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Wailea Canoe Club’s 25th season shaping up to be banner year

By Chris Sugidono 9 min read

LAHAINA -- Wailea Canoe Club's Donna Whitford recalls the night her husband came to her with the ambitious idea to form their own paddling club.

"I looked at him and thought, 'Oh God,' " Whitford joked Saturday at the Keiki O Maui Regatta. "He said 'It's time to do this.' We've always been involved and he's always paddled and makes canoes. It seemed like a natural progression to move to having our own club."

The couple, which had paddled for Kihei and originally moved from Oahu, formed the club in 1993 and this year celebrated its 25th season in the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association.

"It's an ohana," Whitford said. "Twenty-five years of reaching out to people and trying to help kids find their way in life. We feel like paddling is about helping everybody find purpose and meaning, and what better way than with the Hawaiian sport of paddling."

The defending state champions of the A Division (clubs with six or fewer crews) are led by Whitford's husband, Kapena, who serves as the club's president. He designed a new logo and printed shirts for paddlers to wear this season in honor of the milestone.

"We didn't know if we were going to make it this long," he said laughing. "We're the youngest club here."

Despite its young age, the club claimed seven gold medals in regatta No. 6 at Hanakao'o (Canoe) Beach Park, earning wins in the men's open, open four, 40, freshman, sophomore and junior races, as well as mix 40.

Wailea appears poised to qualify double the amount of crews for next month's state championships with 12 teams.

"We have a little more paddlers and we're doing better than expected," Kapena Whitford said.

Donna Whitford said the club has always focused on helping paddlers achieve their highest potential, not just on the water, but in life. Last year, the club's open men's crew gave up their undefeated record so a former paddler, who had been paralyzed in an accident on the Mainland, could paddle in one more race.

"It was so touching," she said. "That's the philosophy all our paddlers try to instill in others."

In recent years, Wailea has seen a resurgence in new and old paddlers getting involved with the club. Lahaina Canoe Club, which hosted Saturday's race, also appears to be growing.

The West Maui club continues to build on its youth and looks to qualify three crews for the state regatta after sending none last year. With one more race to go in the MCHCA season, the mixed 12 and girls 15 crews are still fighting for seeding, while the boys 12 crew is a lock, despite losing its first race of the season Saturday.

"It makes them humble," Lahaina coach George Vierra said. "That's the good part of it. They don't want to practice hard, that's what happens. But it's all good."

Fellow coach Kurt Snyder said the club took a one-year break in 2016 after difficulties filling the keiki races. He said the group restructured its focus on the kids with the adults coming secondary.

"Former members are kind of watching and seeing the improvement of the kids program so a lot of the adults are saying, 'We're going to come back too,' " Snyder said. "It's good."

In other races, Na Kai Ewalu's boys 14 crew captured its first win of the season, finishing in 1 minute, 51.35 seconds, edging out Hawaiian by 0.30 seconds. The crew was led by Na'u Hett, Jonah Quinto, Joshua Satterlee, Noah Edlao, Dwight Satterlee and Maximus Mershon.

"We felt like this was a long time coming," Hett said. "I think we've been practicing harder than anyone. It's all because of these boys that we got the win."

Kahana's women's novice B crew continued its win streak Saturday in 2:00.78. The crew was helmed by Kesa Stoddart, Krystle Park, Katie Delgado, Aina Kohler, Kayla Marshall and Kelsey Manning.

"Today we did not feel very good," Stoddart said. "We didn't get to practice too much as a team. We're lots of moms and full-time workers so if we're going to go to states, we're going to have to practice our starts."

* Chris Sugidono is at csugidono@mauinews.com

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MCHCA KEIKI O MAUI REGATTA

Saturday's Results

At Hanakao'o (Canoe) Beach Park

1. Hawaiian 155, 2. Kihei 88, 3. Napili 74, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 52, 5. Wailea 46, 6. Na Kai Ewalu 34, 7. Kahana 33, 8. Lahaina 9, 9. Hana 8.

