KIHEI – Kihei Canoe Club’s “Lokahi Sisters” couldn’t wait to get out on the water in the Moki Kalanikau Regatta.
It had been a bit of a wait for the women’s 55 crew members – Saturday’s event at Ka Lae Pohaku was their first of the year, after last week’s Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association opener was cut short by a shark sighting at Kahului Harbor.
“It feels incredible to be able to win, we never know who is going to show up early in the season,” steersperson Denise Guerin said after the crew won its race. “(Last week), we were all just well-trained, really excited about paddling together, ready to go – this is our third year together.”
The crew of Judy Epstein, Bonney Esbensen, Linda Lopez, Robyn Cavitt, Katy Smith and Guerin was unbeaten in the MCHCA last season and brought home a silver medal from the state regatta in 2013.
Their victory in the 25th race of the day was Kihei’s first at its host regatta since event No. 1, the women’s 65.
“We work together throughout the winter, we do things together, we exercise together, we took a pilates class together,” Guerin said. “We call ourselves the ‘Lokahi Sisters’ because our main objective is to care for each other and it doesn’t matter how difficult that is. The main thing is that we connect up our hearts.”
The crew had a time of 4 minutes, 50.80 seconds.
“Six paddles, one heart,” Epstein said. “We were really excited today because we have such a cohesive connection.”
Kihei head coach Kawika Williams had a big smile on his face three days after the birth of his second grandson, Dylan Williams, who joins brother Caleb Williams, 5.
“The hosting role is going really great, we have a good bunch of people in the club and they really take care of a lot of the hosting stuff,” Kawika Williams said. “I don’t have to worry about a lot of stuff except the canoe racing aspect of it.”
Hawaiian Canoe Club, which last season claimed its 12th state championship in 16 years, and 30th consecutive MCHCA crown, took Saturday’s team title with 162 points. Kihei finished second with 101.
Club points were tallied for the first time Saturday, though crew points from last week’s races – which were primarily keiki events – will count.
“We had a good first full regatta,” said Hawaiian keiki coach Paul Luuwai. “We were kind of on our ‘A’ game for the most part today. Of course there’s a lot of races, so we are trying to correct our errors and make ourselves better.”
Luuwai questioned the decision to halt last week’s regatta.
“There has got to be more precedence if someone sees a fish in the water,” he said. “We can’t stop a race for a fish – I think the fish live in the water, so it’s kind of their right to be there. It is what it is, but I think we are biting at the bit to get out there today. Not only our club, but I think all the adults are ready to rock on.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com
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MCHCA MOKI KALANIKAU REGATTA
Saturday’s Results
At Ka Lae Pohaku
Female
Quarter mile
12A-1. Napili (Laieikawai Tancayo, Jadyn Neary, Kahea Garcia, Mikala Basques, Mei Lei Wegner, Kapua Nakoa) 2:14.03, 2. Hawaiian 2:15.46, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 2:26.56, 4. Kihei 2:34.58, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 2:35.79. 12B-1. Hawaiian (Tesha Fernandes, Kahealani Haupu, Samantha Martinez, Starlinia Schneider-Dorris, Nohealani Ledesma, Kaela Kotter) 2:16.76, 2. Napili 2:26.49, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 2:37.04, 4. Kihei 2:39.36, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 3:16.16, 6. Lahaina. 2:53.56. 13-1. Hawaiian (Kalena Vaivai, Kaila Medeiros, Liana Vasconcellos, Olivia Delaney, Rose Delaney, Taylor Cho) 2:03.89, 2. Napili 2:06.35, 3. Kihei 2:17.28, 4. Wailea 2:20.13, 5. Lae’ula O Kai 2:29.07. 14-1. Hawaiian (Taysia Pimentel, Taylor Kiesling, Kale’a Paiva, Kennadee Keiser, Kaulana Potter, Kaila Medeiros) 2:04.31, 2. Napili 2:05.38, 3. Kihei 2:10.93, 4. Hana. 2:14.78, 5. Lae’ula O Kai 2:26.92. Novice B-1. Kahana (Chanda Kiley, Naomi Posh, Ana Farmer, Mary Daavettila, Jenna Hunter, Stephanie Brunelle) 1:59.90, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 2:07.37, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 2:07.90, 4. Hawaiian 2:09.70, 5. Kihei 2:11.05, 6. Napili 2:12.98, 7. Wailea 2:16.72.
