KAHULUI - Na Kai Ewalu may be getting some final closure after a fire in November of 1996 destroyed the club's hale and nearly its entire fleet of canoes.
They made a quick recovery from the blaze, replacing all but one canoe within eight months.
The only absence has been a koa vessel, but as the club celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday during the John Wilmington III Regatta at Kahului Harbor, it closed in on the funding needed to make that emotional addition.
Article Photos
Crews in the boys 18 races compete in the John Wilmington III Regatta on Saturday at Kahului Harbor
HOKU KRUEGER photo
"It's a relief," said Zachary Bailey, a Na Kai Ewalu paddler for the last 25 years. "It is the closest to the culture and the history of canoe paddling that we can get, to have this living tree give itself to us so that we can honor the tradition and the people that came before. It symbolizes every canoe club. The koa canoe is the heartbeat of its fleet."
While a typical Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association regatta is painted with the colors of fiberglass canoes, only ones carved from koa wood are allowed to take the water at the state competition. Na Kai Ewalu has had to borrow a koa canoe every year since the fire.
"It is our hope that this year marks the year that we will have the financial side finished," Bailey said - the club would like to race with its own koa canoe at the 2013 state championship.
The process of getting the new canoe started in 2004 when members of the club began soliciting donors on Maui to get a koa log. Unable to find one, they traveled to the Big Island and hiked into the forest of Humuula to find a tree.
"It's a huge blessing and honor to be able to go to another island to get their resources so we want to thank the Big Island just in general for allowing us to come in," Bailey said.
Aside from finding a log, the club has also had to work closely with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to get funding and clearance.
Na Kai Ewalu's koa canoe is currently with shaper Sonny Bradley on Oahu.
The idea of new beginnings does not stop with Na Kai Ewalu's canoe. The club's novice program is also one of its strengths.
"This club, over the last few years we've been building our novice program," said Owen Seiki, an assistant coach who handles the novice crews.
"They grow a little bit more every year. The goal is for them to become better than us, take over our job one day and make the next generation even better."
The women's and men's novice B teams won their races on Saturday, giving the club 14 wins in the novice races this year - the mixed novice B crew had been unbeaten until Saturday.
"It really starts with the novice program. We focus a lot there. That's where you are going to implement the proper techniques. You start them early, the better that they are, the better it's going to make everybody else. It trickles up. If they progress throughout the years, it's going to enhance our upper divisions so it's a big booster for the club," second-year Novice A paddler Matthew Bush said.
Na Kai Ewalu finished fifth at Saturday's regatta with 41 points.
Hawaiian won with 147, clinching a 28th consecutive county title.
"It's harder to stay somewhere than it is to get there because every year you have to work harder and the level of competition on Maui has just increased so much," said HCC head coach Diane Ho. "I don't take anything for granted because it's fragile."
Kihei was the runner-up with 92 points, extending its lead on Lae'ula O Kai (85) in the race for second in the season standings to 18.
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MCHCA WILMINGTON REGATTA
| Saturday’s results | |
| At Kahului Harbor | |
| Hawaiian | 147 |
| Kihei | 92 |
| Lae‘ula O Kai | 85 |
| Napili | 50 |
| Na Kai Ewalu | 41 |
| Wailea | 39 |
| Kahana | 23 |
| Lahaina | 3 |
| Season standings | |
| Hawaiian | 855 |
| Kihei | 511 |
| Lae‘ula O Kai | 493 |
| Napili | 344 |
| Na Kai Ewalu | 305 |
| Kahana | 176 |
| Wailea | 185 |
| Lahaina | 27 |
| Hana | 4 |
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MCHCA WILMINGTON REGATTA
Saturday's Results
At Kahului Harbor
Female
Quarter mile
12 B-1. Kahana (Jade Rickard, Ashley Taguiam, Shelia Sadang-Tateyama, Ira Navarro, Ivy Navarro, Dakota Delos Reyes) 3:04.98, 2. Napili 3:09.02, 3. Lahaina 3:17.72. 12 A-1. Napili (Kealahooipoleimaile Cabanilla, Daisha Kahoalii-Kalilikane, Gabriela Miyamoto, Lina Nolan-Criste, Ola Medeiros, Noe Keahi) 2:44.65, 2. Hawaiian 2:47.55, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 3:23.02, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 3:49.46. 13-1. Napili (Tavi Viela, Kiana Nakoa, Hoku Delatori, Ana Lukela Kobatake, Kaile Kron, Kaohulani Palakiko) 2:36.98, 2. Kihei 2:40.17, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 2:48.89, 4. Hawaiian 2:51.03, 5. Kahana 3:09.00, 6. Lahaina 3:26.40. 14-1. Napili (Courtney Ruidas, Christy Mae Ruidas, Kehau-Lani Brown, Ana Lukela Kobatake, Tavi Viela, Diamond Freitas) 2:39.15, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 2:40.81, 3. Hawaiian 2:47.97, 4. Kihei 3:08.89, 5. Lahaina 3:17.49, 6. Na Kai Ewalu 3:22.36, 7. Wailea 3:26.36. Novice B-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Jessica Ford, Angela Nelson, Holly Tavares, Paula MacCutcheon, Tiare Gahan, Taima McCartney) 2:25.27, 2. Kahana 2:35.49, 3. Napili 2:38.43, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:38.90, 5. Hawaiian 2:52.19.
