KAILUA-KONA — After a historic 2024, Kai ‘Ehitu Canoe Club is back on the sky-blue Hawaii waters.
In a season where the Kona club won the Division AAA HCRA State Championship and clinched the most points at the World Sprints a year ago, Kai ‘Ehitu is ready for the challenges of 2025. With the club seeing so much recent success, Kai ‘Ehitu coach Richard Kimitete told West Hawaii Today at Saturday’s club-hosted Papa and Mama Kimitete Long Distance Races that other Big Island clubs have been motivated to perform even better in the new season, explaining that the increased competition will help his team in the long run.
“It’s going to be a great season, I always consider ourselves an underdog,” Kimitete, who has coached the club for 45 years, said. “I think other clubs got better, which is good, because it pushes us to get better.
“We have a lot of newbies, so I think we’re going to have to work a little bit harder so we can keep up that pace from last year. I have the utmost respect and faith in all of our crews.”
Through three weeks of official races, Kai ‘Ehitu has produced 14 gold medals wins across its various age divisions, including winning seven of them this past weekend at Kailua Pier. With nearly 300 paddlers rostered, Kai ‘Ehitu has talent ranging from young keiki all the way up to adults in their 70s.
For example, on Saturday, the team’s men’s squad of Toa Bertaina, Trey Cox III, Nathan Grocholshi, Ikaika Haunio, Eddie Hayward and Isaac Vincent won the iron male open by nearly two full minutes (1:10:40). The boys 15-year-old division of AJ Chand, Mike Heiss, Kona Ho, Justin Kriss, Cody Okuhara and Jason Spain dominated its long-distance race, racing in 44 minutes, 45 seconds in the landslide win by over two-and-a-half minutes. The 12-year-old girls squad of Anela Espinoza, Penelope Rose Harvey, Kalehua Hooper, Toni-Lee Melendez, Karli-Lei Pasamonte and Kensie Torcato even edged out west-side rival Kawaihae by just two seconds in its win (03:55).
“Our men’s program is always strong,” Kimitete explained. “Our women’s program is working on a lot of areas that other people work on, but they’re going to do great. Our novices are going to be great this year.”
Kimitete also emphasized the importance of Kai ‘Ehitu’s full coaching staff for its recent success and for the goal of repeating history in 2025. The 2025 staff is Hayward, Kaeo Peterson, Kua Nolan, Trey Cox, Darcy Daniel, Tia Pepe, LeAnn Hayward, Tatiana Tan, Charlie Beccera, Nathan Libarios, Mike Akau, Hyram Anakalea, Winter Ahmow and Brian Cornel.
“The importance of our coaches is for them to make sure that we teach our paddlers the respect of paddling,” Kimitete explained. “We want them to understand that the canoe always comes first; it’s family. We want to explain to them what paddling is all about.
“We all have full-time jobs, but we want to be out here helping because we love this sport.”
Kimitete also credited his family for being so supportive of his commitment to Kai ‘Ehitu, as his two sisters are in charge of behind-the-scenes initiatives with the club, such as organizing meals for the paddlers and planning the season’s races alongside other participating clubs. Local restaurants Big Island Grill and Nolan Hing fed the paddlers over the weekend with lunches.
Kai ‘Ehitu’s board members are Puamaile Kimitete (president), Healani Kimitete-Ahmow (vice president), Kamaile Yunigues (secretary), Betsy Merritt (treasurer) and advisors Jackie Kimitete, Tiare Kimitete-Silva, Tahiamauani Kimitete-Malu, Nyaia Kimitete and Noreen Kimitete. All in all, Richard Kimitete sees it as a collective effort that makes it all happen.
“I owe everything to my mom and dad for teaching us everything we know now, and it’s important that we teach those things to our younger paddlers,” Kimitete said. “And of course, my wife — my backbone — for allowing me to do what I do. And my two sisters, they run the show. They put this all together.”
But no matter what happens this season for the red and white, the most important virtue of the club is to help the keiki, as they are the future of Kai ‘Ehitu. Kimitete explained that helping set the stage for the next generation of Kai ‘Ehitu paddlers is more imperative than any race.
After all, putting the youngsters first was always the main focus of Kimitete’s late father — Kai ‘Ehitu founder Bernard Pierre Kimitete.
“My dad built the club for the kids,” Richard Kimitete said. “He wanted to keep them occupied, teach them discipline, respect and how to love this opportunity of paddling — because that’s what it’s all about.
“For some of our kids, it’s the only sport that they can relate to. Some can’t play football, basketball, volleyball … but everyone loves the ocean. When I see my club kids come out every week, it’s always joyful.”
See the paper all summer for updates on Kai ‘Ehitu’s long distance and regatta season.
Other clubs
Kai ‘Ehitu wasn’t the only local club that showed out strong in Saturday’s races.
Kawaihae Canoe Club finished with an event-high eight gold medals — wins in the 50s traditional iron female division (1:39:36), 60s traditional iron female division (1:44:16), unlimited iron female open (1:24:47), iron male age-16 division (43:08), traditional iron female age-15 division (48:53), traditional iron female 70s division (53:18), traditional iron female age-13 division (03:28) and traditional iron female age-14 division (03:26).
Kawaihae has finished with the most gold medals thus far in 2025 with 28.
Finishing behind Kai ‘Ehitu with the third-most gold was Kona club Kai Opua with four. Kai Opua won the traditional iron male 60s division (1:28:01), the traditional iron female open (1:29:48), the traditional iron male age-65 division (42:40) and the traditional iron female age-16 division (47:57).
For the full slate of results, see HCRA’s website. The season continues with more long-distance races this upcoming Saturday at Kailua Pier.
