Ka Mamalahoe off to fast Hui Wa’a start

With a victory in the inaugural men’s 65 race at the Na Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a outrigger canoe paddling organization’s season-opening Kamehameha Regatta on Sunday at Keehi Lagoon, paddlers from Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club proved that old dogs, indeed, can learn new tricks.

The crew, composed of paddlers ages 65 and over, competed in and won the first running of the event within Hui Wa‘a competition, completing the half-mile course in 4 minutes, 53.74 seconds. The winning crew included Kimo Wheeler, Manny Realin, Bruce Ames, Kent Giles, Henry Richmond and Kimbal Thompson.

"You’re asking an old guy some tough questions," said Wheeler, the fourth-seated paddler within the winning crew, when asked by a reporter to name the seat he occupied during the race. "We’re just happy to be alive. It feels good. It was a great team effort."

Ka Mamalahoe strung together six victories and amassed 32 points to claim the A division (6-12 crews entered) title.

Wheeler and his teammates braved stiff winds, and held off Windward Kai (5:01.13) and Kai Poha (5:01.41) to claim gold, and a race record.

"Us older people are staying younger longer, so we’ve got to take advantage of that and keep active," Wheeler said. "Otherwise, we’d be out there (getting into trouble)."

While Wheeler and his crewmates have been paddling in advance of the regatta season for the past four months, he stressed the need for more preparation if further success is expected.

"We haven’t put in as much effort (preparing) as we could; we can do a lot more," Wheeler said. "A lot of us have been paddling together for a long time, but sometimes it’s hard to get everyone together. You don’t take your Geritol, sometimes you forget which days you have to paddle!"

Nearly 1,500 paddlers ranging in age from 12 and under to 65 and above represented Hui Wa‘a’s 18 member clubs in 39 races spanning a quarter-mile to 11⁄2 miles. Winning crews earned five points toward the team standings, while second-, third- and fourth-place finishers earned 3, 2 and 1 points.

Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i claimed the AAA Division (25-39 crews entered) crown, amassing a regatta-high 80 points. Manu O Ke Kai (57 points) and Kaneohe (45 points) rounded out the top three in the large division.

The Waikiki Beach Boys, meanwhile, continued to ride a wave of momentum following a banner 2011 campaign. Waikiki’s women’s program claimed victory in all major female events — the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior races — in last summer’s Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state championship regatta.

The club’s women followed up that performance by finally breaking through to halt Team Bradley’s six-year win streak at the Na Wahine O Ke Kai Molokai-to-Oahu long distance race in September. The Beach Boys have used the regatta season as a springboard into the long-distance season, and all the parts fell into place in 2011 as the club captured the elusive distance championship hardware.

Sunday, Waikiki relied on its "Beach Girls," as the club claimed the AA Division (13-24 crews entered) title with 35 points. Olelo O Keola (20 points), Waikiki Yacht Club (19) and Koa Kai (16) rounded out the medium division.

Despite missing numerous club members who were participating in Sunday’s Pa‘a ‘Eono Hoe "Ironman" race from Papohaku, Molokai, to Hawaii Kai, Waikiki took first in four races. It also appeared to win one of the day’s marquee events, the senior women’s race, but Waikiki’s crew was disqualified due to a false start and lane violation.

"It was super windy. The headwind was really strong," said Kelly Allen, the stroker for the Beach Boys crew that appeared to win by a wide margin, but later found out about the disqualification. "This is my first time racing with the Beach Girls, and everyone’s still getting used to paddling with each other."

Despite the setback, Waikiki’s long-distance training affords the club an inherent edge in conditioning and it only stands to improve when returning to full strength next week.

"We’re always racing the clock, we’re gearing up for states and for the distance season," Allen added. "The club is really relaxed, and from the coaching level down, everyone is really positive. We don’t talk about winning too much, just working hard and everyone doing their homework outside of the boat."

Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i ended up winning the senior women’s event, one of its regatta-high nine victories for the day.

Hui Wa‘a heads to the North Shore for its next event, the Manu O Ke Kai Regatta on Sunday at Haleiwa Beach Park.

The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association kicks off its season Sunday with its annual Clement D. Pa‘aina Regatta at Keehi Lagoon. Both races are scheduled to get under way at 9 a.m.