12:17.16); Kapa‘a B (unofficial, 13:04.34).
Junior varsity mixed (2 miles): Kapa‘a A (12:15.62); Kaua‘i High A (12:26.19); Island A (12:30.03); Waimea A (13:50.47); Kaua‘i High B (12:42.23); Kapa‘a B (13:41.21); Kaua‘i High C (unofficial, 13:07.73).
Varsity girls (4 miles): Island A (25:43.01); Waimea A (25:47.42); Kapa‘a A (26:02.57); Kaua‘i High A (26:44.06, disqualified for not completing the turn).
Varsity boys (4 miles): Island A (23:14.00); Kaua‘i High A (25:05.96); Waimea A (22:55:00, disqualified for jumping the start line); Kapa‘a A (23:07.25, disqualified for jumping the start line).
Varsity mixed (4 miles): Waimea A (23:32.88); Island A (23:41.63); Kapa‘a A (26:00.88); Kaua‘i High A (26:17.53); Kapa‘a B (25:34.99); Island B (25:52.53); Waimea B (27:523.23).
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
