Author: CORA Admin

It is usually the case that most racers from out of state begin arriving around the first of September for this largest OC-6 race in the world. Canadians from BC- Lotus crews and from the Island- have been here warming up and training for even longer.

In fact I was down on the pier- the site of the race and where everyone goes to ‘talk story’ and the buzz among the Hawaians was about a unique racing style that a Canadian team introduced them to at the Waikola race, last weekend. Seems it was a beach/Lemans start …everyone hop in and go, as they would say. One Hawaiian guy related, however,how the ‘Canadian’ team “…drag it steers guy fo’ ’bout quata mile..but they hang on, bro!!!” I explained that this is really a new Canadian technique where we use our legs to swim the boat along and, damn me, by Wednesday every local boat in Kailua Harbor was out there draggin’ steerspersons…just kidding. So we are off to if not an illustrious start at least an impactful presence.

A bit of history about the race… Queen Lili’uokalani was the last reigning monarch in the Hawaiian Islands. During a period of expeditionary US policy regarding Cuba and the Philippines it seemed expedicious to also ‘protect’ Hawaii and in so doing, the Monarchy was overthrown, the Queen imprisioned and ultimately Hawaii became a US state. The World Court has been made interested in this matter, through the efforts of indigenous Hawaiian people who feel
they frankly were ripped off. As result of this event the Queen who by the way wrote alot of traditional Hawaiian songs including Aloha Oe is much revered and the race in her honor.

It is hugely international with upwards of a hundred boats on the line at the start. It is point to point…from Kailua, Kona to Honaunau, 29 kilometers with irn and change diviisions and a million categories. The wahines race down coast in the AM and the men return the boats in the PM. Honaunau is a state park with a replication of an Hawaiian village on the site of the original City of Refuge, an Hawaiian ‘get-out-of-jail free’ arrangement they used to have. It is pretty amazing to see a lagoon full of boats in such a setting.

Once back to Kailua the racers unrig boats and get ready for the torch light parade …Saturday night paddlers meet on the waterfront drive, everyone gets a torch and off they march! We Canadians have been practicing marching for several days, perfect formation, eh! Can’t get torches yet but the guys fron Ocean River have got us broom sticks to march around with… OK just kidding again about the practice stuff. However I did talk with ‘uncle’ who makes the
torches and he said it is alot of work ‘”…’cause if you don’t tie them up right and tight, they swing ’em and off the fire goes…” You can bet there will be no Canadian swinging going on!!!

So signing off for now…of to Honolulu for a day and when I get back, mo’ update Bro!!!!

~ Jon A. – Calgary Canoe Club

Ross Creasy

Saturday just before noon…“Aloha, and welcome to the 5th annual
Wild side relay” said Race director JD Davies as he quietly met us on
the grass at Bob’s Beach .

A circle of paddlers gathered, handshakes and hugs all around. JD
reviewed the Wildside race course and safety rules with all involved,
encouraging fun but also asking us to look out for each other on the
river. Loose registration and the signing of waivers followed.

As the only Canadian paddler in the pack, I was worried I would also
be the only solo paddler! – my race partner Dave Stefenchuck had to
bial out unexpecectedly, so I was pleased to discover 7 other
paddlers doing it solo.

While “not recommended” according to JD, mostly to keep it within the
original format of the event, JD encouraged us to pair up. – Most
guys were up for the challenge as a training tool for their Molokai
crossing later this year. we promised to play together and look out
for huli’s

The wind was steady and the swells were rolling hard as we lined up
on the Stevenson dock. An air horn sounded and we were off!!!

I moved with the front group of paddlers, catching several swells
right off the start – clearly starting on the Oregon side of the line
helped. The pack stayed in line and close together for the first 10
minutes, then settled into a rhythm as paddlers picked lines and
linked swells together.

I quickly assessed that while this water was very good, some winter
training runs at Jericho’s “secret spot” had prepared me well.

These were 3-5 footers, not 12’ overhead – but very runable. The
sizzling of my foot well drains sounded like cooking bacon as
splashes of water quickly vented out the bottom of the canoe.

man, was I cookin! My carbon Kolea OC-1 was in its element. This was
the land of “ big wave floaty boats” Koleas, Hehemanus, Hurricanes
Makia’s Kakus and Vipers. we charged up river, to the sound of
whoops and yelps of happy paddlers.