Half-mile
15-1. Hawaiian (Kaysha Terry-AhKui, Kale’a Paiva, Hiilei Luuwai, Sienna Miller, Kaulana Potter, Taysia Pimentel) 4:39.02, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 4:50.24, 3. Wailea 4:54.04, 4. Napili 5:01.41, 5. Kahana 5:11.65, 6. Hana. 5:14.43. 16-1. Hawaiian (Laura Dodson, Nanea Andrade, Kaysha Terry-AhKui, Amber Prados, Kalena Vaivai, Hiilei Luuwai) 4:44.23, 2. Napili 4:45.79, 3. Kihei 4:51.11, 4. Lae’ula O Kai 4:55.49, 5. Kahana 5:03.18, 6. Wailea 5:08.16. 18-1. Hawaiian (Brenna Hoonan-Amby, Kahili Novikoff, Lihau Collier, Aspen Cruz-Wallace, Laura Dodson, Briana Hollingsworth) 4:44.27, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 5:14.73, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 8:50.06. 50-1. Lae’ula O Kai (Holly Dollar, Bernie Mansell, Jacque Mulleitner, Tanya Muhle, Victoria Takayesu-Hamilton, Mary Kielty) 4:37.30, 2. Kihei 4:39.13, 3. Hawaiian 5:03.62, 4. Wailea 5:12.39. 55-1. Kihei (Linda Lopez, Bonney Esbensen, Judy Epstein, Robyn Cavitt, Katy Smith, Denise Guerin) 4:50.80, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 4:57.45, 3. Hawaiian 5:12.82. 60-1. Hawaiian 4:35.96 (Theresa Taylor, Debra Hedani, Irene Geyer, Michele Adair, Kathy Piller, Lea Giddens), 2. Kihei 4:39.43, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 5:11.88. 65-1. Kihei (Susan Weihl, Sandy Bell, Renee Riley, Linda Kahler, Joy Nelson, Diane Wetzel) 4:46.01, 2. Hawaiian 4:53.41, 3. Kahana 5:21.78. Open four-1. Hawaiian (Dane Ward, Margie Kawaiaea, Corynne Kawaiaea, Noelani Vorhies) 4:49.48, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 5:10.29, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 5:12.24, 4. Kahana 5:34.91, 5. Kihei 5:41.60. Novice A-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Taima McCartney, Amanda May, Alyssa Douthitt, Rosie Amico, Heather Hearon, Ashley Jung) 4:33.03, 2. Hawaiian 4:39.29, 3. Kihei 4:39.91, 4. Kahana 4:43.58, 5. Lae’ula O Kai 4:46.30, 6. Napili 7:20.56.
Mile
40-1. Kihei (Lani Espinoza, Heather Bell, Viv Delos Reyes, Ingrid Thronson, Patty Phillips, Polly Arnold-Lorge) 9:30.67, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 9:42.66, 3. Hawaiian 9:50.57, 4. Napili 11:12.54, 5. Kahana 11:41.65. Freshman-1. Hawaiian (Barbara Querry, Lisa Fanning, Dane Ward, Margie Kawaiaea, Catherine Deboni, Theresa Gerry) 8:40.98, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 9:18.64, 3. Kihei 9:24.08, 4. Napili 9:53.03. Sophomore-1. Kihei (Ingrid Thronson, Tiffany Lambert, Amity Mason, Julie Shoup, Jen Lauer, Angie Wideman-Powell) 9:14.94, 2. Hawaiian 9:33.24, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 9:35.41, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 9:46.88, 5. Napili 10:15.51. Junior-1. Kahana (Danielle Kuck, Rebecca Woolbright, Misty Branco, Jenna Holladay, Cynthia Conrad, Gail Falkenbury) 9:02.27, 2. Kihei 9:04.51, 3. Hawaiian 9:08.42, 4. Lae’ula O Kai 9:41.62.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Kahana (Allyson Johnson, Jamie Kranberg, Cynthia Conrad, Desiree Deter, Emily Cohen, Suzi Tucker) 14:32.54, 2. Kihei 14:43.38, 3. Hawaiian 15:02.18, 4. Lae’ula O Kai 15:29.97, 5. Napili 15:52.35, 6. Na Kai Ewalu 16:34.12.
