KEAUKAHA – Maybe someday an open-ocean swim will pop up in Ka’u, but until then it’s official: Kailua-Kona’s Duke Becker has this island covered.
Becker enjoys all the differences between the Richardson’s Rough Water Swim and the island’s other races. And even if he had forgotten where he was for a second Sunday, it was clear he wasn’t in West Hawaii anymore during the finish.
It was all so easy on a sunny morning with relatively pristine conditions as Becker added a Richardson repeat victory do his hard-earned Triple Crown, finishing the 1-mile course more than 90 seconds ahead of runner-up Korrie Tengan, in 19:53.
“Beating 20 (minutes) is always a good thing,” Becker said. “It’s so pretty, just the water and stuff. It’s great, I think very underrated. Much more people should do it because it’s so fun.”
Becker clinched the Triple Crown with a fight to the finish July 4 and a two-second win at the Kings’ Swim in Kona.
The Kealakehe sophomore had all but wrapped up victory at Richardson’s by the first buoy.
“There were some waves at the start, but it wasn’t a big deal,” Becker said. “I had a really good start, when I looked back I was up by a good distance, and I kept the speed up the whole way.”
Becker turned 15 recently and he’s already one of the foremost authorities on open-ocean competitions on the Big Island. In fact, he probably seen more of the Pacific than he’d bargained for since Kona Community Aquatic Center closed indefinitely for repairs in March, forcing club practices to be held off Kailua Pier.
“I’m pretty strong at not dying (time-wise) because we practice in the ocean,” he said.
“Sometimes at Cinco de Mayo (Waikoloa) on the way back you can’t see anything because of the sun,” Becker said. “Hapuna (Rough Water Swim) is super rough, and Kings’ is super long because it’s 1.2 miles.”
Tengan, like Becker, recently competed at the Hawaii age group long course championships on Maui. Unlike Becker, she enjoyed a change in venue a after training all season long in a pool.
“It was different with all the waves and the current, but it was a lot more fun because of the scenery,” said Tengan, a Waiakea junior. “Going out, when I looked down, I saw all the fish.”
When she looked up, she was trailing 53-year-old Susan Groff (21:28), who led at the turn before Tengan took the lead near the last buoy and finished in 21:25.
“I just tried to give it the little rest that I had,” Tengan said.
Groff took third in 21:28, her best finish since 2013, when she claimed her sixth Richardson women’s title.
Waiakea Loo senior Nainoa Loo (21:34) was fourth and Hilo High sophomore Xochi Gervais (21:43 ) was fifth.
To be sure, the community-oriented Richardson swim doesn’t boast as stout a field as the Triple Crown races, but Becker wouldn’t mind seeing that change.
“That would be fun if a whole lot more people came over,” he said.
