KAHULUI - Lae'ula O Kai Canoe Club is one of the newest in the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association, but a crew with some of its older paddlers earned a key victory Saturday.
The 65 men's team of Keoki Raymond, Doc Davis, Brian McCafferty, Bruce Dobbin, Bob Fulkerson and Casey Del Dotto won their half-mile race in 4 minutes, 55.77 seconds on Saturday in the Mayor's Umeke Regatta hosted by Lae'ula at Kahului Harbor.
It was an important win for the crew's hopes of qualifying for the state championships in August after not having enough paddlers at the first county regatta and being disqualified last week for running into Na Kai Ewalu's canoe.
Article Photos
Men’s 55 crews break from the starting line Saturday during the Mayor’s Umeke Regatta, the third event of the county season, at Kahului Harbor — Kihei Canoe Club took first place in 4 minutes, 35.18 seconds.
The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Four MCHCA regattas remain before the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state regatta - the top two crews from Maui in each race qualify for the state event.
"It's funny, because when you start paddling the times are in the 3:50s and now it is 4:55," Dobbin said with a smile. "I guess it is a good time for our age. This week we were really looking for a good race and we got it. We needed the points today, we really want to go to the state race. We feel really good about our team right now."
Dobbin is the newcomer on the crew, with eight years of paddling experience. He and his crewmates try to share their knowledge with the club's 235 members - Lae'ula has a lineup that spans the spectrum, from inexperienced to veteran.
"We are the older dudes and people look up to old people for some reason, but we also look up to our other paddlers - it's a two-way street," Dobbin said. "We have a lot of fun, we are past the point of getting mad."
Lae'ula finished third on Saturday with 79 points, seven behind runner-up Kihei, but remained in second place in the season standings. Hawaiian, owner of the last 27 county championships and nine of the last 11 state titles, won Saturday's regatta with 146 points.
Lae'ula co-head coaches Sharon and Ricky Balidoy both said that running a regatta adds a lot to race day for the entire club.
"We are filling 40 lanes, so that is pretty good," Ricky Balidoy said. "We have got a lot of guys racing twice and some unofficial races, too. We are trying to max out everybody, moving everybody around, keeping everybody happy."
Lee Moyers raced in the freshman and open 4 events officially and was also on the club's unofficial men's open crew. Moyers, 24, has added coaching of the youngsters to his responsibilities this season.
"Oh yeah, we share knowledge, but we go to practice and work hard," he said. "We go up against the open men and everybody is pushing to beat each other. Oh man, that helps a lot because you always want to be in front at practice. The old guys, they do exactly what we are doing."
Moyers has been paddling since he was 6 years old.
"We have fun with the kids, we have unofficial crews in almost every race," he said. "And the unofficial crews are beating the official crews, so that is awesome to see. I love seeing them do well. We all push to do our best and I really want to see the kids do good. I push them and me pushing them helps me push myself and my crew."
Moyers also is in the thick of the ultra-competitive men's division.
"The men have been doing really good, we have a lot more depth now," he said. "Everybody is racing twice and we are doing pretty well."
Sharon Balidoy said that the club with the rastafarian colors has found a solid mix of youth and veteran crews.
"I think our strength is all of our members and all of us working together," she said. "The kids, the adults, they are all pulling their own weight. I think we are really kind of an ohana club."