Half mile
15-1. Hawaiian (Kamaile Lee, Brenna Hoonan-Amby, Mikela Wesson, Kahili Novikoff, Tianna Yonemura, Mehana Fisher) 4:55.20, 2. Napili 5:09.09, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:17.92, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 6:11.05. 16-1. Hawaiian (Kamaile Lee, Kahili Novikoff, Hi'ilei Casco, Mikaela McDaniel, Alexis Smith, Mehana Fisher) 4:55.23, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 5:19.48, 3. Kihei 5:39.11. 18-1. Hawaiian (Lilinoe Bal, Ali Hoeck, Hoapili Kealoha, Mikaela McDaniel, Tianna Yonemura, Kiana Siliado) 4:56.94, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 5:14.05, 3. Napili 5:15.16, 4. Kihei 6:20.48. Novice A-1. Kihei (Teresa Blackwell, Tiffany Lambert, Jennifer Lauer, Tia Brainard, Heather Reck, Julie Niemi) 4:48.27, 2. Hawaiian 4:51.87, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 5:11.42, 4. Kahana 5:18.80, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 5:24.75, 6. Napili 5:29.87, 7. Wailea 5:57.11, 8. Lahaina 6:08.77. 50-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Holly Dollar, Donelle Zarko, Victoria Takayesu-Hamilton, Lei Laanui, Marian Zajac, Colleen Ford) 4:57.62, 2. Kihei 4:58.18, 3. Hawaiian 5:30.82, 4. Napili 5:33.65. 55-1. Kihei (Anita Anderson, Vanessa Weiss, Bonney Esbensen, Suzan Cengiz, Denise Guerin, Katy Smith) 5:14.59, 2. Hawaiian 5:21.99, 3. Wailea 5:43.91, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 6:06.66. 60-1. Kihei (Irene Geyer, Deanna Salse, Linda Kahler, Judy Martter, Deborah Pearsall, Lea Giddens) 5:27.40, 2. Hawaiian 5:31.85, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:37.33, 4. Kahana 6:17.16. 65-1. Hawaiian (Carol Aulani Takatsuka, Mary Akiona, Sandra Cole, Virginia Hall, Jay Magalianes, Diane Ho) 5:57.80, 2. Kihei 6:13.25. Open four-1. Hawaiian (Dane Ward, Michelle Arnold, Barbara Querry, Lauren Bartlett) 4:51.16, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 5:04.20, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 5:32.98, 4. Kihei 5:36.05, 5. Hana 5:46.40.
Mile
Freshman-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Joanna Lee, Kelly Cua, Emily Fielding, Shayna Arakawa, Jocelyn Hrkach, Fiona Van Ammers) 9:57.56, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 10:30.53, 3. Kihei 10:39.33. Sophomore-1. Hawaiian (Anna Gilarski, Michelle Arnold, Kawena Cramer, Barbara Querry, Lauren Franzwa, Theresa Gerry) 9:18.22, 2. Kahana 9:35.35, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 9:52.53, 4. Kihei 10:12.89, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 10:15.35. Junior-1. Hawaiian (Nicole Spalding, Kappy Frampton, Kawena Cramer, Meghan Dunn, Carolina De Sa, Kelsey Nae'ole) 9:14.01, 2. Kihei 9:36.99, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 10:01.82, 4. Napili 10:24.71, 5. Kahana 10:39.30. 40-1. Hawaiian (Carla Fadriquela, Kappy Frampton, Michelle Cerizo, Cathy Uu, Karen Mooiweer, Lisa Knutson) 9:50.45, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 9:51.60, 3. Kihei 9:57.82.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Hawaiian (Anna Gilarski, Kisha Hudson, Lauren Powley, Lauren Franzwa, Meghan Dunn, Lisa Knutson) 14:56.97, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 15:02.35, 3. Kahana 15:03.03, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 15:03.55, 5. Kihei 15:52.09.
