Unbeaten crews power Manu O Ke Kai to victory
June 26, 2022
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Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a is halfway through its canoe paddling season and only five crews have perfect records.
Manu O Ke Kai won the AAA Division and Lokahi claimed the AA Division during Saturday’s Lokahi Regatta in calm conditions at Keehi Lagoon. Waikiki Beach Boys and I Mua finished tied for first in the A Division.
The undefeated crews through four of eight events are Manu O Ke Kai’s men novice B, women’s senior and men open 4, Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i’s girls 12, and Lokahi’s women novice A. There are 43 total races.
Lokahi’s women novice A team completed the half-mile course in 4:50.48, which was more than nine seconds ahead of second-place Kai Poha.
“We’ve been paddling together for a while, so we’ve kind of learned how to work together and we’ve learned each other’s mannerisms on the boat,” Lokahi’s Hannah Daep said.
The Lokahi women novice A crew members see one another every day except Friday during the season, with three days of canoe practice at the Ala Wai Canal, two days of lifting and land training, and races on Saturdays.
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The crew members meet at the Kapahulu house of Daep and teammate Amanda Herbert for lifting and land training. Since they pump iron in the garage, they are affectionately known as “The Garage Girls.”
Members of Lokahi’s winning women novice team on Saturday were Camilla Collings, Daep, Togtokh Ganzorig, Herbert, Kanae Hirai, Melissa Oshiro.
Ramsey Van Blyenburg paddled on the Manu O Ke Kai men open 4 crew for the first time this season. He added the crew was short-handed because some paddlers went to a fishing tournament on the North Shore.
Manu O Ke Kai won the half-mile race in 4:05.86, Alapa Hoe was second in 4:09.61 and Kaneohe third in 4:14.73.
“Coming back upwind, the Lokahi crew started catching up to us halfway through,” Van Blyenburg said. “It was really hard because I could hear them calling the changes and I could hear their boat, so it was kind of making me nervous, but in the end we pushed right through.”
Manu O Ke Kai won 10 races to claim the AAA Division (25-43 crews) with 165 points. Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i won 10 races and finished second with 161. Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i claimed nine of the first 20 races and led Manu O Ke Kai in the standings 96-70. Manu O Ke Kai rallied to tie Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i 149-149 after 39 events, then took the lead with a third-place finish in the next race — women open 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i finished the race fifth.
Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i could have tied Manu O Ke Kai with a victory in mixed men and women — the final race of the day — but finished fourth.
Lokahi recorded four race victories to claim the AA Division (13-24) with 85 points. ‘Alapa Hoe and Waikiki Yacht Club finished tied for second with 58.
Waikiki Beach Boys and I Mua finished with 28 points in the A Division (12 fewer). Kai Poha placed third with 26.
The Ka Mamalahoe women 55 team won the club’s first event of the season, completing the half-mile course in 4:57.18. Waikiki Yacht Club finished second in 5:01.46.
“We’re a really cool club of really cool people and we train really hard, so to win is a real big deal to us,” said Jeanne Kelly of Ka Mamalahoe. We’re really excited to win.
“The 55 women’s crew is just awesome. None of us are 55, but we won’t go there,” Kelly continued. “We’re training for the World Sprints in London, which is the Olympics of short-distance paddling. So we train really hard because we’re going to be racing against the best teams in the world in London in August.”