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com
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MCHCA MAYOR'S UMEKE REGATTA
| Saturday’s results | |
| At Kahului Harbor | |
| Hawaiian | 146 |
| Kihei | 86 |
| Lae‘ula O Kai | 79 |
| Napili | 55 |
| Na Kai Ewalu | 50 |
| Wailea | 35 |
| Kahana | 30 |
| Lahaina | 6 |
| Hana | 0 |
| Season standings | |
| After three events | |
| Hawaiian | 425 |
| Lae‘ula O Kai | 250 |
| Kihei | 231 |
| Napili | 175 |
| Na Kai Ewalu | 165 |
| Kahana | 94 |
| Wailea | 85 |
| Lahaina | 18 |
| Hana | 3 |
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MCHCA MAYOR'S UMEKE REGATTA
Saturday's Results
At Kahului Harbor
Female
Quarter-mile
12B-1. Hawaiian (Katarina Fernandez, Kale'a Paiva, Destynee Albiar, Krysta Delgreco, Kaila Medeiros, Waiola Perreira) 2:54.73, 2. Kahana 2:55.45, 3. Lahaina 2:57.77, 4. Napili 3:12.48, 5. Kihei 3:26.36. 12A-1. Napili (Daisha Kahoalii-Kalilikane, Ola Medeiros, Hoku Delatori, Lina Nolan-Criste, Gabriela Miyamoto, Kaohulani Palakiko) 2:37.33, 2. Hawaiian 2:38.01, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 2:43.48, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 3:13.09. 13-1. Kihei (Alohinani Johnson, Janica Panuelos, Pumehana Porter, Ku'ulei Padilla, Cameron Kotter-Gambsky, Kyrie Kupahu) 2:41.25, 2. Napili 2:44.22, 3. Kahana 2:50.44, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:56.69, 5. Hawaiian 3:02.22, 6. Hana 3:10.95, 7. Lahaina 3:20.94, 8. Na Kai Ewalu 3:21.81. 14-1. Napili (Courtney Ruidas, Christy Mae Ruidas, Kehau-Lani Brown, Carly Jaramillo, Ana Lukela Kobatake, Diamond Freitas) 2:32.68, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 2:38.98, 3. Hawaiian 2:42.91, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:56.33, 5. Kihei 3:12.11, 6. Lahaina 3:16.88. Novice B-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Kelsey Dunn, Angela Nelson, Kellie O'Rourke, Steph Franklin, Taima McCartney, Holly Tavares) 2:21.44, 2. Hawaiian 2:31.05, 3. Kahana 2:33.13, 4. Napili 2:34.80, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 2:51.97.
Half-mile
15-1. Hawaiian (Kamaile Lee, Mikaela McDaniel, Neula Aarona, Kahili Novikoff, Tianna Yonemura, Mehana Fisher) 4:52.92, 2. Napili 4:55.85, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:01.29. 16-1. Hawaiian (Kamaile Lee, Mikaela McDaniel, Hi'ilei Casco, Kahili Novikoff, Brenna Hoonan-Amby, Kaulu Luuwai) 4:54.01, 2. Napili 4:54.38, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:29.98, 4. Kihei 5:45.47. 18-1. Hawaiian (Lilinoe Bal, Ali Hoeck, Angelique Fontaine, Hoapili Kealoha, Hi'ilei Casco, Kiana Siliado) 4:53.06, 2. Napili 4:59.81, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:02.88, 4. Kihei 5:45.60, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 5:51.37. Novice A-1. Hawaiian (Jessica Van Leuven, Kimberly Anderson, Emily Smith, Brandy Aguirre, Teresa Mautino, Nicole Schroeter) 4:37.95, 2. Kihei 4:44.78, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:01.02, 4. Kahana 5:03.41, 5. Lahaina 5:04.88, 6. Wailea 5:11.38, 7. Napili 5:12.39. 50-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Holly Dollar, Marian Zajac, Donelle Zarko, Lei Laanui, Victoria Takayesu-Hamilton, Colleen Ford) 4:53.00, 2. Kihei 5:02.34, 3. Hawaiian 5:24.42, 4. Napili 5:41.79. 55-1. Kihei (Anita Anderson, Katy Smith, Vanessa Weiss, Bonney Esbensen, Deanna Salse, Denise Guerin) 5:19.44, 2. Hawaiian 5:23.62, 3. Wailea 5:46.17, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 5:56.65. 60-1. Kihei (Irene Geyer, Deanna Salse, Linda Kahler, Judy Martter, Deborah Pearsall, Lea Giddens) 5:28.90, 2. Hawaiian 5:30.29, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:58.68, 4. Kahana 6:50.64. 65-1. Hawaiian (Carol Aulani Takatsuka, Mary Akiona, Sally Ann Flinn, Virginia Hall, Kekoa Enomoto, Diane Ho) 6:27.91, 2. Kihei 6:35.38. Open four-1. Hawaiian (Dane Ward, Meghan Dunn, Noelani Vorhies, Michelle Cerizo) 5:01.10, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 5:04.05, 3. Kahana 5:13.35, 4. Kihei 5:35.59, 5. Napili 5:51.45, 6. Hana 5:51.77, 7. Na Kai Ewalu 6:03.12.
