One of the first lessons both amateur and veteran watermen and women are taught is to respect the ocean and its inhabitants, including the sharks that call the sea home.
At the annual King Kamehameha Regatta — the Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association’s second event of the season, held Sunday at Kailua Beach — crews, coaches and officials were reminded about the potential for shark encounters when racing in the open ocean. At approximately 2 p.m., ocean safety officials reported seeing a 10-foot-long shark in the waters near Kalama Beach, which is about a mile up shore from where the race course was set up.
A lifeguard was seen racing toward Kalama Beach on a jet ski, and officials on land and on the water warned coaches and participants about the situation. While no incidents were reported, OHCRA Race Director Stan Dickson briefed head coaches and let them know to warn canoe holders, who usually stabilize the vessels to keep them from causing false starts then tread water until the race is complete.
As word of the shark sighting made its way up and down the beach, the Outrigger senior women’s crew was unaware of the creature’s presence nearby. The crew of Amy Lawson, Leilani Doktor, Traci Phillips, Mary Smolenski, Jennifer Fratzke and Kahala Schneider completed the 1½-mile course in 14 minutes and 18.74 seconds, and crossed the lines nearly 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Lanikai.
“Now I definitely won’t go swimming over there,” said a surprised Schneider, the crew’s steerswoman who first learned about the nearby shark after emerging from the victory tunnel formed by club mates on the beach. “I would be more concerned for our boat holders out there in the water.”
The win was the second in as many weeks for Outrigger, which practices in the six-person canoe three times per week in addition to cross training with core workouts, cardio training and even yoga. Schneider explained that the stiff winds in Kailua Bay made things difficult along both legs of the course, which ran parallel to shore.
“We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, and add more with every practice while keeping Molokai (Na Wahine O Ke Kai) in mind as the ultimate goal,” Schneider said.
Host Kailua (177 points) edged Lanikai (167 points and a regatta-high 12 wins) and three-time defending OHCRA champion Hui Nalu (166 points) to claim the AAA division (27-42 crews entered) and overall regatta title. Outrigger (144 points), which won nine events, rounded out the large division.
Keahiakahoe (78 points) held off Hui Lanakila (54 points) to claim the AA division (14-26 crews entered), while Waimanalo (17 points) edged Anuenue (15 points), New Hope and Waikiki Surf Club (14 points apiece) to earn the A division (1-13 crews entered) trophy.
Paddlers adjusted to increasingly blustery winds as nearly 3,300 competitors ranging in age from 12-and-under to 70-and-older represented OHCRA’s 18-member clubs in 45 races spanning a quarter mile to 1.5 miles. 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, respectively.
In addition to battling for gold in individual races, crews aimed to earn cumulative points necessary to qualify for the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship regatta scheduled for Aug. 6 at Keehi Lagoon. The top five crews from each OHCRA event earn automatic berths in the state competition based on points collected over six regular-season regattas.
OHCRA returns to action on Sunday at Nanakuli Beach Park for its annual Father’s Day Regatta. Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a holds its fourth event of the season Saturday with the Windward Kai Regatta at Kailua Beach Park.
