HCC rules at home regatta

Lae Ula O Kai places second as MCHCA crews begins home stretch

July 12, 2009

By STARR BEGLEY, Staff Writer

KAHULUI - At the end of the the John M. and Kealoha Lake Regatta, Hawaiian Canoe Club president Diane Ho appeared content as she stood on the deck of the top floor of the club's hale at the Kahului Harbor.

''People just don't seem to get it,'' Ho said. ''Look at this. Kahului Harbor is beautiful.''

It would be hard to argue with her. The view of the calm water from atop the hale was stunning Saturday as evening clouds began to move in over the West Maui Mountains. According to Ho, the mountains are a source of mana for the club while paddling.

''From the water, you have a different view of Iao Valley,'' said Ho. ''It's our power source.''

Dominant on Maui and a state power with eight championships in the past 10 years, there were no surprises on Saturday as Hawaiian won again by a landslide, earning 154 points in 49 events.

Lae Ula O Kai came in a strong second after entering 34 events and earning 83 points, pushing Kihei (77) to third place.

With just one race to go in the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association season before the state competition, Ho was focused on the strategy of earning top state seeding. As it stands, Hawaiian has 33 crews that are in position to compete at the state meet next month in Hilo.

Though there were many close races at Saturday's regatta, the race of the day went to the mixed masters event. Hawaiian, fighting the current after pulling lane eight, won by by a split-second and clinched the top seed for states.

The HCC crew of Dane Ward, Margie Kawaiaea, Cathy Uu, Bruce Uu, David Ward and Michael Giblin finished the half-mile race in 4 minutes, 4.42 seconds, edging out Kihei (4:05.38).

''There are so many good paddlers on Maui,'' Ho said. ''When it comes down to these last few races, you really have to target races. Today, to have pulled off one of those races for the top seeding is great. To have pulled it off even after pulling the eighth lane which was a real challenge, is a clutch win. It was neck and neck; you couldn't even see who won.''

Rather than the wins, Ho says the focus of HCC remains instilling sound Hawaiian cultural values into the 280-300 club members, which in turn makes all the difference in competing.

''It's not all win, win, win,'' she said. ''Though I think that part of it (winning events) is keeping our youth. We don't keep all of them, of course there are dropouts, but we keep a lot of them and by the time they become adults, they've learned a lot and have a deep respect for the culture.''

Beginning at the age of 12, keiki in the club take annual trips to Lanai and Kahoolawe, where they perform community service.

Last week, the children went to Kahoolawe, where they spent time building a rock trail after paddling there and back.

''It's a huge accomplishment to a 12-year-old,'' said Ho. ''It's good for them. This is their home. This is their Ka'ahumanu (Shopping) Center, so to speak, where they hang out. During the school year we have a computer area for them to use for homework and we keep track of their grades.''

The host team won five of nine keiki competitions Saturday, though Napili, which won three and placed second in five of the keiki events, is showing serious promise with its young paddlers.

''It would be nice in the future to be at the top, if the kids stay in the program, but it's not what we focus on, beating Hawaiian, at the start of the season,'' said Napili head coach Joey Tihada. ''We do try to instill in the kids, like all the canoe clubs here, that they are our future and have them realize that they can make a difference.

''As for Hawaiian, they are in a class by themselves right now. They've got a good kids program, good adult program and for me, I wish I could run a program like theirs, and I look to them to help guide me in how I teach my kids, to guide them into being responsible young adults.''

Hawaiian had another reason to celebrate on Saturday. In the next three weeks, they will be breaking ground on their new hale which will be built next to their current structure at the harbor.

''We're excited,'' said Ho of the plans for the traditional thatched-roof hale. ''It will be great to have and another step in utilizing and beautifying the area.''

* Starr Begley is at sbegley@mauinews.com.

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Lae Ula O Kai places second as MCHCA crews begins home stretch

July 12, 2009

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