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Lokahi Canoe Club Regatta
Saturday
At Keehi Lagoon
Mixed Men And Women 60
1. Windward Kai 4:35.73 (Terry Chock-Willingham, Petra Patton, Carmen Pilien, Steve Silva, Craig Tavares, Thomas Vinigas); 2. Kai Poha 4:52.85; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:59.79; 4. Kalihi Kai 5:01.57; 5. Manu O Ke Kai 5:15.36;
Women 65
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:13.59 (Mapu Auwae, Sis Cornelison, Terrie Kaleohano, Kris Lindquist, Peppy Martin, Sarah Jane Watson); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 5:20.78;
Men 65
1. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:20.50 (Michael Bacoro, Dickie Chow, Jack Laufer, Shaka Madali, Ole Oleole Jr, Walter Oshiro); 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:20.75; 3. Kalihi Kai 4:42.88; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 5:00.91;
Women 60
1. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:59.34 (Luana Baker, Joan Bennet, Lyn Dubbs, Ruth Giffard, Jojo Rasmussen, Gail Slike); 2. Windward Kai 5:00.66; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 5:09.36; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:54.48;
Men 60
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:15.48 (Al Cambra, Manny Desoto, Nolan Keaulii, Joe Momoa, Paul Mueller, Eric Soo); 2. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:21.73; 3. Kamehameha 4:24.80; 4. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:35.51
Women 70
1. Kai Poha 5:11.62 (Mary Hanson, Mugs Lee, Lauren Mcbride, Pua Ruane, Nani Uehara, Debbie Zoller); 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:44.00
Men 70
1. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:26.84 (Dickie Chow, Colin Galang, Jack Laufer, Shaka Madali, Ken Montpas, Vernon Ramos); 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:32.26; 3. Lokahi 4:38.84;
4. Kalihi Kai 4:53.54
Girls 12
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:35.26 (Dhevyn Kaauwai, Keira Kekoanui, Nalani Keliikoa, Domirie Pelen-Lopez, Xailey Robinson, Tamara Sunia); 2. Lokahi 2:40.55; 3. Kalihi Kai 2:47.94; 4. Haleiwa Outrigger 2:54.23; 5. Manu O Ke Kai 2:54.68
Boys 12
1. Manu O Ke Kai 2:33.59 (Ka’e’a’e’a Akau, Reign Chun, Nico Esguerra, Tavita Fuga, Douglas Maea, Kaliko Sellesin); 2. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:57.90; 3. Kaneohe 3:03.68; 4. Lokahi 3:08.55; 5. Kalihi Kai 3:12.52
Girls 13
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:39.31 (Mariah Holtzlider, Kiare Ibarra, Dhevyn Kaauwai, Dyllen Kaauwai, Saidee Pena-Maxwell, Mylee Young); 2. Kaneohe 2:44.76; 3. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:50.41; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 2:51.89; 5. Kumulokahi-Elks 3:03.65
Boys 13
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:28.24 (John-Samuel Maynes, Zyience Pavao, Layn Solomon, Kaulana Soo, Samu Suifili, Spencer Yadao); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 2:33.24; 3. Kumulokahi-Elks 2:35.87; 4. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 2:38.75; 5. Pukana O Ke Kai 3:22.39
Girls 14
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:35.40 (Torre Campos, Pomai Holtzlider, Faith Manlapit, Brystie Raspotnik, Lola Raspotnik, Leichelle Tabangcura); 2. Lokahi 2:37.13; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 2:44.33; 4. Kaneohe 2:44.63; 5. Lahui O Koolauloa 3:03.49
Boys 14
1. Kaneohe 2:15.80 (Cheydan-Anthony Cenal, Jeremiah Lopes, Logan Lopez, Kainoa Miraflor, Kyson Murphy, Zion Teanio); 2. Kumulokahi-Elks 2:23.58; 3. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:24.86; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:26.15; 5. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 2:27.43
Mixed Boys And Girls 12