This was a surfer’s race, so being smooth and selective with the
waves had its advantages. My mind went to my Todd Bradley video of
Molokai – keeping the nose from purling…there.. find the next one..
PUSH!! there it is, pop the ama… let it run.. tap tap tap. Lean, race
down the wave…

going too fast or being careless rewards you witn a face full of
water off the nose or a blast of Columbia water up the leg of your
shorts!

For the first hour, I settled in with the front pack, and held off
several challengers by staying in the bigger water where the Makia’s
didn;t go.. During the second leg, I caught up with Dave from
Tricities in his brand new Hehemanu from John Martin. Dave’s smooth
stroke rate and the shape of the canoe had him finding waves where
others didn’t, but he had trouble linking the waves. I took the more
aggressive line in the centre of the river where the connections were
more obvious,(sometimes we all need this!) as I approached him on
the run; I let out a whoop and flew the ama past him! (Think I
freaked him out!)

We traded leads until the second checkpoint where we spotted several
of the leaders and agreed to chase them down together.

Then disaster…
A tug on my hydration system hose told me I was out of water! Not due
to drinking it all, but the hose had come undone. The only connection
I hadn’t double-checked! This meant that the next 11 miles were
without water.

I told Dave as I passed him again, and this seemed to let the wind
out of his sails, unbeknowst to me, Dave and his buddies had employed
the advice of a professional triathelete coach on thursday
evening..based on his advice, they Deviated from prerace meals.

Dave had radically increased his consumption of fluids and over 300
grams of carbs prior to the race, resulting in cramping and several
mid-river ahm…. “Deposits” were necessary (now you know why I
didn’t drink river water!)

Dehydration gnawed at me, I fought to get as far up river as I could
before something drastic happened. Then magically, 20 minutes of
washing machine crappy waves – just like off the bell can at Jericho
appeared.

I know how to run this stuff..The gap decreased and I began to move
up on the nearest canoe.

Last checkpoint, the water began to go flat near Hood River– here’s
where a big wave boat has trouble. Combined with a thirsty paddler, I
faded, but because I took a more direct line to Hood River, was still
able to capitalize on some waves.

Hood River bridge to Bindgen, just a long grind as the waves
disappeared entirely. The suddenly the pilings were in sight! As I
swung between the pilings, two ospreys nesting nearby began screaming
and calling in unison, a cheer to my ears.

Unlike some of my fellow paddlers, the Kolea took on no water during
the race (sort of like the paddler!)

Mahalo to JD for the race, Fidel’s for the ono mexican grinds, Dave,
Robin, Kevin, Kristen, and all the Bend and Tricities paddlers for
the aloha.

Better to do it in a relay, but doable if you want to challenge
yourself.

Speaking of challenges, did I tell you about the drive home?

Jon Amundson – Calgary

Ivan told me about Bill’s death at the Duel in the Desert…but I
didn’t put it together until i saw the posting. You see i didn’t know
Bill but had the privilege of racing after him and the honor of
running away from him at the Freshwater Big and Small Boat races
in ’02…saw him a few other times as well and we’d exchange eye
contact and wave, even say a few words. But we had something that was
special, something he and I and a few others share and that is what
we all lost, and what we can’t get back…you see as you age you
watch the numbers fall off around you…illness, changes in life and
plans, retirement,people move away and then some are taken from us,
like Bill. Kapuna are funny…we are competitive and give’em when we
can but we also know that there is a bond of life that touches us in
special ways, lives that stretch behind us and the shorter time we
know intuitively we have left. That bond of life- a connection of
life experiences and the gratitude for the day, the moment, the race,
the eye contact, the smile, every grey hair, the realization we are
doing something other aren’t, can’t or didn’t- maybe sets the Kapuna
apart…it also creates a circle, and ohana, for us whether we know
each other well, or in a conventional sense. The loss of a kapuna is
a loss that can never be replaced. The hole in the ohana can never be
filled…we look around and see our world smaller and though the
sorrows of those that loved him personally are the greater share, our
sorrows are no less in the way we can only feel them. I am so sorry
to see him gone.

JON