Sunday at Richardson’s Ocean Park
1 Duke Becker M Kailua-Kona M15-19 19:53
2 Korrie Tengan F Hilo F15-19 21:25
3 Susan Groff F Waikoloa F50-64 21:28
4 Nainoa Loo M Hilo M15-19 21:34
5 Xochi Gervais F F01-14 21:43
6 Merceda Rivera F Hilo F35-49 22:03
7 Catherine Spina F Hilo F35-49fin 22:04
8 Jim Mellon M Hilo M50-64 22:08
9 Billy Tollett M Hilo M35-49 22:14
10 Joe Kent M Papaaloa M20-34 22:16
11 Noeula Linsey F Hilo F15-19 22:21
12 Peter Bitskey M Keeau M35-49 22:24
13 Michael Pipta M Pahoa M50-64 22:27
14 Danny Becker M M35-49 22:36
15 Joshua Decleene M Hilo M01-14 22:41
16 Xanthe Smith F Volcano F50-64fin 23:22
17 Oliliu Wise F Keeau F01-14 23:41
18 Taylor Bugado F Hilo F01-14 24:12
19 Sofia Wilt F Kapaau F35-49 24:18
20 Greg Lauberte M M35-49 24:19
21 Masau Lee M Hilo M01-14 24:25
22 Ka’iulani Rocha F Hilo F01-14 24:32
23 Alani Moore F Hilo F01-14 24:32
24 Maluhia Kaye M Honomu M01-14 24:33
25 Jessica Chen F Papaikou F01-14 24:34
26 Somer Howell F Hilo F01-14 24:39
27 Emma Decleene F Hilo F01-14 25:07
28 Honua Kaye M Honomu M15-19 25:09
29 Taylor Henry F Hilo F20-34 1 9 25:20
30 Gaayatri Godbole F Hilo F15-19 25:26
31 Manny Moniz M Keaau M50-64fin 25:30
32 Jeffrey Case M M50-64fin 25:33
33 Jessica Hartong F Hilo F35-49 25:40
34Aleja Rivera F Keeau F35-49 25:50
35 Lucas Frank M M35-49 25:55
36 Alfred Kent M Papaaloa M50-64 25:59
37 Caleb Vogt M M01-14fin 26:02
38 Lily Vogt F F01-14fin 26:02
39 Whitney Aragaki F Hilo F20-34 26:10
40 Starsea Kahikina F F15-19 26:15
41 Sydney Hashiro F Hilo F15-19 26:22
42 Solomon Ortiz M M35-49fin 26:27
43 Ma’ili McKeague F Hilo F01-14fin 26:37
44 Adrienne Matsumura F Keeau F35-49fin 2 5 26:45
45 Awai Waipa F Hilo F01-14fin 27:10
46 Robert Burchell M M20-34 27:12
47 Mark Kaetsu M Hono M20-34 27:20
48 Susan Cordell F F50-64 27:31
49 Jean Ouye F Hilo F20-34 27:34
50 Mike Fairchild M Mt. View M50-64 27:39
51 Daniel Hartong M Hilo M20-34 27:43
52 James McKeague M Hilo M65-79fin 27:46
53 Hiro Yanagihara M Pahoa M50-64 28:02
54 Rob Van Geen M M50-64fin 28:13
55 Jill Dawrs F Hilo F50-64 28:28
56 Charles Keane M Hilo M65-79fin 28:50
57 Sarah Okubo F Hilo F20-34 28:55
58 Chris Hirayama M Hilo M65-79fin 29:03
59 Tina Eakin F F35-49 29:14
60 Christopher Harper M M35-49fin 29:27
61 Toby Wilkinson M Waimea M35-49 29:35
62 Robert Rutherford M M20-34fin 29:36
63 Taaini Godbole F Hilo F01-14 29:41
64 Farzin Faridi M M50-64fin 29:55
65 Mark Lewis M M35-49 29:58
66 James Haefner M Pahoa M65-79 30:01
67 Carly Dossett F Kurtistown F01-14fin 30:20
68 Cynthia Hartman F Hilo F35-49 30:24
69 James Twigg-Smith M M20-34 30:26
70 Matthias Kusch M Hilo M50-64 30:34
71 Zach Mermel M Hilo M35-49 30:45
72 Elisa Junqueira F Papaikou F50-64fin30:46
73 Ashlee Kubo F Pahoa F15-19 30:51
74 Greg Goodale M Hilo M50-64 31:06
75 Neal Aki M Hilo M50-64 31:36
76 Steve Sugar M Keaau M65-79 31:38
