KONA, Hawaii — According to Kaiola Canoe Club coach Lori Parraga, the Kaiola Canoe Club fared well at the Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race that wrapped up on Monday in Kona on the Big Island.
Described as ‘the world’s largest canoe race,’ Kaiola Canoe Club paddlers found gold medals in the Juniors Mixed and Mixed 50 races.
Parraga said this is the third year as first place winners for the Mixed 50 division.
The Open Women 40 team finished their race in fourth place.
Wade Yamamoto and Kurt Viluan was the team in the OC2 Division that found gold in the 50 division races.
In the V1 Rudderless division, Colten Delacruz finished in third place followed by Max Evslin settling in fourth place.
Presented by Kai Opua Canoe Club, the Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race is sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the County of Hawaii, the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Kamehameha Schools, Texaco, Matua, High Noon, Goose’s Edge and Johnson Brothers.
Named in honor of the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, the Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race was started in 1972 to fulfill a need to train for Na Wahine O Ke Kai and the Molokai Hoe long distance canoe races from the island of Molokai to Oahu.
The race has grown from a one-day event to four days of racing that attracts more than 2,500 paddlers from around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Florida, California and Canada.
