Ka Mamalahoe Impressive at Ala Wai Challenge

January 29, 2006

Ka Mamalahoe's men crew roll to a win in their quarter finals heat of the Ala Wai Challenge. 

Coaches Scotty Thompson and Denise Higgins pulled together two crews of promising, yet mostly "green" paddlers to compete for  the Kawananakoa Foundation and the Law Firm of Chung, Leung & Morikawa at the 21st Annual Ala Wai Canoe Races and Makahiki Games this past weekend at Ala Wai Park.  Ka Mamamalahoe represented both well as the races and game produced some fun and "interesting" results. 

During the Makahiki games, two crews under the leadership of Coach Higgins participated in traditional Hawaiian games such as Ulu Maika (bowling a round stone through pegs), O'o Ihe (spear throwing), Moa Pahe'e (dart sliding) and Pohaku Ho'oikaika (stone throw) however, none of our participants were able to place.

It was during the outrigger quarter-mile races in the Ala Wai Canal where Ka Mamalahoe's paddlers served notice.  The races showcased 28 crews of all levels varying in skill and gender in an open division, double elimination format, three to four crews in one heat. 

For one of Ka Mamalahoe's crews, the odds were literally stacked against them.  Ttbang Ball, Merly Vergonio, Dana Howard, Jennifer Ness, Lisa Duguran and Lisa Bento were the only all female crew in the entire event, racing against mostly men and a few mixed crews.  After finishing a distant fourth in their first heat, the ladies came back strong to take a second place finish in their final consolation heat, outdistancing an all men crew in the process........... (sweet!). 

Ka Mamalahoe's Men crew of Jake Kearney, Terence "Q" Quong, Omar Becerrill, Jake Ness, Nate Vidal and Frank Deniz, racing under the banner of the Kawananakoa Foundation got off to a shaky start in their first heat, but still managed pull out a close first place finish.  From there, they blazed a winning trail of three first place finishes in four races, to advance to the semi-finals.  There, the men were eliminated when a freak accident with one of the race canoes left them literally one man short at the start of their race.  Nate Vidals "five" seat cracked and broke off completely at the start of the race.  Although, Nate tried valiantly to continue,  at times paddling on his knees and finally...sitting and paddling from the hull.  The man out was too much for them to overcome against the strongest paddlers at the event.  No problem though, as the crew limped and "Rainbow Changed" their way across the finish line to the applause of the crowd which lined the Ala Wai's shores.  The men finished 6th overall among the 28 team field.  Not bad for a crew of four first year paddlers and two veterans.  The women can also hold their head high as four of their crew were novice paddlers that raced against the male dominated field.  For more photo coverage of the event, click onto Ala Wai Challenge, Jan 29 2006