1 mile
Freshman-1. Hawaiian (Barbara Querry, Dane Ward, Kawena Cramer, Michelle Arnold, Lauren Franzwa, Kelsey Nae'ole) 9:23.94, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 9:43.76, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 10:19.58, 4. Kihei 10:41.15. Sophomore-1. Kahana (Kristina Dougherty, Lani Kane, Megan Quale, Emili Janchevis, Dawnalyn Fujiwara, Danielle Kuck) 9:34.94, 2. Hawaiian 10:02.02, 3. Kihei 10:18.27, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 10:22.04, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 10:40.76. Junior-1. Hawaiian (Carolina De Sa, Kaimana Brummel, Gabrielle Naeole, Chilli-Rae Soon, Kappy Frampton, Kaulu Luuwai) 9:52.19, 2. Kihei 9:56.21, 3. Napili 10:24.66, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 10:31.88, 5. Kahana 10:51.68. 40-1. Kihei (Vivian Delos Reyes, Jessica Elf, Ingrid Thronson, Rhonda Ashton, Lisa Santos, Polly Arnold-Lorge) 10:03.38, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 10:05.03, 3. Napili 10:52.22, 4. Hawaiian 11:01.31.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Hawaiian (Anna Gilarski, Michelle Arnold, Kawena Cramer, Gabrielle Naeole, Lauren Franzwa, Nicole Schroeter) 15:11.18, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 15:48.87, 3. Kahana 16:05.97, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 16:07.94, 5. Kihei 16:34.64.
* * *
Male
Quarter-mile
12B-1. Hawaiian (Noah Aea, Kupono Aguirre, Joshua Kailiehu, Micah Kawa'a, Arson Jenkins, Traesyn Shimoda) 2:49.89, 2. Napili 3:01.73, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 3:07.03, 4. Kihei 3:17.94, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 3:18.90. 12A-1. Napili (Steven Kama, Justice Tihada, David Coulombe, Ikaika Viela, Ikua Tihada, Kila Vierra) 2:40.78, 2. Hawaiian 2:49.30, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 2:55.64, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 3:01.34, 5. Kihei 3:12.79, 6. Hana 3:47.34. 13-1. Hawaiian (Kekoa Medeiros, Keanini Aarona, Kekoa Vaivai, Heali'i Barrett, Maika'i Cadman, Kawai Luuwai) 2:19.97, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 2:30.90, 3. Napili 2:33.70, 4. Wailea 2:50.13, 5. Kihei 3:20.96. 14-1. Hawaiian (Noah Katz, Lihau Higashino, Palekana Pamat-Hett, Kiaku Nae'ole, Iban Garvin, Thomas Peterson) 2:09.81, 2. Kihei 2:19.24, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 2:19.54, 4. Napili 2:24.26, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 2:29.07.
Half-mile
15-1. Hawaiian (Matthew Meyer, Kauanoe Vanderpoel, Tyson Felicilda, Palekana Pamat-Hett, Kellen Bean, Kyle Knutson) 4:23.84, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:47.80, 3. Kihei 4:49.19. Novice B-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Joshua Johnson, Paulo Feagai, Peter Hamill, Kristan Walsh, Cory Jacobson, Shane Skolil) 4:15.80, 2. Kahana 4:18.39, 3. Hawaiian 4:21.40, 4. Kihei 4:28.72, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 4:32.19, 6. Hana 4:49.26, 7. Wailea 5:06.06. 16-1. Hawaiian (Maleko Lorenzo, Kauanoe Vanderpoel, Bryce Takabayashi, Adam Ferrier, Alika Ostermiller, Mogul Luuwai) 4:12.82, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:25.72, 3. Lahaina 4:43.80. 50-1. Wailea (Bruce Baptiste, Eric Mitchell, Gary Saldana, James Knutson, Robin Bolos, Rich Olson) 4:04.91, 2. Kihei 4:17.26, 3. Kahana 4:23.59, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 4:39.60, 5. Hawaiian 4:41.99. 55-1. Kihei (Ed Begley, Sam Cavitt, Terry Davis, Gary Heath, Tom Guerin, Casey Logsdon) 4:35.18, 2. Hawaiian 4:43.77, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:47.87, 4. Kahana 5:08.84. 60-1. Kihei (Louis Dionese Jr., Ken Pearsall, Ed Begley, Bob Brooks, John Salse, Kimokeo Kapahulehua) 4:32.71, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:35.93, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 4:48.00, 4. Hawaiian 4:48.33. 65-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Doc Davis, Bruce Dobbin, Brian McCafferty, Bob Fulkerson, Casey Del Dotto, Keoki Raymond) 4:55.77, 2. Kahana 5:02.56, 3. Kihei 5:31.55, 4. Hawaiian 5:48.98, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 6:42.37. Open four-1. Wailea (Kai Bartlett, Jacob Abeytia, Mael Carey, Kekoa Cramer) 3:47.01, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 4:05.90, 3. Hawaiian 4:08.33, 4. Lahaina 4:13.26, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 4:13.96, 6. Napili 4:16.85, 7. Hana 5:18.04.