* * *
Male
Quarter mile
12 B-1. Kihei (Noa Leslie, Johney Magana, Pouono Hafoka Jr, Keith Johnson, Kalani Kapahulehua, Hanalei Alapai) 3:00.22, 2. Hawaiian 3:05.39, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 3:08.97, 4. Napili 3:11.02, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 3:12.17. 12 A-1. Hawaiian (David Hoonan-Amby, Keo Chun, Wyatt Meyer, Samuel Aleaga, Noah Garcia, Traesyn Shimoda) 2:32.45, 2. Napili 2:34.43, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 2:43.86, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:50.87, 5. Kihei 3:11.01. 13-1. Hawaiian (Kekoa Medeiros, Maika'i Cadman, Keanini Aarona, Heali'i Barrett, Kekoa Vaivai, Kawai Luuwai) 2:14.17, 2. Na Kai Ewalu 2:33.68, 3. Napili 2:49.41, 4. Kihei 2:58.02, 5. Wailea 3:01.45. 14-1. Hawaiian (Noah Katz, Palekana Pamat-Hett, Heali'i Barrett, Thomas Peterson, Lihau Higashino, Iban Garvin) 2:10.28, 2. Napili 2:18.76, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 2:23.60, 4. Kihei 2:26.99, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 2:27.68.
Half mile
15-1. Hawaiian (Noah Katz, Kauanoe Vanderpoel, Palekana Pamat-Hett, Tyson Felicilda, Kellen Bean, Kyle Knutson) 4:12.19, 2. Napili 4:31.31, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:43.38, 4. Kihei 4:49.96. Novice B-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Shane Skolil, Peter Hamill, Paulo Feagai, Kristan Walsh, Joshua Johnson, Cory Jacobson) 4:08.37, 2. Hawaiian 4:13.35, 3. Kihei 4:15.61, 4. Kahana 4:23.69, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 4:29.26. 16-1. Hawaiian (Maleko Lorenzo, Kauanoe Vanderpoel, Adam Ferrier, Tyson Felicilda, Alika Ostermiller, Mogul Luuwai) 4:06.31, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:13.12, 3. Kihei 4:36.86, 4. Lahaina 4:39.81, 5. Napili 7:20.66. 50-1. Wailea (James Knutson, Gary Saldana, Bruce Baptiste, Eric Mitchell, Biggie Lara, Rich Olson) 4:10.32, 2. Kihei 4:18.52, 3. Hawaiian 4:38.83, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 4:50.01. 55-1. Kihei (Tom Guerin, Sam Cavitt, Terry Davis, Ed Begley, Gary Heath, Casey Logsdon) 4:31.59, 2. Hawaiian 4:39.19, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:40.21, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 4:56.79. 60-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Terry Quisenberry, Wendall DeVera, Brian McCafferty, Bruce Dobbin, Bob March, Pia Aluli) 4:24.80, 2. Kihei 4:28.23, 3. Hawaiian 4:44.99, 4. Kahana 4:47.47, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:50.70. 65-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Doc Davis, Bruce Dobbin, Brian McCafferty, Casey Del Dotto, Keoki Raymond, Bob Fulkerson) 4:35.96, 2. Kahana 4:55.30, 3. Hawaiian 5:24.41, 4. Kihei 5:54.14. Open four-1. Wailea (Mael Carey, Jacob Abeytia, Kekoa Cramer, Kai Bartlett) 3:56.76, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:12.05, 3. Hawaiian 4:18.14, 4. Napili 4:18.90, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:32.49, 6. Kahana 4:37.26, 7. Kihei 4:37.79.
