HILO — Over 1,200 paddlers and 300 crews competed in the first HCRA Big Island regatta of the 2025 season Saturday on the East Side. Keiki as young as 9 and kupuna as old as 80 paddled across the sky-blue waters of Hilo Bay, as over 40 events took place throughout the morning and afternoon. The event — sponsored by Kailana Canoe Club — was filled with quarter-mile, half-mile and full-mile competitions.
Puna Canoe Club finished the day with the outright most points with 194, winning the Division AAA field (31-44 events). Keoua Honaunau won Division AA (15-30 events) with a 109 cumulative score. Division A (1-14 events) was won by Na Wa‘a Hanakahi with 60.
Keaukaha Canoe Club’s men’s novice team of Levi Prudholm, Margarito Cal, James Eller, George Faur, Auhea Nakapaahu-Kahunanui and Mackenzie Yuen raced the fastest quarter-mile time of the day, finishing in 1:40.45. Keaukaha’s men’s freshmen team of Isaac Ysaguirre, Cyrus Veloria, Noah Pila, Ali’i Youderian, Eha Kiyuna and Niau Paulos additionally raced the fastest half-mile, paddling in 3:36.60.
The fastest mile of the event was paddled by Keaukaha men’s junior crew of Brawn Albino, Spencer Kamauoha Smith, Tyler Makaiwi, Jose Lizardi, Niau Paulos and Robert Whitney Jr. with a time of 7:27.59.
Highlighting some of the sprints winners, Puna’s women’s sophomore crew of Jennie Berghuis, Kahiau Freitas, Cherie Kauahi, Lisa Shizuma, Kapua Stachowicz and Kanani Yockman paddled in 4:16.17 in their win, beating Kamehameha Canoe Club – Hilo by nearly 15 seconds.
Puna’s men’s novice team of Nivan Agres, Makoa Freitas, Likana Hose, Joshua Jacobs, Pat O’Shaughnessy and Chris Quiseng raced the half-mile sprint in 3:50.32, getting the win. Puna’s women’s junior team of Kahoane Aiona, Alana Cabatu, Krystal Del Rosario, Pulama Downing, Kalei Kalili-Burdman and Mary-Beth Young won their full-mile sprint in 8:58.96, crossing the finish line before second-place finisher Kai Opua Canoe Club by over 10 seconds.
Puna’s men master’s team of Joe Kalima III, Phil Kissinger, Pati Koehnen-Sua, Dallas O’Shaughnessy, Lance Oliveira and Jonathan Peralto paddled a strong half-mile, finishing in 3:47.86 in their close win over Kai ‘Ehitu Outrigger Team.
Keoua Honaunau’s women’s masters age-40 crew of Brittany Caporrimo, Jene’ Green, Christina Kovach, Des Seaver, Ann Sun and Dawn Velasquez paddled a half-mile in 4:10.76, winning their division. The club’s mixed masters age-40 crew of Brittany Caporrimo, Trey Green, Jene’ Green, Bugz Luta, Chris Runnells and Des Seaver raced in 3:40.28 in their divisional win.
Keauhou Canoe Club’s women’s 70 team of Sherri Carney, Linda Churches, Jeanne Isola, Suzanne Jarvinen, Debby Kinder and Ingrid Malone won their divisional race with a time of five minutes flat in the half-mile — earning seven points. In the men’s 70, Keaukaha’s crew of Warren Dela Cruz, Greg Kane, Edward Lincoln, David Lipp, James McKeague and Ben Smith handled business with a time of 4:10.69 in their win — earning six points.
In the age-65 division, Keauhou’s women’s crew of Carney, Churches, Isola, Jarvinen, Kinder and Malone handled business once more with a 5:07.51 winning time to go along with eight points. Kai Opua’s men’s squadron of Dane Enos, Paul Jeffries, Joe Kanuha Jr., Steven Prestia, Pete Waller and Charles White won their race in 4:11.89 over the half-mile trek — while also being awarded eight points.
Keaukaha’s men’s golden masters 55 crew of Eric Baicy, Dave Hafele, Grant Kauahi, Axel Kratel, Rick Myers and Kalani Spain won their half-mile sprint in 3:50.05. The winning squad beat second-place finisher Keoua Honaunau impressively by over 17 seconds.
Over in the keiki races, the Kai ‘Ehitu 12-and-under girls divisional crew of Capri Alapai, Tahia Hing, Ke‘ala Kahananui, Tristen Kainoa, La‘akea Kamaka and Karli-Lei Pasamonte won with a blistering time of 1:59.56 in the quarter-mile course, accumulating 11 points for their club.
