Puna has built its reputation for doing more with less in the Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association.
Despite fewer crews, head coach Afa Tuaolo’s Green Pride has captured the last two Aunty Maile Mauhili/Moku O Hawaii championships.
For years, Puna’s weakness was a lack of crews (or points) in the youth races, ages 12 to 18, which usually meant a deep deficit before the day is halfway done.
But what if Green Pride was on an equal playing field with long-time rival Kai Opua, owner of the last dynasty with seven straight titles (2008-14)?
Easy answer: go toe-to-toe against Big Blue with 41 crews each and the balance of power shifts to East Hawaii.
On a steaming Saturday that made Hilo Bay feel like a sauna, Green Pride won the 22nd annual Puna regatta, picking up a third straight win.
Puna seized 15 golds for 231 points to Kai Opua’s seven golds and 191 points to take Division A (15-41 events). Kai Ehitu, with 36 crews, placed third with 167 points.
Keauhou snagged Division B (1-14 races) with 55 points and runner-up Kailana scored one of the bigger upsets of the season. (More on that below.)
This summer, Puna fills all 13 youth races. Last year, the club was 12 of 13. In 2015, it was 7 of 13 and left a lot of points on the beach.
“We’ve got more kids, and the kids have improved,” Tuaolo said. “People have trained hard.”
That’s part of the blueprint.
The long-time coach keeps his paddlers hungry, changing lineups and looking for the strongest six-pack combination.
Puna’s training program works wonders, too, especially when a paddler takes it as serious business.
Last year, Chance Agpoon was the on the Puna men sophomore crew, which took the Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii title and runner-up at the Hawaii Canoe Racing Association state regatta.
He dropped weight from 230 to 190 pounds and earned a double promotion as the stroker for the undefeated freshmen and junior crews.
True to his word, Tuaolo changed the lineup. Agpoon didn’t race in the men junior but was in the winning mixed men and women crew, the last event of the day.
“When it comes down to it, it’s feel and teamwork,” Agpoon said. “It’s all six of us. We’re all one team, no individuals or part-time paddlers.”
Puna youth coach Jeremy Padayao is also on the freshmen and junior crews. He was in sync with his crewmate when asked a reason for the unbeaten success.
“It’s teamwork, and Chance copied my answer. It’s like Family Feud,” Padayao joked. “But we work as a team, support each other and are positive. That permeates with our whole open program.”
Agpoon is part of Puna’s farm system. He started on the boys 14 crew and was coached as a youngster by Padayao.
In the Time Flies department, they’re now teammates.
“I guess I’m the old guy on the crew now,” said Padayao, whose sense of humor never runs dry.
Meanwhile, there’s no club that has a deeper farm system than Kai Opua, which has filled all 13 youth races the last three years.
Big Blue may not win the most Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii youth titles (Kai Ehitu led the way last year with five; Kai Opua had two), but the West Hawaii powerhouse always replenishes its ranks as keiki age out.
Padayao is hoping the club’s youngsters become like his old pal Agpoon, who gets better with age and continues as a Green Pride paddler.
“Before we were not strong with the kids,” Padayao said. “But we’re trying to build the program. It’s not just me. We’ve got other good coaches to help make the program strong.”
Kailana’s upset
The Kai Opua boys 16 crew came into the day unbeaten in the half-mile event. But Kailana (Justin Kenoi, Jashen Mathieu, Owen Palakiko, Jake Toci, Cyrus Veloria, Isaac Ysaguirre) took the race in 3 minutes, 58.81 seconds.
Kamehameha was second in 3:59.99 while Kai Opua placed third in 4:00.19.
Kailana youth coach Jerome Mauhili figured a victory might happen sooner or later.
The crew was second in the first two regattas but earned zero points and a disqualification for interference (coming to close to another crew on the turn).
Mauhili pointed out that Ysaguirre took over as stroker and made a difference for the crew, which is experienced except for Mathieu, a rookie paddler.
“I told them to enjoy the win, be humble and work hard because the other teams will be on their back at the next regatta,” he said.
Clean records
The Kai Opua boys 16 crew wasn’t the only one to tumble from the ranks of the unbeatens. Also falling were the Kai Ehitu mixed 40 and Keauhou men 40.
In the mixed 40 race, Keauhou finished first, Kai Opua second and Kai Ehitu third.
In the men 40 event, Puna placed first, Keauhou second and Kamehameha third.
The undefeated crews are Kai Ehitu boys 13, Kawaihae boys 14, Kai Opua girls and boys 18, Puna men novice A, freshmen, sophomore, junior, women 60, 50, and mixed 55.