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MCHCA SEASON STANDINGS

Through six of seven events

1. Hawaiian 901, 2. Kihei 529, 3. Napili 396, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 331, 5. Wailea 313, 6. Kahana 245, 7. Na Kai Ewalu 177, 8. Lahaina 74, 9. Hana 56.

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MCHCA KEIKI O MAUI REGATTA

Saturday's Results

At Hanakao'o (Canoe) Beach Park

Female

Quarter Mile

12A--1. Kihei 2:07.57 (Grace Ching, Ashlyn Melcher, Lily Weinstein, Malani Ehlis-Cendejas, Emily Norton, Sinjin Estomo), 2. Napili 2:07.92, 3. Hawaiian 2:08.84, 4. Hana 2:22.84, 5. Lahaina 2:26.21, 6. Lae'ula O Kai 2:28.43, 7. Na Kai Ewalu 2:28.80. 12B--1. Napili 2:12.34 (Kealoha Baricuatro, Jordan Gomez, Naiomi Kulukulualani-Sales, Teani Mederios-Maielua, Nayah-Iliana Smith, Chamille Balderas), 2. Hawaiian 2:14.09, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 2:15.07, 4. Kahana 2:23.58, 5. Hana 2:23.90, 6. Kihei 2:25.67, 7. Lahaina 2:32.77, 8. Wailea 2:51.46. 13--1. Napili 2:07.72 (Tiana-Rose Naki, Shyla Rodrigues, Puliki Rogers, Taimane Cajudoy, Patricia Haufekai, Quinsea Loft), 2. Hawaiian 2:12.38, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 2:12.96, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:16.24, 5. Kahana 2:21.44. 14--1. Hawaiian 2:04.54 (Keani Artates-Kahui, Summer Wong, Maile Turley, Kahealani Haupu, Tatum Hoshino, Kuaola Emmsley), 2. Napili 2:05.58, 3. Hana 2:10.99, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 2:13.39, 5. Kihei 2:14.36, 6. Kahana 2:19.80. Novice B--1. Kahana 2:00.78 (Katie Delgado, Aina Kohler, Kayla Marshall, Kesa Stoddart, Kelsey Manning, Krystle Park), 2. Na Kai Ewalu 2:03.06, 3. Kihei 2:07.56, 4. Wailea 2:08.77, 5. Hawaiian 2:11.24, 6. Lae'ula O Kai 2:21.74.

Half Mile

15--1. Hawaiian 4:31.26 (Amber Proctor, Skyla Adriano-Howard, Skyler Sands, Tehani Santos, Gabriella Pacheco, Melina Perez), 2. Napili 4:49.15, 3. Lahaina 4:57.76, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 5:01.14, 5. Kihei 5:04.59. 16--1. Hawaiian 4:34.33 (Olivia Delaney, Tatiana Soon, Rose Delaney, Kuaola Emmsley, McKenna Kanekoa, Nohealani Ledesma), 2. Kihei 4:54.45, 3. Napili 5:13.47, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 5:16.88. 18--1. Hawaiian 4:33.99 (Kaya Givensel, Makanahele Emmsley, Rose Delaney, Amber Proctor, Tehani Santos, Hiilei Luuwai), 2. Na Kai Ewalu 4:44.55, 3. Napili 4:52.52, 4. Kihei 4:53.44. 50--1. Lae'ula O Kai 4:32.63 (Sonseeaya Holloway, Kelly Leon, Momi Kaikala, Bernie Mansell, Fafa Mateo, Linda Jolie Goelz), 2. Kihei 4:32.95, 3. Hawaiian 4:54.54. 55--1. Lae'ula O Kai 4:37.85 (Vannassa Au-Haupu, Jacque Mulleitner, Kimberly Vanderlaan, Victoria Takayesu-Hamilton, Donelle Zarko, Kehau Keaweehu), 2. Kihei 4:45.52, 3. Hawaiian 4:53.82. 60--1. Kihei 4:39.92 (Katy Smith, Teresa Reiss, Bonney Esbensen, Denise Guerin, Gail Wood, Linda Lopez), 2. Hawaiian 4:42.82, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:53.41. 65--1. Kihei 4:37.68 (Meryl Cohen, Sandy Bell, Deb Pearsall, Vanessa Weiss, Linda Kahler, Anita Anderson), 2. Hawaiian 4:46.57. Novice A--1. Na Kai Ewalu 4:21.59 (Karin Osuga, Sarah Anderson, Sonia Markh, Linea Hulse, Gina Mills, Diana Sciambi), 2. Hawaiian 4:28.58, 3. Kahana 4:29.44, 4. Kihei 4:38.14, 5. Lahaina 4:40.46. Open Four--1. Hawaiian 4:46.03 (Kaimanamalie Brummel, Bailey Roberts, Meghan Dunn, Theresa Gerry), 2. Na Kai Ewalu 4:59.80, 3. Kahana 5:00.40, 4. Napili 5:14.47, 5. Kihei 5:18.33, 6. Lahaina 5:31.06, 7. Lae'ula O Kai 5:33.36, 8. Wailea 5:35.16.