In the boys age-12-and-under sprint, Kai ‘Ehitu’s team of Jacobe Gamagag, Manny Kawaauhau, Brodie Leonard, Hilo Morimoto, Zyon Souza and Teaumoana Spencer-Patai earned 11 points in their win (1:59.83). Paddlers of Laka won the mixed boys and girls race in the age-12-and-under division, as Mauliola Bento, Lihau Kalaniopio, Nixon Lee, Leilehua Osorio, Daniel Waltjen and Kala Young paddled in 1:58.19.
Kawaihae Canoe Club won the 10th event of the day in the girls age-13-and-under division, as Riah Akima, Zoe Carpio-Napoleon, Kuili Livingston, Thane Livingston, Lau‘ae Silva and Bella Sugse raced in a blistering 1:52.01 — earning 10 points for the win. In the boys age-13-and-under division, Kawaihae claimed victory again — as Hezekiah Acdal, Na‘ulu Drummundo, Kayden Kauahi, Alika Boy Monell IV, Hunter Takushi and Kamahoi Takushi paddled in 1:41.57 in the quarter-mile paddle, winning by over five seconds to earn 10 points.
In the women’s novice, Keaukaha’s women’s crew of Yordana Bolanos Salas, Ruth Caudle, Rachel Hunter, Napua Kalima-Martin, Sydney Lyons and Dakota Paulos won their divisional race in 2:01.53 to earn eight points.
Hui Wa‘a ‘O Waiakea’s girls 14-and-under crew of Mary Au, Rose Au, Kacie Carvalho, Ku‘u Kaaihue, Mele‘oto Olevao and Kilolani Smith won their race with a paddling time of 1:59.02. In the boys 14 race, Kawaihae’s squad of Isaac Hoopai, Boy Monell IV, Nainoa Oye, Hunter Takushi, Waika Takushi and Kamahoi Takushi won by a time of 1:45.74
In the 15-year-old races, Kai Opua won the girls division with a time of 4:48.66 in the half-mile course. Kaili Cranwell, Lilia De Guair, Jahziah Gamagag, Hailey Harrington, Hilina‘i Morimoto and Antelise Porter were part of the winning crew.
Kai ‘Ehitu’s boys age-15 team raced a fast half-mile course, as Bently Balanga, Tauarii Hing, Kale Parker, Oliver Powers, Kuhao Puhi and Gavin Schwartzkopf won their race in 3:52.17. Kai ‘Ehitu’s boys 18-and-under crew of Balanga, Taylor Balanga, Ethan Becerra, Jaidev Gamagag, He‘enable Kaiawe-Zager and Kaimi Santos raced the half-mile course in 3:39.40 — earning six points in their divisional win by nearly 10 seconds.
Kawaihae won the mixed 18 half-mile sprint, as Kauhiwai Lindsey, Shazen Monell-Lagaret, David O’Dell, Maile Revilla, Minnie Schuett-Iwamura and Kamana‘o Takushi edged Kai ‘Ehitu by just a few seconds in their win (3:54.58).
Kamehameha – Hilo’s men’s sophomore crew of Nick Ahyo II, Kai‘ea Cann, Mark Grant, Uakea Kealoha, Marco Roldan and Paul Stanley Jr. had a strong showing, racing their half-mile win in 3:37.87. In the same division, Puna Canoe Club’s women’s squad of Jennie Berghuis, Kahiau Fretas, Cherie Kauahi, Lisa Shizuma, Kapua Stachowicz and Kanani Yockman won their race in 4:16.17 — beating out second-place Kamehameha – Hilo by nearly 15 seconds.
To see the full slate of results, see HCRA’s website. The regatta season resumes this upcoming Saturday in Hilo Bay.
Team race results
Division AAA
1. Puna Canoe Club, 194
2. Kawaihae Canoe Club, 185
3. Kai ‘Ehitu Outrigger Team, 176
4, Keaukaha Canoe Club, 174
5. Kai Opua Canoe Club, 165
6. Kamehameha Canoe Club – Hilo, 112
Division AA
1. Keoua Honaunau, 109
2. Hui Wa‘a ‘O Waiakea, 85
3. Keauhou Canoe Club, 76
4. Hoemana, 36
Division A
1. Na Wa‘a Hanakahi, 60
2. Paddlers of Laka, 38
3. Waikoloa Canoe Club, 29
4. Miloli‘i Canoe Club, 24
5. Kailana Canoe Club, 16