1. Manu O Ke Kai 2:48.93 (Ka’iwa Amantiad, Leona Gormley, Douglas Maea, Ian Ramos, Jaeden Rego, Jayati Sulastri); 2. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:55.19; 3. Kalihi Kai 3:06.19; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 3:07.29; 5. Lokahi 3:08.04
Mixed Novice B
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:08.30 (Racquel Araki, Malu Pililaau, Megumi Reppart, Nathaniel Souza, Sean Souza, Ty Souza); 2. Haleiwa Outrigger 2:11.84; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 2:20.17; 4. Waikiki Beach Boys 2:20.46; 5. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 2:22.69
Women Novice B
1. Haleiwa Outrigger 2:28.04 (Leah Brosnahan, Cherie Brown, Kendell Mease, Carrie Richards, Linda Thoresen, Kylie Vincent); 2. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 2:37.86; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:38.39; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 2:42.45; 5. Kaneohe 2:45.69
Men Novice B
1. Manu O Ke Kai 4:11.23 (Ken Capes, Kevin Courville, Scott Fisher, James Flynn, Noah Grodzin, Roel Meneses); 2. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:16.30; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:45.46; 4. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:51.15
Girls 15
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:18.64 (Nawai Afong, Adrian Akau, Torre Campos, Ana Cueto, Lola Raspotnik, Kyara Young); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 5:20.63; 3. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:24.39; 4. Kaneohe 5:44.33; 5. Lahui O Koolauloa 5:54.69
Boys 15
1. Lokahi 4:19.45 (Kama Akana-Phillips, Dan Jean-Baptiste, Logan Ledesma, Keona Ling, Kaua Lopez, Solomon Torres); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:24.90; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:30.78; 4. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:35.76; 5. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:36.06
Girls 16
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:03.14 (Ana Cueto, Kiana Eli, Daisey Kaauwai, Tes Mauai, Tawny Pakele, Brystie Raspotnik); 2. Kamehameha 5:16.63; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 5:34.64; 4. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:35.99; 5. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:54.02
Boys 16
1. Manu O Ke Kai 4:19.43 (Tai Driscoll, Reese Meneses, Rayce Pactol, Thomas Schlotman, Zane Thomason, Luke Zaborski); 2. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:19.93; 3. Lokahi 4:20.26; 4. Kaneohe 4:26.53; 5. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:38.67
Girls 18
1. Kamehameha 4:51.68 (Hailey Arita, Kira Chin, Lily Merritt, Mahina Monsarrat-Ohelo, Noelle Nagaishi, Brandi Yap); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:54.19; 3. Pukana O Ke Kai 5:24.50; 4. Lokahi 5:26.52
Boys 18
1. Manu O Ke Kai 4:01.11 (Liam Campbell, Kapena Gormley, Jaycee Guerrero, Ikaika Mccormick, Pookela Mendiola-Faleafine, Samuel Wirtz); 2. Lokahi 4:02.15; 3. Pukana O Ke Kai 4:20.08; 4. Haleiwa Outrigger 4:24.16; 5. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:44.38
Mixed Boys And Girls 18
1. Lokahi 4:20.42 (Joseph Akeo, Makana Kamaile, Caleb Ledesma, Cade Tanaka, Erin Tanaka, Jodi Yamane); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:38.91; 3. Pukana O Ke Kai 4:40.06; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:40.35; 5. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:41.24
Women 55
1. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:57.18 (Lisa Jones, Jeanne Kelly, Aloha Kim, Donna Moore, Beth Seymour, Jaclyn Whelen); 2. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:01.46; 3. Windward Kai 5:10.53; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 5:26.71
Men 55
1. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:36.16 (Scott Aldinger, Tj Barrett, Freddie Ching, John Climaldi, Ted Jung, Yoshi Saito); 2. Kai Poha 5:08.56
Women 50
