HILO — Kai ‘Ehitu Canoe Club concluded the island’s paddling regatta regular season with its fourth victory of 2024 in the Aunty Maile/Moko O Hawai‘i Championship on Saturday in Hilo Bay. The event was sponsored by Hoemana Canoe Club.
The club totaled 28 medals — 14 of them gold — to go along with 251 total points. Kai ‘Ehitu’s victories were in the boys age-12 division (2:00.28), boys age-14 division (1:40.88), boys age-15 division (3:55.29), boys 16-and-under division (3:47.41), boys 18-and-under division (3:36.26), mixed age-18 division (4:05.47), men’s sophomore division (3:33.78), men’s senior division (11:41.11), men’s masters age-40 division (3:43.02), men’s masters age-60 division (3:53.20), men’s golden masters age-55 division (3:56.30), senior men’s masters age-50 division (3:42.43), mixed masters age-55 division (3:59.77) and the mixed masters age-40
division (3:55.54).
Puna Canoe Club placed second overall with 25 total medals and 223 points. Puna’s 10 gold-medal wins were in the girls age-13 division (1:56.28), women’s novice (4:16.88), women’s senior division (14:01.59), women’s masters age-40 division (4:19.14), women’s masters age-60 division (4:43.34), women’s golden masters age-55 division (4:33.41), senior women’s masters age-50 division (4:26.15), women’s open four (4:30.91), men’s open four (3:40.51) and the mixed men and women division (3:47.86).
Puna also rostered the most experienced paddler in the event, as Jimmy Nani‘ole raced in the men’s masters at 84 years old.
Kai Opua Canoe club earned the No. 3 overall spot with 25 medals and 203 cumulative points. The club won eight events — the women’s novice (1:58.36), men’s novice (1:37.53), girls age-14 division (1:54.77), mixed novice (1:44.85), another men’s novice (3:39.91), women’s freshmen division (4:02.29), women’s junior division (9:01.16) and the men’s age-65 division (4:08.06).
Kai Opua additionally posted the fastest quarter-mile time of the day, as its men’s novice team of Kaleo Lee, Drew Manning, Saul Gutiennez, Ala Ablao, Joshua Gonzalez and Oliver Fujima raced in 1:37.53.
Keaukaha Canoe Club posted the fastest half-mile and mile times — Brawn Albino, Kama Leeloy, Tyler Makaiwi, Jose Lizardi, Rusty Crabbe and Robert Whitney Jr. finished in 3:24.83 in the men’s freshmen division, while Leeloy, Makaiwi, Lizardi, Crabbe, Spencer Kamauoha-Smith and Mario Mausio raced the men’s junior division in 7:22.76.
Kailana Canoe Club’s Leivai Tahutini was the regatta’s youngest paddler at 7 years of age. She raced in the girls age-13 division.
To read more results from the event, see Page 3B.
With the regatta regular season now in the rearview mirror, HCRA’s focus will shift to long distance events, which resumes Aug. 10 in Miloli‘i Bay. The Eo Molokai Nui A Hina Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta will take place Aug. 3 at Ke‘ehi Lagoon on O‘ahu.