* * *
Male
Quarter-mile
12A-1. Napili (Kala’i Yap, Kawai’ola Kauhane, Treven Tihada, Joshua Tihada, Dylan Takahashi-Sagapolutele, Kaikane Shim) 2:00.43, 2. Hawaiian 2:09.84, 3. Kihei 2:15.46, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:20.53. 12B-1. Napili (Iliao Palakiko, Tayden Medeiros-Maielua, Kalaeloa Tancayo, Kaikane Shim, Matthew Rabino, Owen Wegner) 2:13.49, 2. Kahana 2:15.72, 3. Hawaiian 2:19.46, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:30.31, 5. Kihei 2:29.10, 6. Lae’ula O Kai 2:41.52. 13-1. Hawaiian (Laakea Garcia, Makia Lorenzo, Makaio Lorenzo, Robert Gibbons, Ty Tau-a, Noa Helm) 1:51.81, 2. Hana. 1:56.63, 3. Kihei 1:59.51, 4. Napili 2:08.97, 5. Wailea 2:19.56. 14-1. Hawaiian (Joshua Kailiehu, Ho’okele Santos, Kala’i Elizares, Wyatt Meyer, Rafael Adolpho, Traesyn Shimoda) 1:48.23, 2. Napili 1:51.39, 3. Kihei 2:02.46, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:04.27, 5. Hana. 2:06.04, 6. Lae’ula O Kai 2:09.94.
Half-mile
15-1. Wailea (Kila Hokoana, Amery Dudoit, Kainalu Kubo, Hanalei Alapai, Kamauliola Kana, Mahi Defrancia Jr.) 3:58.81, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 4:09.72, 3. Napili 4:19.06, 4. Kihei 4:43.51, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:45.89. 16-1. Hawaiian (Tristram Durkan, Kanui Haupu, Dylan Kresge, Andrew Gibbons, Haena Balinbin, Kawai Luuwai) 3:57.96, 2. Wailea 4:15.73, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:35.08. 50-1. Kihei (Chuck Santiago, Mike Cordi, Chuck Barrett, Greg Murphy, Roy Sabado, Kawika Williams) 3:56.77, 2. Kahana 4:06.85, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:07.64, 4. Hawaiian 4:08.22. 55-1. Kihei (Frank Zajac, Bill Cunningham, Mark Kasbergen, Casey Logsdon, Stanford Lanias, Greg Murphy) 4:05.85, 2. Hawaiian 4:08.10, 3. Kahana 4:22.12. 65-1. Hawaiian 3:58.35 (Biggie Lara, Pia Aluli, Jack Dyson, Brian Miller, Donald Lee, Richard Ross), 2. Kahana 4:04.10, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:07.66, 4. Kihei 4:09.62. 60-1. Hawaiian 3:51.86 (Wendall DeVera, Jack Dyson, Pia Aluli, Lou Dionese, John McCandless III, Biggie Lara), 2. Kihei 3:58.17, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:07.60, 4. Kahana 4:22.55. Open four-1. Kihei 4:05.22 (Ani Alfaro-Castro, Keona Dang, Greg Frederick, Michael Lauer), 2. Lae’ula O Kai 4:05.84, 3. Hawaiian 4:06.38, 4. Kahana 4:14.32, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:20.08, 6. Wailea 4:21.50, 7. Napili 4:34.51. Novice B-1. Hawaiian (Connor Hanley, Matthew McDonald, J.C. Fernandez, Tony Babcock, Michael Balancio, Jason Lee) 3:59.34, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 4:05.74, 3. Napili 4:14.92, 4. Wailea 6:51.60.