Mile

40--1. Lae'ula O Kai 9:20.92 (Deja Howard, Michele Golberg, Mari Toro-Ford, Fiona Van Ammers, Christine Donovan, Kelly Cua), 2. Kihei 9:32.34, 3. Hawaiian 10:00.01, 4. Kahana 10:27.12, 5. Napili 11:05.96. Freshman--1. Hawaiian 9:12.64 (Skyla Adriano-Howard, Makanahele Emmsley, Kaya Givensel, Kaysha Terry-AhKui, Skyler Sands, Hiilei Luuwai), 2. Lae'ula O Kai 9:24.19, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 9:34.34. Sophomore--1. Kihei 8:50.85 (Jen Edwards, Sandy Carvalho, Michele Willmering, Allison Lee, Suzanne Conlon, Julie Shoup), 2. Kahana 9:25.28, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 9:32.72, 4. Hawaiian 10:15.88. Junior--1. Hawaiian 9:28.63 (Mehana Horner, Ihilani Catugal, Kaimanamalie Brummel, Arianna Gerry, Eleu Novikoff, Corynne Kawaiaea), 2. Wailea 9:31.52, 3. Kihei 9:56.68, 4. Napili 9:58.10, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 10:26.61, 6. Kahana 10:37.21.

1 1⁄2 Miles

Open--1. Kihei 13:58.09 (Jen Edwards, Sandy Carvalho, Allison Lee, Julie Shoup, Lani Espinoza, Suzanne Conlon), 2. Hawaiian 14:26.05, 3. Napili 14:46.04, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 14:51.42, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 15:06.95, 6. Kahana 15:29.21.

Male

Quarter Mile

12A--1. Lae'ula O Kai 2:03.56 (Gaige Okamoto, Makoa Keuma, Kameron Adachi, Jordan Guzman, Laule’a Po’ouahi, Micah Beniamina), 2. Lahaina 2:04.19, 3. Hana 2:07.33, 4. Hawaiian 2:15.29, 5. Kihei 2:17.43, 6. Napili 2:23.62. 12B--1. Napili 2:05.39 (Kai Hands, Aiden Takahashi, Ghesiah-Dunes Auwae, Lehia Tihada, Kaulana Tihada, Kupono Tihada), 2. Lae'ula O Kai 2:10.92, 3. Kahana 2:15.01, 4. Lahaina 2:18.14, 5. Kihei 2:26.62, 6. Hawaiian 2:26.90, 7. Hana 2:33.59. 13--1. Hawaiian 1:54.76 (Drake Breitbach, Ryan Murphy, Kainoa Bandalan, Kala’e Kaluakini, Dorian Josue, Valentine Goelz), 2. Napili 1:56.17, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 1:58.00, 4. Kahana 2:12.91, 5. Kihei 2:14.61. 14--1. Na Kai Ewalu 1:51.35 (Joshua Satterlee, Na'u Hett, Jonah Quinto, Noah Edlao, Dwight Satterlee, Maximus Mershon), 2. Hawaiian 1:51.65, 3. Napili 1:52.50, 4. Hana 1:58.09, 5. Lahaina 2:02.08, 6. Lae'ula O Kai 2:05.33, 7. Kihei 2:09.51.

