Set ‘em up: Regatta Season Opens

Photo by Dayanti Karunaratne

By Dayanti Karunaratne | Editor

The Molokai Canoe Racing Association regatta season officially began on June 20, when 15 races took place at the Kaunakakai wharf. Under scattered clouds and light winds, the wharf filled with athletes and onlookers. Nervous energy mixed with excitement as people set up their spot on the shore to take in the action.

It was an excellent day for Molokai Canoe Club President Makena Makena Fernandez, whose club hosted the regatta. 

“It was a great turn out for maninis — usually we just have one manini race,” Fernandez said. “And Kui O Molokai is now active, with four crews, and with their koa boat! It’s another plus.” 

The maninis, or under 10 youth, started off the day at around 9 a.m. with two races; even using the double-hull canoe, all three lanes were full for both races. 

Members of the Molokai Canoe Club pose for a picture at the end of the regatta. Photo by Dayanti Karunaratne.

Highlights included a tight race in the Girls 12 division, with Molokai Canoe Club passing the finish line just 14 seconds ahead of Waʻakapeamua, with a time of 2 minutes 32 seconds for their quarter-mile race. Two Waʻakapeamua teams took it even closer: when Women over 55 and Women over 60 went head-to-head in a half-mile race, the younger team beat out their elders by less than a second, with a finishing time of 4.59.30.

Two more regattas, on July 4 and 18, will be held to determine which teams will represent Molokai at the state competition in August. 

Tiana Miguel, President of the Waʻakapeamua Canoe Club, echoed the enthusiasm for the youth program, and the spirit of Molokai paddling. “It’s really neat when we come to races because we have parents paddling for one club, kids for another, coaches in one club with their wives paddling in another. It’s kind of cool. It’s healthy competition.”

Akima Aiana, who raced in the Kukui O Molokai Boys 18 boat, said it felt good to be paddling with his team again. “I felt like we did good for the amount of practice that we had.” He trains with a team at Kamameha School, where he attends, and he says it’s different paddling there. “More people, more competitive,” Aiana said. “Here, it’s like paddling with family. All these boys are like family to me.”

Beyond the details of finishing times and starting positions, the regatta put on a good show of athleticism and sportsmanship. 

“It’s nice to see the wharf packed,” Miguel said. “All the aunties and uncles and grannies coming to support everyone — it’s great.”