Category: OC6-LD

Even though there were no channel races this year the paddling community came out in force for the Big Island event of the year. And it’s not quite over. As I write this the 40 mix is getting ready to charge the double hull sprints on the second to the last day of racing. It’s an insane race. Imagine Mad Max meets Waterworld.

Keaukaha paddlers were spread wide through out all the levels of competition in this event. We had top paddlers hammering in the unlimiteds all the way down to the kids doing a holoholo unofficial 12 man race both directions, and everything in between from open to 60+.

The sight of all those canoes back on the ocean together was cathartic for all of us yearning for the pre-covid days. We definitely missed the large international contingent that this race normally draws but it was a glorious sunrise Saturday morning that revealed a stunning array of na wa’a.

Recording of the live video from the Men’s race back to Kona. Keep your eye on Team Oceania with some of our paddlers on board:

Results

Here’s the full results for those who haven’t seen them yet, or sat through the 15 hour long award ceremony.

Women Crews

• Women’s Open: 179 ‐ Keaukaha CC Nine Open 2:35:55 (Division 2nd)
• Women’s 40: 41 Mana Mamaz Keaukaha CC Nine 40+ 2:48:55 (Division 1st)
• Women’s Open (Novice B Holo Holo): #198 ‐ Keaukaha CC Holo Holo 3:12:20 (Division 1st)

Men’s Crews

• Men’s 40’s: #609 ‐ Keaukaha Classics Nine 40+ 2:10:46 (Division 1st)
• Men’s 50’s: #569 – Keaukaha Unkos Nine 50+ 2:15:26 (Division 2nd)
• Men’s 60’s: #576 ‐ Keaukaha CC Nine 60+ 2:34:23 (Division 5th)

Congratulations to all Novice B Paddlers

Our newest ohana members really helped a lot of our crews out. Not only did they have a full 9 woman crew, they also helped fill seats in M60 and W40.

We also had multiple Novice A in M50.

Great job to all of you especially the brave crew who charged hard in their first major distance race. There’s a reason there’s only 1 canoe in their division and that’s because this is a tough race especially for new paddlers.

Mix Plate Champs

Sometimes opportunities open up for paddlers to hui up with other teams and they deserve recognition too. Apologies in advance if I screw this up as my mental notes of who was doing what is not very good.

Open Men from Keaukaha filled in 2 crews with Team Oceania and a 3rd club (didn’t get their name). They were key members that led to podium finishes.

Also Keahi led a group of 12 keiki on an unofficial round trip run all the way down to Hōnaunau and back. Unfortunately there were some age cut-offs that kept them from competing in an official capacity, but that didn’t stop them from completing the full run both directions!

Now What? Don’t couch potato it.

There’s the Catalina race in California next week. The Henry race on Oahu after that. But if you’re not flying and charging those races? Start your OC1 paddling.

First OC1 race is November 12. See our event calendar.

Over 50 crews raced on Saturday at Waikoloa’s six man race located in Anaeho’omalu Bay on a windy morning. Our only official canoe was a 40’s mix who took first in their division with the last minute addition of a 60+ novice paddler. We also had a scattering of paddlers that helped fill in other canoes and included Tyron, Grant, Paco who also did well.

The race results are a bit error prone and they didn’t include times. You can read them here and perhaps they will update and fix some of the places.

Beyond HCRA Long Distance

This will be the last Long Distance race in the HCRA series, but there are other races still planned. The Queen Lili’uokalani Race kicks off this week. Events are scaled back a bit due to Covid but you can find the schedule here along with the course maps here.

The big race on Saturday will have full coverage for those of you at home. In addition you can also use the live tracker to track your favorite team. There will be multiple teams in Jrs., women, mix and men races from our club and a few combo crews too and special good luck to our Novice B crew too!

This Saturday on the 20th we had 5 crews ready to compete out on the water at Hōnaunau for Keoua Canoe Club’s race. The kids, mixes and women teams went first with a five minute staggered start between the unlimiteds, open/mix and the keiki. The short course was 8 miles and the keiki did a 3 mile race.

The morning weather was hot and muggy with a still ocean. The short course ran north from Hōnaunau to Kealakekua Bay and back.

