From the President’s Desk
ALOHA, OUTRIGGER CANOE CLUB! It is truly a privilege to report on the success of our Canoe Racing program this regatta season.
It was an unforgettable showing at the HCRA State Championship Regatta in Lāhainā, Maui, taking third overall! Our paddlers brought power, precision, and pride to every race, and I am excited to share some standout performances that reflect the heart and dedication of our club. It began the day before, as the prep team and Masters crews
with Sophia Schultz, La’au Peloso, Jacob Pepper, and Toa Pere to strike Gold again! • Women Novice B: Lectie Batula, Anastasia David Demakas, Cassandra Forsyth, Abigail Mawae, Nadia Miranda, and Haley Poppinga paddled a flawless race, capturing first place. What a way to represent the future of our women’s program! • Men Novice B: Another first-place finish came from Patrick Flynn, Graham Harmon, Ryan Kelliher, Jack Martin, John Snyder, and Troy Winkenhower, who delivered a fast and focused race, capping off an undefeated season! • Women Novice A: Capping off a dominant season; Shae Foudy, Michelle Hee, Chloe Hughes, Claire Hughes, Katherine Kemp, and Kali Larson had an incredible performance of their own to finish first. • Men Senior: In the premier event of the day, our Senior Men did not disappoint. Travis Grant, Ryland Hart, Riley Kawananakoa, Nate Loyola, Miles Orr, and Jack Seymour went turn for turn with Lanikai and Wailea—even with some interference, they showed their grit and gave an inspired performance to take home the gold. Other OCC crews delivered hard-fought and respectable finishes across divisions, often finishing near the front of the pack and reinforcing the depth and strength of our paddling program and contributing to our solid finish overall. The 40s men (my crew) may not have helped as much as others, but if “every point counts,” then we gave our all to contribute three. The regatta season was filled with moments of excitement, resilience, and club pride. Whether you were racing, rigging, cheering from the beach, or supporting behind the scenes, your presence and energy helped make this summer a true success. Mahalo to the Canoe Racing Committee, led by Anthony Hunt, our coaches, volunteers, families, and fellow club members for your unwavering support throughout the season. This championship was more than just about results—it was about coming together, representing OCC with honor, and paddling with aloha. Here’s to carrying this spirit forward into the distance season.
arrived at the beautiful Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows to get the canoe weighed and rigged and our tents set up and ready to welcome the wave of OCC paddlers arriving the following day for an action-packed day trip to race. Many of my fondest “paddling” memories are the time spent with each other (especially off island) before the races. The opportunity to disconnect from our normal routines and responsibilities for a day, slow down, and truly enjoy the amazing people who share your love for our namesake sport. Swimming in the pool with my young son with so many of his “paddling aunties and uncles” surrounded by bright yellow cabanas felt like we were in a tropical dream. It was a privilege to be able to share those moments in such an idyllic backdrop. The evening was capped with a team welcome dinner at “The Branches” under a banyan tree glowing with lanterns and live music. We were fueled up and ready to take on the competition. It was hard not to be romantic about how lucky we are to be able to, once again, race in Lāhainā and share our passion for paddling with clubs from all over Hawai‘i. It was a celebration of perseverance and endless aloha from the local community in the form of a regatta. We witnessed incredible performances from our paddlers: • Men 65+: Boogie Black, David Dolman, Geoff Graf, Marc Haine, Twain Newhart, and Vik Watumull took the top spot in their race with an impressive time of 4:05.52, showing that lots of experience and teamwork are a winning combination. • Girls 18s: Tria Boland, Allison Hee, Mahie Kaleleiki, Makena Orr, Sophia Strickler, and Gweneth Yoshimura continued their success with a convincing victory. • Mixed Boys and Girls 18s: Two of the Girls 18s were just warming up; Tria Boland and Mahie Kaleleiki teamed up
Art Mallet president Outrigger Canoe Club
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