It was no surprise that Puna captured Division AAA (13-20 events) at the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association championships.
The four-time Aunty Maile Mauhili/Moku O Hawaii champ has become the state’s best medium-sized club.
Green Pride (20 crews) walloped Maui’s Kihei (20), 186-153 points, to claim their fourth consecutive state title on Saturday at Oahu’s Keehi Lagoon.
Puna scored three golds: women novice A (first or second-year paddlers), men novice A, and men’s 50, which finished the season unbeaten.
The novice wins are encouraging for coach Afa Tuaolo because next season those paddlers will be candidates to strengthen other events.
In the women novice A race, Puna (Lehua Hauanio, Elise Martin, Trisha Olayon, Marni Rem-McGeachy, Amber Waracka, Mary-Beth Young) finished the half-mile in 4:29.40 to Outrigger’s 4:30.22.
In the men novice A event, Puna (Mike Abraham, Bernard Flowers, Sherman Kaopua, Jonathan Peralto, Neemia Pola, Justin Yeh) completed the mile run in 8:23.45 to Kailua’s 8:24.03.
For Puna’s third gold, the undefeated men 50 (Terry Andrade, Louie Mendonca, Dave Okita, Troy Parker-Bailey, Kevin Thompson, Tuaolo) clocked a half-mile 3:45.15 to Lanikai’s 3:45.88.
The biggest surprise of the day was Lanikai not just beating but hammering Maui powerhouse Hawaiian for Division AAAA (21-41 events), 454-376 points.
The Valley Isle club had won the last five large-division state crowns, usually by comfortable margins.
Lanikai had a full field with 41 crews but suffered one disqualification. Hawaiian had 39 crews and had no DQs or scratches (no-shows).
In fact, because of the windy weather, there were a high number of DQs (23) and scratches (10), and the Big Island clubs suffered their fair share of lost points.
Kai Opua, which placed sixth in Quad A, had three DQs and two scratches. Kai Ehitu and Keoua Honaunau had two DQs each and Kawaihae had one DQ.
In Division A (7-12 races), Kai Ehitu (12 crews) placed third with 82 points. Oahu’s Keahiakahoe took gold with 186 points. Kawaihae was fifth, Keoua Honaunau seventh, and Waikoloa eighth.
Waikoloa (Tammy Ganancial, Gilberto Gonzales, Alli Gray, Joshua Michels, Monica Tarver, Cavin Yap) won the mixed novice B (rookies) title to finish undefeated.
The West Hawaii club finished the quarter-mile in 2:03.24 to Hawaiian’s 2:03.67 — a down-to-the-wire win like the unbeaten Puna men 50.
Kai Ehitu (Leann Alani, Kayti-Ann Bowman, Darcy Daniel, Dondi Dawson, Tatiana Tan, Tiapepe Ulufaleilupe) captured the women’s junior mile race in 9:15.20 ahead of Waikiki Beach Boys’ 9:16.13.
And that was all the gold for the Big Island: Waikoloa’s mixed novice B, Puna’s women and men novice A and men 50, and Kai Ehitu’s women junior.
Paddlers of Laka’s Furious Five — girls 12, boys 12, mixed 12, girls 13 and boys 13 — who all pocketed Aunty Maile/Moku O Hawaii titles and held long winning streaks, had a rough day.
The girls 12 placed ninth, the boys 12 in fifth and the mixed 12 in 10th. The girls 13 finished fourth and the boys 13 in eighth.
Moku O Hawaii entered eight unbeaten crews: Paddlers of Laka’s mixed 12, Waikoloa’s mixed novice B, Kai Opua’s boys 16 and 18, Kawaihae’s women freshmen, Keaukaha’s men 60, and Puna’s women and men 50.
Only Waikoloa and the Puna men 50 kept their perfect records intact — both by the slimmest of margins.
In Single A (1-6 races), Honolulu’s Hui Lanakila placed first with 72 points, followed by Paddlers of Laka (46) and Keaukaha (40) in third.
Hawaiian followed its tradition and won more youth races (ages 12-18) than Lanikai, 5-1. But the Oahu club seized more medals and gold as well, 22 overall and 10 gold to Hawaiian’s 17 and 7.
Lanikai made its move in the endurance races, the mile and 1.5-mile runs, and finished ahead of Hawaiian in every single one.
In those nine distance events, starting from the men novice A to the men senior, Lanikai grabbed four golds, one silver, and two bronzes. Hawaiian came up empty with no medals.