Team Primo proves it’s No. 1

Photo Gallery: Henry Ayau Memorial Race

When faced with a disappointing result at last year’s Molokai Hoe, Team Primo refocused its energy on having fun and enjoying the outrigger canoe racing experience.

Team Primo was formed in 2009 with the primary goal of stopping Tahiti’s Shell Va‘a, the seven-time defending Molokai Hoe champion. And while the local crew still has a ways to go in bridging the gap with the South Pacific rivals, the veteran mix of local watermen is primed for the biggest race of the year. Team Primo took fifth in last year’s channel crossing, finishing nearly 25 minutes behind Shell Va‘a, something it wants to improve upon this time around.

After claiming a fourth consecutive victory in Sunday’s Henry Ayau Memorial Race, and cementing its case as the team to beat amongst Hawaii competitors, Team Primo is yet again poised to contend for paddling’s ultimate prize.

Team Primo navigated the 32-mile course, which stretched from Maunalua Bay in Hawaii Kai to Nanakuli Beach Park, in a record-setting 3 hours, 30 minutes and 15 seconds, nearly three minutes ahead of the nearest competitor from the 47 crews entered in the event. Outrigger No. 1 finished second in 3:32:52, while windward-side rivals Kailua (3:36:47) and Lanikai (3:37:11) jousted for third amid calm, flat ocean conditions and light breezes.

Sunday served up the final tune-up for the Molokai Hoe, which caps the men’s long-distance season on Oct. 13. Team Primo shored up strategies and tweaked crew rotations in preparation for the momentous race across the Kaiwi Channel.

"It was really hot, not a lot of cloud cover, and we were dealing with sticky water conditions," said Jacob Abeytia of Team Primo. "We had a nice little battle with Outrigger until Barbers Point, where we pulled away. Our main objective for this race was to build some momentum going into the channel, figure some stuff out, work out the kinks and test a few things for the last time before the Molokai Hoe in a live race situation."

Team Primo features a veteran mix of paddlers from Oahu, Maui and the Big Island and competes under the flag of Maui’s Wailea Canoe Club. Sunday’s victorious crew also included Kekoa Cramer, Ryan Dolan, Aaron Creps, Will Reichenstein, Mael Carey, Tyson Kubo, Felipe Gomes and Kekoa Santos.

Creps, a longtime member of Lanikai’s heralded men’s program, had planned on taking off this season as he dealt with work and family commitments, including the pending birth of his first son later this year. However, he was afforded an opportunity to join Team Primo "just a few weeks ago," and the veteran waterman jumped at the opportunity to join his good friend and the crew’s captain, Kai Bartlett.

"We seem to have a good blend, and we’d like to compete with Shell for a while if we can, as they’ve clearly established themselves as the dominant force in canoe paddling," Creps said. "We want to hang with them and see how we do."

Short Film chronicles Na Wahine O Ke Kai

Documentary filmmaker Ann Marie Kirk set out to chronicle the passion canoe paddlers have for the sport, and the intense effort that goes into crossing the Kaiwi Channel during the Na Wahine O Ke Kai.

Kirk’s 29-minute documentary entitled "Kai Wahine" premieres today on OC Sports (digital channel 16 or 1016) at 7:30 p.m. The film followe Waimanalo Canoe Club as the crew prepares for and completes the 2011 Molokai-to-Oahu race. Kirk served as director, producer, writer, cameraman and editor of the film.

The women have the first shot at making the trek from Molokai’s Hale O Lono Harbor to Waikiki Beach in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai on Sunday. Team Bradley, the winner of seven of the past eight Molokai-to-Oahu championships, looks to add to its impressive streak.