Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i coach Lisa Ka‘aekuahiwi came prepared to communicate with her club over the commotion of crashing waves, music and announcements emanating from loudspeakers, and shouts and shrieks of children playing in the ocean at Maili Beach.

The skipper used a bullhorn to rile up onlookers and encourage paddlers on the water racing toward the finish line at Na Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a’s Ma‘ili Beach Regatta under clear skies in Waianae on Sunday. Ka Mo‘i, the event’s host club, rallied behind the coach’s imploring calls and garnered its second consecutive and fourth overall victory of the summer regatta campaign.

"We really had to light the fire, and if you ask any of our club members, they’ve been catching it," Ka‘aekuahiwi said. "I’ve been giving it to them about how they have to push, and practice, and remind them to never be satisfied. I know that Manu O Ke Kai is right there on our heels, breathing down our necks. I’ve been cracking the whip."

Ka Mo‘i tallied 89 points to claim gold in the AAA division (25-39 crews entered) after seven individual race wins, while holding off a late charge from Manu O Ke Kai (82 points), which roared back down the stretch to win seven of the day’s final 13 races.

"I’m very proud because this is our house, and this morning, I told our paddlers not to let (Manu O Ke Kai) come to our back yard and kick our butts," Ka‘aekuahiwi said. "As soon as I grab that bullhorn, you just see our paddlers pick it up. They always say ‘We hear you, we know you’re there,’ and I feel that sometimes that’s all they need."

In one of the day’s more exciting finishes, Manu O Ke Kai’s senior men won their first race of the season, completing the 1.5-mile race in 12 minutes, 34.86 seconds, and halting the Waikiki Beach Boys’ undefeated run at five races.

"Our blend was a bit different, and it worked out for us," said Robert Pactol, who occupied the power-providing fourth seat in Manu’s winning canoe. "We’ve been slow on the training this year, and we’re picking it up as we go along through the season. We’re getting it together. It’s huge, especially on Ka Mo‘i’s home ground."

Manu’s crew of Pactol, Keola Wright, Glenn Williams, Michael Szewczyk, Paki Lagunte and Ben Wilkinson led wire to wire, beating Kaneohe (12:55.25), Waikiki (12:59.86) and Ka Mo‘i (13:00.29) to each of the race’s three turns.

"The current and the troughs were a bit of a problem paddling out, but on the way back, you can make money on those. You just have to hold it down, then surf in on the way back," Lagunte said. "It comes down to pure fitness. We’re coming on a little late compared to last year, but we’re getting there."

Paddlers were faced with strong cross currents and choppy conditions, which caused multiple collisions and disqualifications as incoming ocean swells pushed canoes into one another, especially at the turn flags. According to race rules, precedent is given to the canoe first coming out of the turn, and other vessels must yield or face disqualification due to interference. Club representatives convened midway through the event to reiterate the rule, with hopes of preventing further incident.

Nearly 1,500 competitors ranging in age from 12 and under to 65 and above represented Hui Wa‘a’s 18 member clubs in 41 races spanning a quarter-mile to 1.5 miles.

Waikiki claimed the AA division (13-24 crews entered) yet again, amassing 47 points to best Ka Mamalahoe (37 points), and winning the sixth consecutive regatta in 2013. The Beach Boys won seven races on the day, including victories by the women’s novice A, sophomore and senior crews, which all continued undefeated seasons.

Kamehameha captured the A division (6-12 crews entered) title, notching 26 points while fending off North Shore (19 points).

Hui Wa‘a ventures to Keehi Lagoon for its seventh event of the season, the Koa Kai regatta, on Sunday.

The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, which had a bye over the weekend, will head to Waikiki Beach for its Fourth of July tradition, the annual Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta, on Thursday. The race is considered an exhibition, as certain crews are invited to participate based on their success thus far, and results will not count toward seasonlong cumulative point tallies.