Red Bull Wa‘a gets its wings

For the first time since 2005, a Hawaii-based outrigger canoe paddling crew has claimed the prestigious Hawaiian Airlines Molokai Hoe crown.

And, while some may choose to place an asterisk next to winner Red Bull Wa‘a’s name in the record books because the canoe included five Tahitian paddlers and four local competitors from Kona where the crew is based, the accomplishment is noteworthy. Two-time defending champion Shell Va‘a was denied the world championship title for just the second time in 12 years.

Red Bull Wa‘a crossed the line in 4 hours, 50 minutes and 2 seconds, while Shell Va‘a finished second by 31 seconds. Lanikai (4:58:07) came in third as the top crew composed entirely of local paddlers, while Hui Nalu (5:02:07) and Team Primo (5:04:00) rounded out the top five. Hui Nalu’s junior crew came in 11th overall at 5:18:09, and topped the division composed of 16-to-19 year olds.

“It’s huge, we’re so excited right now and super stoked,” said Red Bull Wa‘a paddler Keakua Nolan. “We wanted to bring this title back to Hawaii, and did it for our families, including our wives and kids who allow us the time to train very hard to get ready for this race. We’re definitely going to try to do it again next year.”

Paddlers made the 41-mile trek from Molokai’s Hale O Lono Beach to Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki on Sunday in the 65th installment of the event. The field of 101 crews included nearly 60 squads from Hawaii and teams from California, North Carolina, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Poland and Tahiti.

Red Bull Wa‘a’s victorious crew also included Kainoa Tanoai, Earl Cox III, Daniel Chun, Ha‘amatai Leon, Heiva Paie-Amo, Chevelier Hikutini, Charles Teinauri and Steeve Teihotaata. Shell Va‘a’s team featured Honui Parau, Paiateuira Tamaititahio, Manutea Millon, Hiromana Flores, Roland Tere, Raihere Tevaearai, Damas Ami, Iorama Teahu and Solomona Teuruarii.

Shell Va‘a’s run of eight straight titles came to an abrupt halt in 2014, when Tahitian competitor EDT Va‘a claimed the Molokai-to-Oahu crown. And while EDT Va‘a did not participate this year, five of its paddlers did join Red Bull Wa‘a’s crew this go-around, registered appropriately and helped give the Hawaii Island squad the edge over Shell Va‘a.

“We took the wrong line at the beginning of the race, and had to fight the current to come back. Today, they were stronger than us,” said Millon after congratulating his Tahitian counterparts from Red Bull Wa‘a. “We’re going to train harder. I don’t know if (Red Bull Wa‘a) was really a Hawaiian team or a Tahitian team, but they won today, and congratulations to them.”

Participants in the ultimate test of strength, endurance and strategy coped with light winds and manageable waves coupled with changing currents throughout the treacherous Kaiwi Channel. The sweltering heat and light, variable winds made it imperative for paddlers and their escort teams to focus on hydration while executing well-timed changes to keep participants as fresh as possible.

Red Bull Wa‘a took an early lead over Shell Va‘a, and extended the approximately quarter-mile advantage as the crews neared Oahu. With each crew change and set of waves caught, the red-and-blue canoe slowly added to its margin until Shell Va‘a began chipping away at the deficit as the teams neared Diamond Head.

Shell Va‘a then took the lead briefly as Red Bull Wa‘a made a crew change in waters fronting the Kahala Hotel &Resort, just prior to the home stretch. But the Red Bull squad pushed ahead, and held on to its 30-second lead around the buoy marking the final turn before the race’s last sprint to shore.

Lanikai, the last Hawaii-based team with local paddlers to win the Molokai Hoe in 2005, finished third to cap a dominant run of regatta and long-distance competitions. The squad of Matthew Mench, Igor Sobreira, Jack Roney, Karel Tresnak Jr., Andreas Gaeta, Manny Kulukulualani, Levi-Jordan Goeas, Cheyne Mench and Nick Foti entered Sunday’s race having won the 32-mile Henry Ayau Memorial Race on Sept. 17 in a record time of 3 hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds. The Kailua-based crew also won the Duke Kahanamoku Race on Aug. 20, holding off Team Primo, Red Bull Wa‘a and Hui Nalu in the process.

“Everybody knows that two Tahitian crews beat us today, which is OK — that’s the way it’s been, but for us, we busted our asses to try to get closer,” said Tresnak Jr., Lanikai’s primary steersman. “We ended up third, beat Team Primo (and Hui Nalu), and if you would have told us that before the race, we’ll take it. We like rough conditions, the rougher the better for us guys from the Windward Side, so for it to be the exact opposite today and for us to fight through it, hats off to all our guys.”

Shell Va‘a’s accomplishment of winning 10 Molokai Hoe races in 12 years represents the watermark that other clubs aim for. The squad still holds the course record time, a mark it set in 2011 as the paddling powerhouse finished in 4 hours, 30 minutes and 54 seconds — nearly eight minutes faster than the previous record, which it also held.

Team Primo, which is based on Maui but features paddlers from across the state, still holds the record for the fastest time by a Hawaii competitor, which it set in 2011 (4:42:59). The crew represents a model of consistency, having garnered sixth place or better in every Molokai Hoe since forming in 2009.

Red Bull Wa‘a previously raced as Livestrong — the namesake of embattled cyclist Lance Armstrong’s charity — then switched monikers to Mellow Johnny’s (Armstrong’s bicycle shop in Austin, Texas), before changing to Na Koa O Kona and then taking on the Red Bull brand last season after the popular energy drink sponsored the crew.

“We’ll celebrate tonight, give it a week or two, then get back to work,” Tresnak Jr. said. “We have a bunch of really good guys, it’s all 18 of us who show up to practice and grind it out to make our team better. Hopefully we get some wind next year, because the effortless surfing that (the Tahitians) are able to do is unbelievable.”