Mile
18-1. Hawaiian (Maleko Lorenzo, Levi Almeida, Makolea Aikala, Flo Michelier, Adam Ferrier, Mogul Luuwai) 8:34.07, 2. Kihei 9:45.39, 3. Wailea 10:11.72, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 10:20.19. Novice A-1. Kihei (Jesse Guerin, Greg Frederick, Michael Lauer, Grant Haitsuka, Lawaia Aweau, Ryan Smith) 8:09.13, 2. Hawaiian 8:36.09, 3. Napili 9:01.46. Freshman-1. Na Kai Ewalu (Kaimi Kealoha, Matthew Lewis, Hans Harder, Richard Palakiko, Brock Johnson, Kalani Tancayo) 8:07.99, 2. Wailea 8:47.32, 3. Hawaiian 9:16.06. Sophomore-1. Wailea (Charles Fleck, Carter Evans, Jake Durnell, Kaleo Evangelista, Mael Carey, Jacob Abeytia) 7:54.49, 2. Hawaiian 8:12.71, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 8:13.37, 4. Kahana 8:36.25. Junior-1. Wailea (Ekolu Kalama III, Robert Brede, Jason Gomes, Guy Wilson, Tyson Kubo, Felipe Gomes) 8:09.75, 2. Hawaiian 8:19.56, 3. Napili 8:23.38, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 8:47.43, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 9:19.88. 40-1. Wailea (Sol Pali, Robert Brede, Guy Wilson, Eric Mitchell, Rich Olson, James Knutson) 8:16.01, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 8:42.04, 3. Napili 9:06.58, 4. Hawaiian 9:07.50.
1 1/2 miles
Open-1. Wailea (Kai Bartlett, Tyson Kubo, Jake Durnell, Kekoa Cramer, Felipe Gomes, Carter Evans) 11:52.20, 2. Hawaiian 12:32.12, 4. Kihei 13:23.22, 5. Kahana 14:12.46.
* * *
Mixed
Quarter mile
12-1. Napili (Steven Kama, Justice Tihada, Lina Nolan-Criste, Ikaika Viela, Kealahooipoleimaile Cabanilla, Noe Keahi) 2:31.03, 2. Hawaiian 2:35.71, 3. Kihei 2:56.14, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 2:58.64, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 3:00.41, 6. Kahana 3:28.80. Novice B-1. Hawaiian (Marianne Klaus, David Fitch, Laksmi Abraham, Jeffrey Anderson, Seth Ohst, Catherine Deboni) 2:14.61, 2. Kihei 2:22.18, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 2:22.76, 4. Kahana 2:23.27, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 2:23.86, 6. Napili 2:35.86, 7. Wailea 2:37.05.
Half mile
18-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Jeff Tokanang, Kupono Hueu, Maikael Gosselin-Gunn, Joey Bermudez, Nicole Rios, Tori Prieto) 4:39.01, 2. Hawaiian 4:47.39, 3. Kihei 4:57.75, 4. Napili 5:09.63, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 5:21.67. 40-1. Hawaiian (Mark Soon, Michael Giblin, David Ward, Trez Harrisson, Carla Fadriquela, Theresa Gerry) 4:07.71, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 4:08.48, 3. Kihei 4:21.42, 4. Kahana 4:43.53, 5. Napili 4:54.69, 6. Wailea 5:00.53. 55-1. Lae'ula O Kai (Caitlin Nascimento, Frank Zajac, Colleen Ford, Kawika Davidson, Iris Mountcastle, Pia Aluli) 4:33.32, 2. Kihei 4:42.57, 3. Hawaiian 5:07.18, 4. Napili 5:18.14, 5. Kahana 6:09.66. 60-1. Kihei (Louis Jr. Dionese, John Salse, Kimokeo Kapahulehua, Irene Geyer, Deborah Pearsall, Lea Giddens) 4:46.19, 2. Lae'ula O Kai 5:01.54, 3. Hawaiian 5:13.13. Open-1. Kihei (Jesse Guerin, Michael Lauer, Greg Frederick, Shannon Pierce, Angie Wideman, Sandy Reyno) 4:01.40, 2. Hawaiian 4:04.37, 3. Wailea 4:20.11, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 4:26.18, 5. Kahana 4:28.79, 6. Napili 4:37.66, 7. Hana 4:40.29, 8. Na Kai Ewalu 4:41.85.
