KONA CANOE RACE - 9/1/12

41ST ANNUAL QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI 

OUTRIGGER CANOE RACE

            The 18 mile women’s race was south from the pier at Kailua Bay to Honaunau Bay and started at 7:30 am.  The men had to get themselves to Honaunau Bay and retrieve the canoes as the women finished.  150 women’s canoes and 155 men’s canoes raced this year.

7:00 am, the ladies will start at 7:30, lots of excitement drifting up to our room

           Peaceful between the ladies leaving and men arriving, this temple reconstruction is in Kailua Bay, both the start and finish of the race.  King Kamehameha Hotel (Marriott now) is behind me.  the Hawaiians traditionally stained their canoes black and used yellow wood for the gunnell so this Kona Boys boat is accurate.

Kailua Bay

           

 We rented a van so all the kittens (or badgers?) would be in the same box!

L to R:  Ciletti, Donnelly, Laney, Landis, Thompson, O'hara

            Interesting that both ends of the race have reconstructions of sacred sites - this coast has a deep Hawaiian history.

 

Honaunau (ho-now-now) Bay

National Historic Park on other side

            There is a pretty good gap between the first and last of the women’s canoes to show up and each guys’ team waits for their boat, psyching up.

 Canoes come around the rocky point and cross the orange buoy line

Lots of coming and going as women arrive and men claim their boats

A little shade is much appreciated while waiting for your team to come in

            Well organized this year, there were many cases of water for everyone.  This race is known as the hot one, not much wind and for the men, it is almost noon when they take off.

Namolokama guys prepping, checking water delivery systems

Some are using Camel Backs and some are using Kole Gear

After ferrying the women to the party boat (yellow & blue on horizon),
the land waiting is over for the men's 60's team

Heading out to line up, they have another 25 minutes before their race begins.  They are stretched along the horizon.  

 Canoes are lined up on the horizon between water and sky

Namolokama paddles iron which means the same six guys do the whole race without changes.  There is another category that starts 10 minutes later with 9-man teams that have spare paddlers on an escort boat and they switch out as needed. 

Headin' in, 18 miles later

Namo 60s have just crossed the finish line
behind New Zealand by tenths of a second :(

                                Back where they started, the King Kam beach at Kailua Bay

Team After

L to R:  O'hara, Thompson, Cilleti, Donnelly, Landis, Laney

At this point they didn't know they came in 4th, no medal this year, although it looks like Thompson and Laney have guessed

Hard to swallow after Gold the last two years.