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:52.77 (Gail Beckley, Kehau Bellefeuille, Tracie Carreiro, Ipo Kaeo, Al Momoa, Branz Williams); 2. Haleiwa Outrigger 4:55.40; 3. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:23.37
Mixed Men And Women 55
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:30.33 (Gail Beckley, Al Cambra, Ipo Kaeo, Al Momoa, Paul Mueller, Glin Nelson); 2. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:43.48; 3. Kamehameha 4:49.56; 4. Team Olelo 4:54.75; 5. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 4:54.99
Men 50
1. Manu O Ke Kai 4:01.19 (Ama Amantiad, Sam Fisher 3rd, Richard Kamikawa, Doug Osborn, Moku Sanborn, Tim Vierra); 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:08.32; 3. I Mua 4:26.59; 4. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:27.58; 5. Kamehameha 4:31.51
Women Novice A
1. Lokahi 4:50.48 (Camilla Collings, Hannah Daep, Togtokh Ganzorig, Amanda Herbert, Kanae Hirai, Melissa Oshiro); 2. Kai Poha 4:59.76; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 5:11.12; 4. Pukana O Ke Kai 5:12.26; 5. Waikiki Beach Boys 5:12.92
Men Novice A
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:06.15 (Kai Garner, Blaise Gonzales, Bronson Gonzales, Kekoa Oishi, Keola Rosario, Craig Sinclair Jr); 2. Kaneohe 4:26.20; 3. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:29.12
Women Freshman
1. Manu O Ke Kai 9:08.11 (Erica Adamczyk, Kahanu Amantiad, Varina Amantiad, Jenna Kiejko, Molly O Keefe, Jacquelyn Reed); 2. Haleiwa Outrigger 9:22.78; 3. Lokahi 10:08.70; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 10:10.60; 5. Windward Kai 10:45.43
Men Freshman
1. Manu O Ke Kai 8:15.50 (Richard Kamikawa, Doug Osborn, Thomas Pule, Solomon Souki, Kevin Wilson, Samuel Wirtz); 2. Lokahi 8:32.81; 3. Waikiki Beach Boys 8:33.33; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 9:31.22
Women Sophomore
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 9:30.68 (Kehau Bellefeuille, Shine Fano, Chrystal Haia, Nani Haia, Jan Keliikoa, Myrnz Resep); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 9:40.50; 3. Lokahi 9:55.15; 4. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 10:26.15; 5. I Mua 10:44.99
Men Sophomore
1. Waikiki Beach Boys 8:09.51 (Dave Bandy, Carl Bayaca, Steve Gerwig, Peter Mainz, Charles Meyer, Lale Turcan); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 8:39.51; 3. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 8:48.10; 4. Lokahi 8:56.02; 5. I Mua 9:01.32
Women Senior
1. Manu O Ke Kai 14:40.82 (Megan Abubo, Kahanu Amantiad, Ivy Blomfield, Jenna Kiejko, Molly O Keefe, Lili Taliulu); 2. I Mua 15:47.29; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 16:19.46; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 16:20.53
Men Senior
1. I Mua 13:30.33 (Alan Abara, Ty Dempsey, Maison Hakikawa, Rona Nascimento, Joel Olegario, Sean Rabes); 2. Waikiki Yacht Club 14:49.81
Women 40
1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:28.17 (Chrystal Haia, Nani Haia, Shelley Kaauwai, Bloss Pontes, Myrnz Resep, Branz Williams); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:34.26; 3. Lokahi 4:40.73; 4. Haleiwa Outrigger 4:47.09; 5. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:09.48
Men 40
1. Waikiki Beach Boys 3:58.06 (Dave Bandy, Jim Coco, Steve Gerwig, Eric Ichinose, Daniel Jacob, Lale Turcan); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:10.79; 3. Team Olelo 4:17.85; 4. Lokahi 4:25.53; 5. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:26.69
Women Open 4
1. Kaneohe 5:03.94 (Tasha-Leigh Allen, Carli Gardner, Tasha Hopkins-Moniz, Nicole Mijares); 2. I Mua 5:12.42; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 5:19.53; 4. Haleiwa Outrigger 5:26.55; 5. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:29.39
Men Open 4
1. Manu O Ke Kai 4:05.86 (Thomas Pule, Solomon Souki, Ramsey Van Blyenburg, Ben Wilkinson); 2. ’Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:09.61; 3. Kaneohe 4:14.73; 4. I Mua 4:16.45; 5. Haleiwa Outrigger 4:22.71