I thought that would get your attention, but it’s no lie. There’s a raffle fund raiser to help Dave Yamagata and $20 could win you a new Ares Pro.
Buy your ticket and take your chance on a $5,500 value
2nd Annual King Kamehameha’s Awesome Athletes Inclusive Canoe Race
While I’ve got your attention, I want to let everyone know of a great community event in Hilo. The “2nd Annual King Kamehameha’s Awesome Athletes Inclusive Canoe Race” is on Sunday June 4th.
Register by April 30
This event is to get all those Awesome Athletes in the wa’a. If you or someone you know might be interested just visit https://www.hilocanoerace.com. You can donate, volunteer or paddle! Sign up before the end of this month.
(Note that OC1 means that day’s practice will be on a one man canoe. If you don’t have a one-man we can get you one or group up to use a 6-man.)
Team Reach – Use It
There is a messaging app called “Team Reach” which you can download and enter your team code. This will allow you to instant message each other, share schedules, documents, photos and get all that great advice from your coach.
Crews Currently using this app: Open Men, Men Novice A/B, Men 40 & 50, Women Open, Women 40 & 50 and Women 60+. Contact your coach for your crew’s code, or contact us and we can provide it to you.
One of our junior paddlers, Nahi, is headed to the Big Apple for higher education. Nahiena Kekuawela who has been paddling with the KOYD/RISE program received both an athletic (rowing) scholarship and an academic scholarship to Long Island University for the Sharks.
LIU is only about 25 miles outside of NYC which will be an amazing adventure.
PARTY IS: Wednesday 3/29 at 5pm at the Bayfront Halau.
Both of Nahi’s parents, Tiffany and Kawika, paddle with Keaukaha so let’s come down and show support. Nahi graduates this year from Waiakea HS with a 3.8 gpa. And she follows her older brother, Kailikea who played football for Southern Oregon and older sister Maluhia who went to Fresno Pacific University for soccer.
Good luck Nahi!
If you’re interested to learn something about paddling/rowing scholarship opportunities for your kids, talk with Tiffany about ideas and strategy. And if you’d like to enroll your kids in the KOYD/RISE program for amazing experiences contact Keahi.
The signup for keiki is ready. Please let parents know. There’s a new on-line process which should hopefully be easier than all the papers. If you have any problems just contact us through the website.
This year State Championships is coming to Hilo! The competition will be tough and the pressure high. Keaukaha will be ready. We revamped our jersey’s to reflect our ties to decades of paddlers before us as we break ground with new achievements.
When our club was originally founded a hala tree was planted near our Hālau. It was our original insignia and inspired our original yellow and brown colors. It’s roots has remained strong over the years and it’s grown tall.
Pandanus tectorius
The Hala is an excellent survivor in a marine environment like our paddlers. The tree thrives in poor, salty or sandy soils in hot and windy areas.
Hala leaves (lau hala) are exceptional for weaving mats, hats, roof thatching, canoe sails, baskets, sandals (kāma‘a), fans and much more. The fruit of the female hala tree can be made into striking yellow to deep-orange lei. Traditionally these lei are given in times when a person advances from one significant level of life to the next; including graduations, weddings and funerals.
Sizes
Each product has a size chart. Make sure you double check it and the product description as some sizes run a little smaller. Refunds are only available for defects or damaged goods.
Jerseys
This year they will be made to order. So if you want to save on shipping, hui up with your buddies and order together.
OC1 Stall holders need to pay their club dues and stall dues before February 1 to keep your stall. Keys change February 1.
Membership fees are also due for all six man paddlers. OC6 paddlers must pay before jumping in a canoe.
Large expenses this year include main hālau re-construction and OC6 repairs. Continued expenses include ground maintenance, equipment repairs, hālau repairs, HCRA and race related fees.
$100 for Membership
$120 per stall
$50 refundable deposit per hālau key (if you need a replacement key or new key)
How to Pay
All payments are done online because we also need all your paperwork too.
Follow the steps outlined. Please make sure your personal information is correct, especially your contact info and birth date. Even if everything is correct, you’ll need to save the forms to verify you’ve reviewed them.
The last step is the payment via paypal, venmo (if installed on your device), credit or debit card. You can’t pay until all the required paperwork steps have been completed.