77 Diana Machado F F50-64 32:05
78 Daniel Berg M Keeau M50-64 32:07
79 Chris Owens M Hilo M50-64 32:11
80 Susan O’Shaughnessy F Pahoa F50-64 32:16
81 Keiko Gravis F F01-14 32:16
82 Collen Yost F Kapa’au F20-34 32:26
83 Michael Donahoe M Hilo M65-79fin 32:30
84 Sumita Przewlocki F Hilo F35-49 32:35
85 Michael Modos M Volcano M50-64 32:39
86 Helena Branfors F Hilo F35-49 32:48
87 Maikai Delacruz F F01-14fin 32:49
88 Brianne Schlegelmilch F Hilo F20-34 32:51
89 Dana Susina F Kahalau F20-34 32:54
90 Elliot Parson M Waimea M35-49 33:03
91 Cindy Morse F Waimea F50-64 33:09
92 Maire Howell F F35-49fin 33:16
93 Lee Otani F Hilo F65-79 33:33
94 Lori Loftin F F35-49fin 33:34
95 Cade Loftin M M50-64 33:38
96 Laura Ruhland F Hilo F35-49 33:39
97 Edward Ruhland M Hilo M35-49 33:40
98 China White F Waimea F50-64 33:42
99 Ed Ignacio M Hilo M35-49 33:46
10 Jennifer Kane F Honomu F35-49 33:47
101 Jeff Girdner M Hilo M50-64 33:53
102 Michael Donnelly M Waimea M50-64 33:55
103 Laura Knudsen F Hilo F20-34 34:06
104 Norman Uchida M Hilo M65-79 34:12
105 Richard Oehlman M Honokaa M65-79 34:38
106 Star Lockwood F Paauilo F65-79 34:43
107 Lea Cooper F Hilo F50-64fin 34:43
108 Ryan Hilton M Hilo M35-49fin 35:02
109 Mahea Lee-Lopez F Pahoa F01-14fin 35:24
110 Peter Mott M Waimea M65-79fin 35:29
111 Hayley Barcia F Keeau F20-34 35:46
112 Alexander Cyran M Hilo M50-64 36:45
113 Tyson Matsumura M Keaau M35-49fin 36:57
114 Annette Schlegelmilch F Hilo F50-64 37:14
115 Sheareen Gedayloo F Hilo F50-64 37:20
116 Kaikea Johnston F Pahoa F01-14fin 37:35
117 Spencer Johnston M Pahoa M35-49 37:38
118 Debra Sanbei F Hilo F50-64fin 37:45
119 Erik Belcher M Hilo M65-79 37:50
120 Bodhi Parker M Keeau M01-14fin 37:58
121 Robert Belcher M Hilo M50-64 38:07
122 Elizabeth Lauberte F F35-49 38:57
123 Claudine Fujii F Hilo F65-79fin 39:03
124 Paige Breen-Page F Laupahoehoe F50-64 10 13 40:52
125 Eldridge Naboa M Naalehu M35-49 40:57
126 Margaret Serain F Hilo F65-79 41:10
127 Taua Kahalioumi M Hilo M01-14fin 41:12
128 Gerard Callo M Hilo M50-64 41:12
129 Pua Kahalioumi F Hilo F35-49fin 41:19
130 Alan Mitsuyoshi M Pepeekeo M65-79 41:21
131 Ocean Hilton F Hilo F01-14 41:22
132 Ava Ignacio F Hilo F01-14 41:23
133 Kalani Kahalioumi M Hilo M50-64fin 41:24
134 Suzanne Swanson F Keeau F50-64 44:48
135 Jane Dossett M Kurtistown M35-49fin 44:58
136 Charlotte Fuqioka F Hilo F65-79fin 47:10
137 Stanley Roehrig M Hilo M80-99 49:52
138 Kurt Melow M Hakalau M65-79 50:02
139 Christian Jacot M Hilo M50-64 51:20
140 Fred Meyer M Hilo M65-79fin 51:35
141 Marina Beebe F Petaluma F80-99fin 52:19
142 Lynne Hanzawa F Hilo F50-64fin 52:54
143 Dorothy Staskawilz F Volcano F50-64fin 53:40
144 Mariah Bath F Hilo F50-64 55:19
145 Celeste Barcia F Keeau F50-64 56:01
146 Joe Barcia M Keeau M35-49 56:04
147 Zenobea Love F Pepeekeo F35-49 1:02:21
148 Teyah Love F Pepeekeo F01-14 1:02:25