Short Course

Congrats to all our mixed crews, even if some had to play bumper boats to clear the start line. Great job to the 2 Novice crews that turned up in Koholo and Lono to paddle! Keep it up!

The rough overall placings for 31 Koa/Fiberglass canoes follow (ignoring the unlimited canoes):

• 1st Overall: 1st Pae’a – Open Mix 1:05.50
• 2nd Overall: 2nd Kepuku – Open Mix 1:09.32
• 5th Overall: 3rd Kuhaimoana – Open Mix 1:11.05
• 9th Overall: 4th Auku’u – Open Mix 1:13.44
• 16th Overall: 11th Kaholo – Open Mix 1:26.27
• 18th Overall: 3rd Lono – Novice Women 1:27.23

Long Course

Following the first race, the men started at about 11:00 am as the breeze was starting to fill in and the ocean developed some texture. On their 11 mile course from Hōnaunau – Kealakekua Bay – Keawekāheka Point – Hōnaunau, there were bumps to find on the run back down from Keawekāheka Point and all the crews were looking for course advantages. A Puna unlimited flew too close to the sun trying to surf next to the reef entering Kealakekua Bay and met with an abrupt huli with paddlers scattered in the waves. This ended their chances of placing.

For Keaukaha though a big congrats 50s! Out of 17 koa/fiberglass canoes:

• 8th Overall: 50’s Men (1st in the 50’s).

Next Race 27th

Don’t forget to consider next Saturday’s race: Great Waikola

Long Distance: Waikola/ Great Waikoloa Race

May 15th brought classic Kawaihae conditions: clear sky, solid north wind, blue bumpy ocean. Everyone had smiles thinking about the return down wind leg on the 9 mile course that went from the small boat harbor north and back.

There were 2 main starts with the women starting at 8:30 and the men/mix crews starting after they finished. The women had 16 fiberglass, 7 unlimited and one koa (24 canoes). And the men had 29 fiberglass, 8 unlimited and 1 koa canoe (38 canoes). The race officials had the unlimiteds start 5 minutes ahead of the other classes.

The women charged upwind and surfed back in much better style than the men’s start which was chaos and filled with collisions.

Women’s Overall Results (not including unlimited):

• Kawaihae WOpen 1:23.09
• Keauhou WOpen 1:23.28
• Kawaihae W Koa 1:25.00
• Kawaihae WOpen 1:25.37
• Keauhou W Open 1:27.47
• Keaukaha W Open 1:28.23 (division 5th)
• Kai opua W40 1:29.44
• Kai Opua WOpen 1:32.21
• Puna Wopen 1:33.09
• Keauhou W Open 1:35.03
• Keaukaha W40 1:35.55 (division 2nd)
• Kai Opua W50 1:36.11
• Hoemana W Open 1:37.04
• Kawaiha W60 1:37.58
• Keauhou WOpen 1:39.24
• Kamehameha W 60 1:40.50
• (sorry rest of my list was cut off)

Men & Mixed Overall Results (no unlimited):

• Kawaihae M50 1:12.47 (wow)
• Keaukaha M Open 1:13.29 (division 1st)
• Keoua M Open 1:15.54
• Keaukaha M40 1:16.46 (division 1st)
• Kai Opua M Open 1:17.39
• Kai Opua M50 1:17.40
• Keauhou M40 1:18.52
• Hui Wa’a Waiakea M Open 1:19.39
• Kawaihae M Koa 1:21.11
• Keoua M Open 1:21.34
• Keaukaha M40 1:22.44 (division 3rd)
• Kawaihae M50 1:23.21
• Kai E’Hitu M40 1:24.25
• Kamehameha M40 1:25.08
• Keauhou M60 1:26.33
• Keaukaha M60 1:27.33 (division 2nd)
• Waikoloa M50 1:29.00
• Waikoloa M Open 1:29.00
• Hoemana Mix Open 1:30.44
• Waikaloa Mix Open (couldn’t read time)
• Kawaihae M Open 1:33.37
• Hoemana Mix 50 1:34.07
• Keauhou M60 1:34.53
• Kawaihae M60 1:36.03
• Kawaihae Mix Open 1:36.41
• Hoemana M60 1:41.33
• Waikoloa M60 1:42.48
• Keauhou Mix 60 (DNF)