As multiple members of the United States Armed Forces affirmed on Wednesday amid the organized chaos that is the Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta, each day is earned, not given — especially Independence Day.

In continuing the tradition of what was originally known as the “Water Carnival” in the 1940s, outrigger canoe paddlers perpetuated outrigger canoe paddling throughout the 76th edition of the Macfarlane Regatta, a Fourth of July tradition held at sun-soaked Waikiki Beach.

The day’s first exhibition event featured members of the armed forces competing in the Macfarlane Invitational Military Race for the opportunity to hoist the perpetual USS Arizona Award, which is built with a steel beam from the historic battleship. Clubs sponsored military crews that in turn used that club’s canoe and were guided by an experienced steersperson. The large trophy was presented at a ceremony for competitors and their families in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort’s Voyager 47 Club Lounge, which is built on the spot where Outrigger Canoe Club was founded in 1908.

The quarter-mile sprint featured eight canoes and the squad representing the U.S. Army won the race, although every participant received a gold medal in appreciation of their service to the country.

“I can’t explain how much fun this was, we really appreciate this honor,” said Thomas Brown, a member of the Army squad that prepared for Wednesday’s victory with an hour-long “boot camp” with a focus on paddling technique last weekend. “We had a lot of luck catching a bump on the way in, and I hope we can do this again. What a great sport, and it’s awesome to be part of this historic race.”

The winning Army team included Kevin Choe, Rob O’Rourke, Ryan MacCormack and Matt Fargo.

Host Outrigger navigated the relatively calm waters efficiently and rode occasional swells to an overall victory to end Lanikai’s run of seven wins in eight years.

The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association’s traditional Fourth of July event was held in the waters fronting the iconic Moana, Outrigger and Royal Hawaiian hotels as an estimated 15,000-plus participants and spectators looked on from the beach and surrounding hotel balconies.

The event serves as the longest continually run outrigger canoe paddling event in the world since first being held in 1943, and according to Outrigger Canoe Club records, it was the 108th Fourth of July regatta run in Waikiki. Outrigger and Lanikai have combined to win the last 25 Macfarlane Regattas, with Lanikai claiming 15 victories in that span.

The perpetual Walter Macfarlane Memorial Trophy and Senior Women’s Bowl were awarded to the victorious crews from Outrigger in the men’s and women’s 1½-mile senior races. Both winning crews were presented with the trophies in a post-race ceremony fronting Duke’s, which now stands in the area formerly occupied by the Outrigger Canoe Club’s original headquarters. Following tradition, winning crew members took sips of champagne from the cups topping both trophies, although only two crewmembers from Outrigger’s senior men’s squad are over 21 years old — club members joked that apple juice would need to be substituted for the bubbly.

“This is the one with the trophy; our name goes on it, and we’re also representing Outrigger,” said Kaihe Chong of the winning senior men’s team. “We wanted to show everyone that we can hang with the bulls of Lanikai. We’ve got to represent, so why not try to win it?”

Chong was joined in the winning canoe by Hunter Pflueger, Riley Kawananakoa, Bronson Napoleon, Harrison Deisroth and Tuarongo Cowan. Outrigger won the contested battle by a 1.47-second margin — and posted a mark of 11 minutes, 25.07 seconds — after a mad dash to the finish line while riding a sizable wave.

“We could hear them calling their changes (as Lanikai crept up), and we saw them on the same wave. We decided to save (our energy) and shoot it over the final 50 yards, and that’s what happened,” Chong said. “We heard them coming, so that was it, all or nothing.”

Outrigger claimed the AAA Division (31-45 crews entered) with 209 points via 18 race wins and fended off Lanikai (199 points), Hui Nalu (139 points) and Kailua (138 points) to round out the large division.

Healani (62 points) held off Keahiakahoe (52 points) to claim the AA Division (14-26 crews entered), while Leeward Kai took the A Division (1-13 crews entered) with 48 points over Waikiki Surf Club (28 points) and Hui Lanakila (20 points).

The Macfarlane Regatta has no bearing on the organization’s cumulative point standings that determine state championship berths. It remains a favorite for paddlers as the course is set up perpendicular to the shore, allowing crews to catch ocean bumps as they race toward the finish line. Races were often won and lost based on catching the right wave at the right time and many crews used the open-steersman exemption, which allows an experienced steersperson to paddle in as many races necessary to help keep paddlers and canoes safe.

The 2-to-4-foot surf on Wednesday was relatively calm as teams attempted to navigate the waves and finish races while avoiding the dreaded huli — the flipping of a canoe.

OHCRA clubs return to action July 15 at Keehi Lagoon for the annual John D. Kaupiko Regatta. The Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a organization will hold its Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i Regatta on Saturday at Ma‘ili Beach.