People new to the club are required to contact us on the contact page and we’ll create an account for you to setup your information, sign paperwork and pay dues.
Please don’t ask individual members about trying to make exceptions.
Kwai-Chang is hosting a raffle to benefit Noah Pila with the winner taking home some nice prices on Christmas Eve.
Text Kwai-Chang to get your tickets to support Noah and maybe ring in the new year with some new gear which includes a custom length paddle, Yeti Cooler and a big pack of Beyond Juice.
Please help spread the word!
Hilo Race Dec. 17 for Noah
This upcoming weekend on Dec 17th there is special race being put on “Head Strong” to help a young Hilo Big Island paddler who has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his head. His name is Noah Pila. His parents Grant and Anna Kaʻauʻa have raced in HIPA races, MOKU paddlers and coaches at Keaukaha Canoe Club as well as high school paddling coaches at Keaʻau high school.
Anna is currently with Noah at Queenʻs on Oʻahu by his bed side while Grant is in Hilo caring for their daughters Kaili, Pakela and Ahonui. Itʻs never easy for family when unexpected situations happen such as this. Noah will be going through a medical procedure to remove the tumor. Some risks included temporary or long term weakness, speech issues and future cancer treatments and procedures.
Therefore, this special race taking place at BayFront is to provide support the Kaʻauʻa ʻohana. Your registration fees will go directly to help the ʻohana for all and any medical and other needs at this time.
The race course will be one course. No long or short. Just one course, but with divisions. Course will be decided upon on race day.
Register on-line at the HIPA website under upcoming races. Check-in begins at 7:30. Race meeting will be at 8:15am down by Official Stand and race start shortly right after (5-10 minutes right after) with a beach start.
*** There is a high school regatta race at Bay Front happening same day at 9am so each paddler is encouraged to have your canoe with you near race meeting, at official stand, so there is no delay, collision, confusion or left behind when race starts :-). BEST to have your vehicle near the official stand grass area to off load and reload your ocean craft.
*** No awards or food will be available as we want to use this time to shower the ʻohana with our HIPA ALOHA.
*** For those who are unable to attend and would like to support the family, here is the GOFund me and VENMO links to donate to.
Noah Pila one of our world sprint champs who just turned 18 was hospitalized December 3rd for what seemed to be a type of seizure or stroke. An MRI was done and to everyone’s surprise a brain tumor was discovered. The nature and treatment of the tumor still needs to be assessed and Noah is on his way to Oahu’s Queen’s Medical Center where there are specialists.
In the meantime, let’s hui up and provide him and his family support as they navigate through these rough dark waters.
How to Help
A gofundme has been created to help them deal with the costs so they have one less problem to worry about. Please give what support you can.
Noah is always quick with a smile and a caring heart
Did anyone find 2 Makana Ali’i paddles with Fearless Hawaiian stickers around Oct. 10th? If so contact Kwai-Chang or use the website contact form to let someone know.
Halloween OC Race
Lots of great costumes this year at the Halloween Fun race. Photos from Michael Carlon.
The Keepers of Rules and TimePeter and Tinker racing for goldTaco TerrifyingJust let the shark pass
The points races will be starting soon for OC1/OC2 races. The first race was moved to Nov. 19, followed by Nov. 26. HIPA hasn’t published the 2023 schedule yet, but we will update our Events page with the races and you can synchronize them with your phone calendar too.
What a better way to start of the season with a fun race dressed as someone or something else? In the past there’s been great costumes like hammers and motors. Just don’t leave the course littered with your costume. More details to be shared soon at https://www.instagram.com/sojuicyhawaii
Word is it’s a free race and will probably have check-in around 8am. But verify @sojuicyhawaii as the date approaches.
Paddle the Pacific Solo?
Think your workouts are long? There’s recently been 2 individuals paddling from California to Hawai’i about 2400 miles.
Carlo Facchino arrived Thursday at Wailoa boat harbor in Hilo after a nearly 2,400-mile solo row across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to the Big Island.
And this week around day 93 Cyril Derreumaux is completing his second attempt to paddle to Hawai’i. There is a paddle out organizing to greet him on his expected arrival around the 21st. Watch his site and live position reports for details. https://solokayaktohawaii.com/
