Less than three minutes separated the top two finishers in Na Pali Challenge, Saturday in Waimea. The Namolokama Canoe Club crew aboard Hokualele, racing in the Open 1 division, touched down with a 4:31:37 paddle, challenged heavily by Kaiola, aboard
Less than three minutes separated the top two finishers in Na Pali Challenge, Saturday in Waimea.
The Namolokama Canoe Club crew aboard Hokualele, racing in the Open 1 division, touched down with a 4:31:37 paddle, challenged heavily by Kaiola, aboard Nihimanu, landing at 4:44:52.
But the big battle was for third place as the Kaiola crew on Hihimanu was just three seconds ahead of the Kaiola Masters 40 crew aboard Keoniloa which touched at 4:44:55, just three seconds back of the Open 1 division crew.
Hosted by the Garden Island Canoe Racing Association, Na Pali Challenge offers an opportunity
for kane, or men, and wahine, or women, paddlers to come together for a 38-mile race down Na Pali coast.
Each team consists of six kane and six wahine with the teams taking turns in the canoe with water changes taking place every 30 minutes.
This year’s running, the 14th annual Na Pali Challenge, featured 36 teams from Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, California, Washington and Arizona.
The Kukui‘ula Canoe Club team aboard Keoniloa was the first Open division team to finish, touching fourth overall with a 4:49:19 paddle.
Namolokama’s Master 50s team aboard Kamakani Eleu topped that division with a 5:00:10 run, touching down in Waimea seventh overall.
A combined team of Niumalu and Kilohana canoe clubs was the first Open 2 division team to cross, settling at 5:03:35 aboard Alapai.
A Kaiola team aboard Kanaloa touched down at 5:20:08 to lead the Open 3 division, that team challenged by Namolokama aboard 87C touching at 5:24:58.
Visit www.gicra.com for complete result listing.
