HONOLULU — After a two-year pandemic hiatus, the crews and the crowds were back in force for the length of the Na Ohana O Na Hui Waa regatta season.
That included three-time defending champion Manu O Ke Kai.
The Haleiwa-based club dominated in the prominent open events on Saturday at Keehi Lagoon to run its streak of Hui Waa championships to four going back to 2017; the 2020 and 2021 paddling seasons were wiped out due to the threat of COVID-19.
Pokai Bay-based Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i, a dominant club in the 2010s, ran neck and neck with Manu for most of the day, but gave way near the finish as the senior men and women races were among the 16 golds claimed by Manu.
Manu O Ke Kai won for the fifth time in seven regattas this season, while Ka Mo‘i took the other two; Hui Waa’s Waikiki Beach Boys Invitational was canceled the previous weekend.
For paddlers like Mo Freitas, 25, who has been with Manu since the seventh grade, the midseason gap was nothing compared to that of the last two years.
Saturday's festive vibe was a throwback to those times. More than a thousand people gathered in their club tents along the lagoon shore and cheered on their teammates.
“I know the guys were anxious to get back on the race line. I know I was,” Freitas, a member of Manu’s victorious men senior crew, told Spectrum News. “I’m really stoked it’s back and good to see all the familiar faces, friends and family all over. Nothing like racing, you know.”
He was joined by Ha‘aheo Foster-Blomfield, Richard Kamikawa, Thomas Pule, Ben Wilkinson and Glenn Williams in Manu’s special koa canoe.
Manu outpointed Ka Mo‘i, 193 to 168 in the AAA Division for the largest clubs.
Ka Mo‘i coach Lisa Ka‘aekuahiwi said her club’s numbers and enthusiasm surged all summer season as paddling returned – its membership of more than 180 exceeded its pre-pandemic numbers – but on Saturday she was short some key people, and Ka Mo‘i didn’t have its usual flexibility in the youth events that typically allow them to rack up points.
“It was hard for us to move bodies today. Manu just did excellent today. They did excellent,” Ka‘aekuahiwi said.
“Today, we never have that (youth) cushion. We were struggling more on the end. I’m sad, but it’s OK, I still feel proud of our club and how we did.”
The Manu O Ke Kai senior women completed an undefeated Hui Waa season by posting a time of 15 minutes, 42.57 seconds over the 1 1/2 mile race – well ahead of runner up Kaneohe (16:23.64).
Manu’s senior women crew composition has changed almost every week, said Tierney Apuakehau, a 19-year-old who got to try her hand at the stroker (1 seat) position on Saturday to go with Megan Abubo, Kelly Godwin, Jen Ignacio, Jackie Reiser and Bree Thuston.
That didn’t prevent Manu from shredding through the field in the choppy conditions.
“It was pretty gnarly,” Apuakehau said. “On the downwind it’s nice, because we had a lot of wind and current on our back. But the upwind, definitely elongating the stroke and adding more pressure to the front, was I think the key to it, because the wind was really kicking butt, especially on those turns. You felt it, for sure.” She laughed.
Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i’s mixed 40s crew completed an unbeaten regatta season with a 4:14.83, about seven seconds clear of runner-up Haleiwa Outrigger.
The Lokahi women novice A crew had also gone unbeaten all season coming into the day, but was upset by Kaneohe Canoe Club [VIDEO]. Lokahi, however, went on to win the AA Division (13 to 24 crews entered) with 84 points over runner-up Kaneohe (64).
Haleiwa Outrigger Claimed the A Division (1-12 crews) with 44 points in 10 events. Full results are here.
The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association held its championship regatta at Keehi Lagoon on Sunday.
Up next is the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state championship regatta at Keehi on Aug. 6.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.