Half Mile

15--1. Hawaiian 4:04.90 (Landon Kahalehau-Tonga, Kainoa Eiting, Aiden Eda, Ryder Tremble, Azur Hookano, Mathew Hoonan), 2. Napili 4:05.32, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 4:23.27, 4. Kihei 4:29.39, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 4:36.35. 16--1. Hawaiian 4:09.49 (Kayden McKinnon, Reilly O’Connor, Makia Lorenzo, Makaio Lorenzo, Robert Gibbons, Hunter Carpio), 2. Wailea 4:14.66, 3. Napili 4:28.71, 4. Kihei 4:31.17, 5. Lae'ula O Kai 4:31.56. 50--1. Hawaiian 3:49.08 (John Cano, Matt Earls, Ronald Johnston, Rory Frampton, Gregg Kresge, David Ward), 2. Napili 4:02.05, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:11.10, 4. Kihei 4:21.46. 55--1. Hawaiian 3:47.81 (Michael Newbro, Dana Souza, Rory Frampton, Matthew Daniells, Ronald Johnston, Kauhane Luuwai), 2. Kihei 3:54.13, 3. Kahana 4:42.92. 60--1. Hawaiian 3:59.47 (Tom Guerin, Kevin Ledesma, Dana Souza, Frank Zajac, Paul Beattie, Stephen Payne), 2. Kihei 4:19.00, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:20.86, 4. Kahana 4:24.52. 65--1. Hawaiian 4:06.19 (Pia Aluli, Wendall DeVera, Lance Cushenberry, Jerry Jameson, Lou Dionese, Doug Miller), 2. Kihei 4:13.25, 3. Kahana 4:28.32. Novice B--1. Napili 3:53.66 (Rhett Wiseman, Revatua Kemiche, Alexander Jakubowski, Derek Taylor, Kaulana Bongolan, Garrett Turner), 2. Kahana 3:59.39, 3. Hawaiian 4:02.53, 4. Kihei 4:03.14, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 4:22.12. Open Four--1. Wailea 3:55.80 (Felipe Gomes, Tyson Kubo, Kekoa Cramer, Dane Dudoit), 2. Napili 4:06.66, 3. Hawaiian 4:11.59, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 4:14.90, 5. Kihei 4:20.32, 6. Kahana 4:24.27, 7. Lahaina 4:44.76, 8. Na Kai Ewalu 4:47.30.

Mile

18--1. Hawaiian 8:28.64 (Makaio Lorenzo, Joshua Kailiehu, Landon Kahalehau-Tonga, Kayden McKinnon, Ben Wagner, Dylan Newbro), 2. Napili 9:20.25, 3. Kihei 9:20.73. 40--1. Wailea 8:06.79 (Robert Brede, Pete Gapero Jr, Mael Carey, Kalani Tancayo, Hide Yoshikawa, Mana Tehiva), 2. Kihei 8:18.78, 3. Napili 8:29.65, 4. Hawaiian 8:35.57, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 8:38.44, 6. Kahana 9:20.13. Novice A--1. Hawaiian 8:14.64 (Chris Masterson, Brent Toguchi, David Bandalan, Keoki Lovato, Nicolas Colon, Darwin Tutop), 2. Kihei 8:18.96, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 8:33.68. Freshman--1. Wailea 7:46.10 (Stephen Cutillo, Hide Yoshikawa, Kevin Dudoit, Jonas Arcikauskas, Kapena Bugarin, Sean Murphy), 2. Na Kai Ewalu 8:23.21, 3. Hawaiian 8:36.67, 4. Napili 8:58.34. Sophomore--1. Wailea 7:32.63 (Jason Gomes, Nalu Sampson, J.R. Rios, Dane Dudoit, Kainalu Kubo, Kekoa Cramer), 2. Kahana 8:06.23, 3. Hawaiian 8:08.64, 4. Lae'ula O Kai 8:30.65, 5. Napili 8:31.42. Junior--1. Wailea 7:43.23 (Will Rich, Tyson Kubo, Mael Carey, Quinn Whitford, Diego Panza, Robert Brede), 2. Napili 7:55.00, 3. Kihei 7:58.67, 4. Hawaiian 8:13.88, 5. Lahaina 8:42.71.

