While many clubs dip their collective toes into the water by easing into the summer racing campaign following two years off from official competitions, Lanikai is already making a splash and appears to be in late-season form.
The green-and-white clad paddlers from Lanikai amassed a regatta-high 18 race victories and claimed the overall title as paddlers faced steady breezes and strong currents throughout the Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association’s annual King Kamehameha Regatta held Sunday at Kailua Beach.
“I know everybody is getting back in the swing of things, but there’s still some great competition out there, so a result like this today was awesome,” said Karel Tresnak Jr., veteran steersman for Lanakai’s men’s senior crew. “A few of our guys were paddling during the offseason in one-man races, and it’s working pretty well with a lot of different guys, and everyone did really well. We’ll keep plugging away because we still have tons of work to do.”
Coaches from Lanikai noted that the club’s paddlers were accustomed to the bumpy conditions that they practice in regularly.
Three-time defending OHCRA champion and two-time reigning state champ Lanikai won the AAA division (31-45 crews entered) as the club posted 190 points to defeat Hui Nalu (156 points), Outrigger (123 points) and Kailua (114 points) in the large division.
Lanikai cemented its lead early by winning 13 of the day’s first 27 races, including the one-mile men’s senior event to cap the dominant stretch. The crew of Matt Crowley, Manny Kulukulualani, Ryan Murphy, Raven Pokini, Igor Sobreira and Tresnak Jr. made it through the three-turn course in 7 minutes, 57.94 seconds to finish comfortably ahead of Hui Nalu (8:11.53) and Outrigger (8:12.19).
Lanikai is the latest in a string of large OHCRA clubs to win multiple championships in a row. Kailua won four consecutive organization championships from 2009-2012, and Hui Nalu followed suit with a three-peat that spanned from 2013-15. After the championship regatta was canceled in 2016 due to the hazardous conditions caused by Tropical Storm Darby, Lanikai reclaimed the organization’s gold in 2017 and repeated in 2018 and 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the ensuing two campaigns.
Outrigger, which according to Star-Advertiser records, has won 13 OHCRA titles throughout its prestigious history, is seeking its first league crown since 2003.
Keahiakahoe (59 points) claimed the AA division (16-30 crews entered), which also included Leeward Kai (39 points), New Hope (36 points) and Waimanalo (13 points).
Healani (39 points) bested Waikiki Surf Club (26 points), Koa Kai (15 points) and Kai Oni (12 points) for the A division title.
Nearly 3,000 competitors ranging in age from 12-and-under to 70-and-above represented OHCRA’s 18 member clubs in 40 of 45 scheduled races spanning a ¼ mile to 1 mile; the open keiki race was ruled unofficial due to the participation of adult steersmen, and the final four races of the day were canceled due to the regatta’s time limit.
Winning crews earned 7 points toward the team standings, while second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers were awarded 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points.
In addition to battling for gold in individual races, crews aimed to earn cumulative points to qualify for the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship regatta scheduled for Aug. 6 at Keehi Lagoon.
The top four crews from each OHCRA event earn automatic berths in the state competition based on points collected over six regular-season regattas.
With the announcement that the Na Wahine O Ke Kai and Molokai Hoe world championships would again be canceled this year, the summer regatta season and accompanying championships carry extra weight for some paddlers.
“Regattas are the big thing this year considering that the Molokai Hoe is canceled already, so we’ll see what we have to push for later in the season,” Tresnak Jr. said while contemplating the still-to-be-determined long-distance race to end the season. “We all know if there’s a race and it runs, it always counts.”
OHCRA returns to action on Sunday at Nanakuli Beach Park for its traditional Father’s Day Regatta. Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a will also hold its third event of the season on Saturday with the Windward Kai Regatta at Kailua Beach.