Mile
18-1. Hawaiian (Lihau Higashino, Tyson Felicilda, Noah Katz, Thomas Peterson, Kellen Bean, Kyle Knutson) 8:26.67, 2. Wailea 8:31.18, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 9:32.17, 4. Kihei 9:55.36. 40-1. Hawaiian (Roger Agdeppa, Dean Frampton, Alika Romanchak, Chad Lee, Rodrigo Da Silva, David Ward) 8:23.59, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 8:27.31, 3. Kihei 8:43.50, 4. Kahana 9:02.73, 5. Napili 9:19.12. Freshman-1. Hawaiian (Eric Hamp, John Gosselin, Malu Brayce, Richard Palakiko, Lopaka White, Andy McComb) 7:50.49, 2. Lae’ula O Kai 8:37.39, 3. Wailea 11:01.72. Sophomore -1. Hawaiian (George Dagan, Tim Lara, Alika Romanchak, Mark Soon, Ron Ayres, David Ward) 7:58.29, 2. Napili 8:01.44, 3. Wailea 8:09.43. Junior-1. Wailea (Diego Panza, Kaleo Evangelista, Guy Wilson, Felipe Gomes, Keith Zielinski, Jacob Abeytia) 7:44.14, 2. Hawaiian 7:52.29. Novice A-1. Kihei (Hide Yoshikawa, Brent Young, Wil Galinato, Jess Leach, Louis Mansanas Jr., Carl Gardner) 8:35.76, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 8:53.95, 3. Hawaiian 9:02.56, 4. Lae’ula O Kai 9:08.20, 5. Napili 9:11.97.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Wailea (Felipe Gomes, Tyson Kubo, J.R. Rios, Jacob Abeytia, Quinn Whitford, Joshua Kekupa’a Nae’ole) 11:56.73, 2. Napili 12:38.98, 3. Hawaiian 12:51.04, 4. Kihei 13:20.57, 5. Lae’ula O Kai 13:24.39, 6. Na Kai Ewalu 13:42.05, 7. Kahana 13:48.05.
* * *
Mixed
Quarter-mile
12-1. Napili (Mei Lei Wegner, Mikala Basques, Laieikawai Tancayo, Treven Tihada, Joshua Tihada, Dylan Takahashi-Sagapolutele) 2:05.47, 2. Hawaiian 2:08.53, 3. Kahana 2:15.43, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:22.18, 5. Kihei 2:22.81, 6. Lae’ula O Kai 2:30.65, 7. Wailea 2:38.94. Novice B-1. Hawaiian (Michael Balancio, Matthew McDonald, J.C. Fernandez, Chelsea Bukewihge, Dhennel Ardiente-Dyson, Haley Ferguson) 1:50.60, 2. Kahana 1:52.15, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 1:53.84, 4. Wailea 1:54.94, 5. Napili 1:56.32, 6. Na Kai Ewalu 1:57.45, 7. Kihei 2:05.07.
Half-mile
18-1. Hawaiian (Alexis Smith, Kahili Novikoff, Mehana Fisher, Kanui Haupu, Dylan Kresge, Kawai Luuwai) 4:20.22, 2. Napili 4:29.48, 3. Kihei 4:38.16, 4. Wailea 4:46.84, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:52.11, 6. Lae’ula O Kai 4:57.17. 40-1. Kihei (Amity Mason, Mike Cordi, Jen Lauer, Ryan Gazmen, Tiffany Lambert, Michael Lauer) 4:05.54, 2. Hawaiian 4:09.38, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:12.52, 4. Kahana 4:13.59, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:26.69, 6. Napili 4:38.79. 55-1. Kihei (Frank Zajac, Bill Cunningham, Katy Smith, Mark Kasbergen, Bonney Esbensen, Vanessa Weiss) 4:06.51, 2. Hawaiian 4:23.06, 3. Lae’ula O Kai 4:24.23. 60-1. Kihei (Deanna Salse, Anita Anderson, Tom Guerin, Gary Heath, Deborah Pearsall, Barry W.K. Chang 4:35.50), 2. Lae’ula O Kai 4:53.50, 3. Hawaiian 4:58.29. 65-1. Kahana (Jim Kohler, Jane Kohler, Joal Dennis, Steven Sandi, Dorothy Flores, Diane Delos Reyes) 4:44.15, 2. Hawaiian 4:47.60, 3. Kihei 4:51.36. Open-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Alyssa Douthitt, Brock Johnson, Shane Skolil, Taima McCartney, Amanda May, Kalani Tancayo) 3:49.91, 2. Kihei 3:53.16, 3. Hawaiian 3:54.88, 4. Kahana 4:01.57, 5. Lae’ula O Kai 4:09.33, 6. Napili 4:39.70.
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