Dave Shoji keeps competitive juices flowing while paddling for Outrigger

In the early 1970s, one could find Dave Shoji in an outrigger canoe on a regular basis.

However, after taking over as head coach the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball program in 1975, Shoji became a skipper of water focused on building a dynasty in Klum Gym and the Stan Sheriff Center.

His 42-year run with the Rainbow Wahine that netted 1,202 victories and four national championships cemented Shoji’s legacy as one of the most successful collegiate coaches ever to impact the game, and when he retired in 2017, the coach was afforded more time to spend with his family and pursuing other passions.

In addition to golfing and stand-up paddleboarding, Shoji has also made time to return to the six-person canoe with Outrigger Canoe Club. After paddling to victory with his club’s men’s 70 crew last week, Shoji filled in with the men’s 65 squad this week, and the 72-year-old helped the crew finish third at the Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association’s annual King Kamehameha Regatta on Sunday at Kailua Beach.

“This was my first time back in the canoe since 1972 or ’73, and I have more time now, so it’s been a lot of fun,” Shoji said.

Outrigger finished 16 seconds behind event winner Hui Nalu – which completed the ½-mile race in 4 minutes, 20.59 seconds – and while he was pleased with the result against proven competition, Shoji said he looks forward to returning to his 70s crew as the summer regatta season heats up.

While his weekly competitions have shifted from six-woman volleyball squads to his six-man paddling team, Shoji still finds parallels in the competitive juices that flow while he’s on the water.

“I got about as nervous as you can get last week in my first time out, my heart was racing and there was a lot of pressure. I like to win, and we did last week, so it’s been a lot of fun,” Shoji said.

The green-and-white clad paddlers from Lanikai amassed a regatta-high 19 race victories and claimed the overall title as paddlers and spectators enjoyed immaculate conditions: light, steady breezes and a calm ocean under a near-cloudless sky.

Two-time defending OHCRA champion and reigning state champ Lanikai won the AAA division (31-45 crews entered) and overall titles as the club posted 229 points to defeat Outrigger (180 points), Hui Nalu (148 points) and Kailua (138 points) in the large division.

After winning eight of the day’s first 16 events, Lanikai built a 104-77 lead over Outrigger through the initial 20 races, maintained the advantage, and finished strong with victories in seven of the final 12 sprints.

Lanikai is the latest in a string of large OHCRA clubs to win multiple championships in a row. Kailua won four consecutive organization championships from 2009-2012, and Hui Nalu followed suit with a three-peat that spanned from 2013-15. After the championship regatta was canceled in 2016 due to the hazardous conditions caused by Tropical Storm Darby, Lanikai reclaimed gold in 2017 and repeated last year.

Outrigger, which according to Star-Advertiser records has won 13 OHCRA titles throughout its prestigious history, has not won a league title since 2003.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to catch Lanikai, they have such great depth,” Shoji said. “Outrigger does much better when the college kids come back (for the summer), and we’re close. We have great paddlers in the club, it’s just a matter of dealing with Lanikai’s depth.”

Keahiakahoe (58 points) claimed the AA division (16-30 crews entered), which also included Healani (44 points) and New Hope (28 points).

Waimanalo (36 points) held off Hui Lanakila (34 points) and Waikiki Surf Club (27 points) for the A division title.

Nearly 3,000 competitors ranging in age from 12-and-under to 70-and-above represented OHCRA’s 17 member clubs in 45 races spanning a ¼ mile to 1 mile. Winning crews earned seven points toward the team standings, while second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers were awarded 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points.

In addition to battling for gold in individual races, crews aimed to earn cumulative points to qualify for the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship regatta scheduled for Aug. 3 at Hanalei Bay, Kauai. The top four crews from each OHCRA event earn automatic berths in the state competition based on points collected over six regular-season regattas.

OHCRA returns to action on Sunday at Nanakuli Beach Park for its traditional Father’s Day Regatta. Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a will also hold its third event of the season on Saturday with the Windward Kai Regatta at Kailua Beach.