OCC HISTORY
sponsor of some of its most beloved events like Duke’s OceanFest and the Waterman Hall of Fame, respective- ly. In addition, the Club’s Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta, the oldest outrigger canoe race in the world, began in 1943 right there on Waikīkī Beach in front of the old OCC location and current Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort. In 1964, twenty-plus years after the inaugural race, the Club moved to its new (current) location, but the powers that be decided to keep the races at the original spot in Waikīkī. Still today, the race continues to be held in that location. ODKF funds the race, using
them into Outrigger Hotels Hawai‘i. “Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort was the first in the collection of hotels to be called an Outrigger and now Outrigger Hospitality Group is a global entity with properties in Hawai‘i, Fiji, Mauritius, Thailand and The Maldives—and a goal of being the premier beach resort brand in the world,” said Monica Salter, OCC member and VP Global Communications & Social Responsibili- ty Outrigger Hospitality Group. Though some big changes and challenges occurred within OCC, the shared respect between the Club, its
proceeds from the sales of souvenir t-shirts, hats, and the like. Members, participants and onlookers can still admire the trophies displayed near the official’s tent across from Duke’s Restaurant, and then delight in the award ceremony at the restaurant after the last race. Back in 2017, Fred Hem- mings Jr. and Marilyn Kali discussed OCC’s move from Waikīkī to the current location for the Historical Committee’s oral history project.
members and Outrigger Hotels con- tinued. “As we were standing on the beachfront boundary, surfing legend and Olympic swimming champion Duke Kahanamoku came up and said, ‘Mr. Kelley, I’ve had my canoe stored on this land for years. Would you mind if I continued to keep it here until you start construction?’ Roy replied, ‘I would be honored if you would do that,’” the late Dr. Richard Kelley, the eldest child of Roy and Estelle Kelley, wrote in a Saturday Briefing in 2007
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During the conversation, Fred shared that Cline Mann, despite many others’ hesitation, was in favor of the Club moving from Waikīkī to Diamond Head, if for no other reason than the surf. Cline took Fred and a few other members out to surf to prove his point. Fred recalled, “We went out to Old Man’s, and, fortunately for Cline—and the rest of us—it happened to be a good summer day, so the surf was like six feet at the bowl, and it was great. You know, we’d take off on these six foot waves and go right and left. ‘God, Cline, that’s really fun! That’s way better than Waikīkī!’” Now, members are able to appreciate our idyllic location, but thanks in part to our longtime partnership with Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, time-honored traditions and the stories of days passed will not be forgotten. ■ For more information on the history of the Club, we encourage you to flip through the Outrigger Canoe Club The First Hundred Years , and comb through the oral histories and other archives at outriggercanoe- clubsports.com.
(the weekly letter he sent out to the employees of Outrig- ger). Even throughout the years of construction, Kelley made sure there was always a spot for Duke’s canoe. Today, like many places throughout Waikīkī, and within OCC, Duke’s legacy lives on at the Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort. In fact, the very spot where he stored his surfboard became Duke’s Restaurant. Moreover, in 1986, Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foun- dation (ODKF) was established to honor him, one of OCC’s most revered members. This nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization was a merger between Duke Kahanamoku Foundation and the Outrigger Foundation to provide support to Hawai‘i students, teams, and events that sus- tain the spirit of “The Big Kahuna.” ODKF focuses on the sports that Duke played and loved—the sports of old Hawai‘i that OCC was also formed around. Think canoe paddling, surfing, swimming, volleyball and more. Still today, two-thirds of the ODKF board members must also be voting members of OCC. Outrigger Hotels and Resorts has helped support ODKF by being the hospitality partner and major
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