1 1⁄2 Miles

Open--1. Wailea 11:40.21 (Kevin Dudoit, Will Rich, Kapena Bugarin, Quinn Whitford, Donnie Abernathy, Felipe Gomes), 2. Kahana 12:16.19, 3. Kihei 12:22.35, 4. Napili 12:55.50, 5. Hawaiian 13:01.87.

Mixed

Quarter Mile

12--1. Hawaiian 2:07.75 (Cody Frampton, Malia-Kala Cosare, Maka Carey, Talon Hundley, Keanu Kanekoa, Maura Smith), 2. Napili 2:09.57, 3. Hana 2:12.62, 4. Lahaina 2:13.96, 5. Kihei 2:15.56, 6. Wailea 2:24.03, 7. Na Kai Ewalu 2:30.63, 8. Lae'ula O Kai 2:49.02, 9. Kahana 2:54.39. Novice B--1. Hawaiian 1:51.04 (Skylar Falite, Jake Korth, Brianna St. Jacques, Reid Anderson, Courtney Fyock, Ali Rose Panzarella), 2. Napili 1:51.90, 3. Kahana 1:53.29, 4. Kihei 1:55.52, 5. Na Kai Ewalu 2:00.03.

Half Mile

15--1. Hawaiian 4:30.03 (Maile Turley, Noah Tavares, Jaden Givensel, Kahealani Haupu, Melina Perez, Jordan Soon), 2. Napili 4:34.72, 3. Lahaina 4:38.40, 4. Na Kai Ewalu 4:52.56, 5. Kihei 4:53.04. 40--1. Wailea 4:05.13 (Pete Gapero Jr, Kathrine Lindeman, Nancy Vargas Linder, Kalani Tancayo, Melanie King, Jeff Meinen), 2. Hawaiian 4:08.85, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:17.78, 4. Kihei 4:19.53, 5. Napili 4:38.18, 6. Lahaina 4:40.17. 55--1. Hawaiian 4:04.19 (Matthew Daniells, Michael Newbro, Trez Harrisson, Lynn Carroll, Jeanette Kaauamo, Kauhane Luuwai), 2. Kihei 4:08.70, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:35.03, 4. Napili 4:51.88, 5. Wailea 4:55.84, 6. Kahana 5:01.76. 60--1. Kihei 4:31.32 (Mark Kasbergen, Bonney Esbensen, John Kershaw, Denise Guerin, Gail Wood, Stanford Lanias), 2. Hawaiian 4:32.28, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 4:50.35, 4. Wailea 5:10.59. 65--1. Kihei 4:43.22 (Meryl Cohen, Anita Anderson, Mike Schindler, Mike Strauss, Deb Pearsall, Berney Coleman), 2. Hawaiian 4:44.13, 3. Lae'ula O Kai 5:07.14. 70--1. Kihei 5:12.69 (Dennis Adams, Joy Nelson, Renee Riley, Dan Holland, Kathy Lindsey, Mark Stanfield). Open--1. Hawaiian 3:59.95 (Moana Weitecha, Theresa Gerry, Meghan Dunn, Lopaka White, John Gosselin, Tim Lara), 2. Wailea 4:02.56, 3. Na Kai Ewalu 4:15.03, 4. Napili 4:22.30, 5. Kahana 4:25.03, 6. Kihei 4:31.29, 7. Lahaina 4:39.27.

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