1 mile
18-1. Hawaiian (Maleko Lorenzo, Levi Almeida, Makolea Aikala, Flo Michelier, Adam Ferrier, Mogul Luuwai) 8:25.44, 2. Wailea 8:36.24, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 8:52.87, 4. Napili 9:48.76. Novice A-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Jonah Baisa, David Perzinski, Keith Zielinski, Matthew Bush, Luke Nakamoto, Mike Lambert) 8:38.68, 2. Hawaiian 8:50.09, 3. Napili 9:25.66. Freshman-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Hans Harder, Richard Palakiko, Matthew Lewis, Bobby Divers, Kaimi Kealoha, Kalani Tancayo) 8:13.88, 2. Hawaiian 8:14.34, 3. Wailea 8:20.42, 4. Lahaina 8:24.77, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 8:39.40. Sophomore-1. Wailea (Jacob Abeytia, Carter Evans, Jake Durnell, Justin Firmignac, Sol Pali, Felipe Gomes) 8:11.52, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 8:51.43, 3. Hawaiian 9:00.38. Junior-1. Wailea (Jason Gomes, Robert Brede, Eric Mitchell, Guy Wilson, James Knutson, Rich Olson) 7:58.91, 2. Hawaiian 8:18.07, 3. Napili 8:26.72, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 8:48.47, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 9:17.82, 6. Kihei 9:24.22. 40-1. Kihei (Roy Sabado, Ryan Gazmen, Brooks Cohen, Kawika Williams, Wilson Angel, Ani Alfaro-Castro) 8:30.51, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 8:47.48, 3. Napili 9:02.66, 4. Hawaiian 9:04.90.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Wailea (Kai Bartlett, Biggie Lara, Mael Carey, Tyson Kubo, Felipe Gomes, Kekoa Cramer) 12:17.01, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 13:05.77, 3. Hawaiian 13:39.74, 4. Kihei 13:41.31, 5. Napili 14:07.14, 6. Lae'ula O Kai 14:25.55.
* * *
Mixed
Quarter-mile
12-1. Napili (Steven Kama, Justice Tihada, Lina Nolan-Criste, Ikaika Viela, Gabriela Miyamoto, Kaohulani Palakiko) 2:51.99, 2. Hawaiian 2:59.10, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 3:12.95, 4. Wailea 3:27.32, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 3:31.96, 6. Hana 3:55.95. Novice B-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Jessica Ford, Paulo Feagai, Shane Skolil, Joseph Kutney, Tiare Gahan, Kellie O'Rourke) 2:02.91, 2. Hawaiian 2:04.27, 3. Kahana 2:07.18, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:20.36, 5. Napili 2:30.52.
Half-mile
18-1. Hawaiian (Lilinoe Bal, Ali Hoeck, Carlos Herrera, Matthew Meyer, Ryan Knutson, Kiana Siliado) 4:34.17, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:36.46, 3. Kihei 4:46.80, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 4:52.24. 40-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Lani Gomes, Joe Mateo, Jacque Mulleitner, Reggie Balidoy, Lee Ishikawa, Mary Kielty) 4:06.12, 2. Kihei 4:10.49, 3. Hawaiian 4:14.78, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 4:27.66, 5. Napili 4:44.38, 6. Kahana 5:02.59, 7. Wailea 5:07.11. 55-1. Kihei (Anita Anderson, Mark Kasbergen, Sam Cavitt, Terry Davis, Bonney Esbensen, Vanessa Weiss) 4:34.29, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:35.05, 3. Hawaiian 4:54.27, 4. Napili 5:04.09. 60-1. Kihei (Irene Geyer, Louis Jr. Dionese, Kimokeo Kapahulehua, John Salse, Deborah Pearsall, Lea Giddens) 4:37.98, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:48.91, 3. Hawaiian 5:07.43, 4. Kahana 5:08.75. Open-1. Kihei (Jesse Guerin, Michael Lauer, Greg Frederick, Amity Mason, Angie Wideman, Sandy Reyno) 4:12.68, 2. Hawaiian 4:16.29, 3. Napili 4:23.79, 4. Wailea 4:27.58, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:29.16, 6. Kahana 4:44.14, 7. Lahaina 4:50.25, 8. Hana 4:53.33.
