Hui Nalu paddles to victory in Duke race

Minutes after emerging from Hui Nalu’s sleek “unlimited” canoe, steersman Jimmy Austin put his feelings of fatigue in perspective.

While he and his crewmates had just completed the 48th annual Duke Kahanamoku Long Distance Race — a 26-mile jaunt from Kailua to Waikiki Beach — Austin thought of his mother, Gay, who lost her three-year battle with cancer last week.

On Saturday, the Austin family, along with friends and members of the Hui Nalu ‘ohana, scattered Gay’s ashes. A day later, her memory played a key role in motivating Hui Nalu throughout the long, grueling course.

“This was for Mom,” Austin said. “After seeing the pain she went through, the heat and everything else today — I was seeing stars — but you know what? She battled a lot tougher than I did, so I needed to stick it out and not let my crew down.”

Hui Nalu paddled to victory in 2 hours, 44 minutes and 57.97 seconds in an unlimited canoe, which weighs about 140 pounds and has no design restrictions compared with a typical 400-pound fiberglass or koa vessel. Austin was joined in the winning crew by Brandon Woods, Kapono Brown, Kekai Kamakawiwoole, Hayden Ramler, Kaihe Chong, Kingi Gilbert, Mario Mausio and Billy Pratt.

Lanikai (2:57:05.41) finished second overall and claimed the open division title, while Lanikai’s second canoe (2:59:31.30) took runner-up honors in the open race, which featured traditional fiberglass racing canoes. Paddlers and coaches from Lanikai noted that the club traditionally “splits” their elite racing crew up to foster a sense of competition with the ultimate goal being to race in the Molokai Hoe on Oct. 11.

Kailua (3:01:03.15), Healani (3:04:14.56) and Waikiki Beach Boys No. 1 (3:04:23.50) rounded out the open division’s top five.

“We ran unlimited, a lighter, sleeker boat and on one side it’s easier to paddle because of the canoe’s weight,” Pratt said. “But, on the flip side, it’s a lot more sensitive, so it requires cognizance to the application of your technique. Keeping in time with each other and keeping the blend so nobody’s rocking the canoe.

“It’s a gamble because you’re not feeling the same weight and pressure as a (traditional) canoe, but we’re also working on changing our technique and stroke in emulating what the Tahitians are doing.”

The race featured 44 crews that maneuvered through a course spanning from Kailua Beach, around Makapuu, past Hawaii Kai and Diamond Head, and finished adjacent to the pier on Duke Kahanamoku Beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. According to competitors and officials, paddlers faced hot conditions along the course, especially after rounding Sandy Beach when the weak easterly winds died down.

Pratt explained that his crew was “in the bubble” on a few occasions throughout the race, a phrase describing the lack of resistance felt when the canoe’s speed matches that of the prevailing wind. In Sunday’s case, the winds were blowing anywhere from 5 to 15 mph, so once the canoe reached speeds of 8 to 10 mph, the “bubble” was there.

“There were minimal mistakes, but (paddling in an unlimited canoe) still requires excellent technique, you can’t just get in and pound 100 percent or else you’ll end up rocking the canoe,” Pratt said.

Staying cool throughout the hot, humid competition was a top priority for crews.

“We had planned ahead of time to keep the crew cool — we brought plenty of towels and 100 extra pounds of ice,” Austin said. “When (making crew changes along the course), the first thing you do is take care of yourself by getting hydrated and bringing your core temperature down. Even though we were in the unlimited boat, we really tried to push ourselves and use this race as a training tool.

“It was definitely hard pushing the crew, but the guys were awesome.”

Sunday’s race marked the beginning of the long-distance campaign and was held two weeks after paddlers completed the regatta sprint season. Team Primo, which did not participate in Sunday’s race, won the event in 2010 (2:54:36) and again in 2011 (2:53:35) before giving way to Lanikai (3:01:49) in 2012. Outrigger (2:54:12) claimed gold in 2013, while Kailua (3:15:15) notched the title last season.

“You always have to have respect for Lanikai, Kailua, Outrigger and some of the crews that aren’t here like Team Primo (Maui) and Mellow Johnny’s (Big Island) because those teams are extremely fundamental and include well-conditioned paddlers,” Pratt said.

On Sunday, the women will take to the water for the annual Dad Center Race from Kailua Beach to the Outrigger Canoe Club in Waikiki. The defending Na Wahine O Ke Kai champion Waikiki Beach Boys also will look to defend their title in the first large-scale tune-up race of 2015.

RESULTS

Overall–1. Hui Nalu, unlimited, 2:44:57.97; 2. Lanikai, open, 2:57:05.41; 3. Lanikai, open, 2:59:31.30; 4. Kailua, open, 3:01:03.15; 5. Healani, open, 3:04:14.56.

Koa–1. Outrigger (Indar Lange, Pat Shea, Neal Hafner, Connor Grune, Cory Nakamura, Ian Uluwehi Keaunui, Royden Yim, Stephan Enos, Billy Philpotts), 3:15:25.43.

Junior men’s 15-18–1. Lanikai (Andrew Lovora, Mali‘e Keaunui, Jeremy Markowski, Ryan Miller, Josheph “Joey” Stewart, Jessie Monnier, Tazman Turner, Tyler Maher, Wiliam Wilson), 3:37:37.12.

Men’s 40s–1. Kailua (Doug Borton, Tim Awaya, Chris Rubie, Steven Kiser, Ramon Vrileink, Creighton Litton, Tracy Poepoe, Jason Labranch, Dan Newbill), 3:18:24.90; 2. New Hope, 3:39:45.24; 3. Lokahi, 3:51:56.06.

Men’s 50s–1. Lanikai (William Oliver, Bruce Lucas, Carson Perry, Chauncey Wallwork, Scott Freita, Dave Smith, Keith Cutler, Dion Canyon), 3:11:15.84; 2. Kailua, 3:22:26.17; 3. Outrigger, 3:31:02.59.

Men’s 55s–1. Kailua (Kamoa Kalama, Paul Hewlett, Walter Hamesaki, Pat Erwin, Cliff Tillotson, Lance Anderson, Mike McCue, James Mirinda, Kevin Pilbrow, Mair Meyers), 3:20:01.15; 2. New Hope, 3:58:13.10.

Unlimited–1. Hui Nalu (Brandon Woods, Kristin (Kapono) Brown, Kekai Kamakawiwoole, Jimmy Austin, Hayden Ramler, Kaihi Chong, Kingi Gilbert, Mario Mausio, Bill Pratt), 2:44:57.97; 2. Hui Nalu-Mololo Ula, 3:20:27.01.

Open men’s–1. Lanikai (Bobby Pratt, Andreas Gaeta, Nick Foti, Raven Pokini, Noah Foti, Cheyne Mench, Makena Fernandez, Matt Crowley, Spencer Smith), 2:57:05.41; 2. Lanikai, 2:59:31.30; 3. Kailua, 3:01:03.15.