ALLOOOOOHHHHAAAAA!!!!! EVERYBODY SHOULD BE EXCITED FOR NEXT WEEKEND
Lots of local teams have been looking solid. It should be an exciting year. I'm excited to see the Kona boys throw down again this year. I honestly feel they are our best group of guys at the moment, alongside with Hui Nalu, Lanikai, Outrigger, and PRIMO. We have some solid guys man, good to see local braddahs training with each other.
Mahalo to Vohi, keeping us updated on the races around the world. Catalina race video we see some solid boys; NAC, Lanakila, Outrigger California; Braddahs looking smooth. Loved the interview; that one braddah was stoked.
What international teams are coming down? I've only heard of a few; Shell, OPT, Air Tahiti, Australia. Bummed we won't be seeing Paddling connection or EDT come down. That's okay, we know they are training for Hawaiki nui.
Shout out to the young boys who going race. If you like see Hawaiians take the throne. Gotta invest time and resources into them. Encourage the juniors to join in your open men's practice. Make them feel comfortable competing against men. Before you know it we get guys like Rete, Kevin(who are open now, but was giving lickens as juniors), Revy, a junior now, bout to give cracks in the next years. Those kids in Tahiti, they give um to the open mens.
Who's got their top list? I only get one top 5.
Shell
OPT
Air Tahiti
Kona
Hui Nalu
Go get um Hawaiians! Go get um Tahitians! Go get um you braddahs from the mainland!
Submitted by shurl0ck on Tue, 09/29/2015 - 1:18pm
I think Shell wins again and maybe Tahitian crews go 1 2 3 again.
More intriguing is to see where Hawaiian crews place.
This is where I really wish we had a list of all teams registered and their paddlers.
I think Lanikai takes it again.
I know Hui Nalu making a big push, however I don;t think they beat Lanikai.
If super flat conditions then Kona Boys move up and maybe beat Lanikai.
I don;t know about Primo.
Also Kauai will push a lot of teams.
It will be a good race for sure.
#1 Mon, 10/05/2015 - 8:27am
my personal bias is for Kauai Wa'a to be one of the top local crews. they finished fourth overall in the Henry after racing Pailolo the day before. hard to pick against the perennial powers. i can personally never pick against a crew that is anchored by Brandon Woods so i'm putting Hui Nalu in my top 5 local crews too. judging from Air Tahiti's recent result I'll say that they are going to push Shell and OPT pretty hard if not beat them. i try to root for the underdog. So here's the all time Lead Pipe Lock Upset Special of the Century.
1- Ait Tahiti
2- OPT
3- Shell
4- Kona
5- Kauai Wa'a
6- Hui Nalu
7- Primo
8- Lanikai
#2 Mon, 10/05/2015 - 6:45pm
Who's going to win the Opens is all very good , but what about the really important divisions of Masters & Senior Masters ?
Cheers Russ
#3 Tue, 10/06/2015 - 4:58pm
Here's my top 10 Molo finishers
I could be way off, but it's always fun predicting. I think Kauai Wa'a is going to make a solid push for top Hawaiian team. I think Lanikai is definitely moving in the right direction. I'd even go on a limb and say both Kauai Wa'a and Lanikai could switch places. Good luck to everyone.
#4 Tue, 10/06/2015 - 6:49pm
If NAC is here, expect them near the top of the results. Probably above most of the top Hawaii crews. Same goes for 404.
#5 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 6:29am
My prediction in the masters category:
1. Kona, Keauhou 40s - these guys is smooth!
2. Oahu, Lanikai 50s - Solid guys from start to finish.
3. Anybody, Kailua, Keahiakahoe,
Tahaa Nui Vaa, Tahiti, is in the house. And ready to party. Another contender in the top 10??
From what I heard through the coconut wireless (can never trust that thing)- 404 not competing, Danny off to a SUP event, Jack R went to PRIMO.
I wish we could get a list as well. For the new registration system, coaches must submit a crew list online, with 9 paddlers, boat coaches, and escort drivers. I wish those were public so that everyone can see.
But for the paddlers, it's the suspense that kills them, some clubs who have multiple crews don't reveal crew list till the end of the week to their paddlers. Coaches sometimes just fill in the registration papers with random names, and then fill them in correctly on Moloka'i.
The only way I could see this working is that OHCRA puts in a rule that all crew names must be submitted by Monday the week before the race. In submission you are required 9 paddlers and one alternate name. ( Just in case you have that one bubble paddler that the coach can switch out) Then from there the team and rosters will be displayed for the public and we can have a better guessing game.
#6 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 7:47am
Any Hawaii Crew not including The Kona boys and Tahitian Steersmen, would be lucky and very happy to be with in 20 min of Air Tahiti, Shell, and OPT.
Depending on who Tahaa nui pulls from EDT or any other professional Tahitian crews
They could be battling Hawaii or way ahead.
Lewis is also pulling 4-5 tahitians to add to the 40s crew hes in....not sure what to call them. Mellow yellows 40s?
I say Shell Va'a reclaims the title by a few min.
#7 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 8:37am
Any ka'iwi channel swell/wind forecasts out yet?
Edit: Used Google to answer my own question:
http://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=PHZ116#.VhVvO_lViko
Saturday: Northeast winds 15 kt. Wind waves 5 to 6 ft. Swell north 4 to 5 ft. Isolated showers.
Sunday: Northeast winds 15 kt. Wind waves 5 to 6 ft. Swell north 5 ft. Scattered showers.
#8 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 9:16am
Aloha/Iaorana everyone,
As notified by Vohi-Video.com, there is 'Big News' in relation to Shell Va'a:
If Air Tahiti already showed their strenght by winning the last Tahitian race (Marara Hoe), now they will have the huge re-enforcement of the best surfing steersman in the world.
It'll be a fantastic race, for sure!!!
#9 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 1:58pm
So I just learned that along with David Tepava going to Air Tahiti, Karyl Maoni is also joining Air Tahiti....Not good for their jobs at Shell.
Also that the Tahaa Nui crew pulled Eric Dean to steer, and supposedly the rest will be from Tahaa.
The steersman for Shell Va'a steered Hinaraurea this past Hawaiki Nui.
I still call Shell Va'a to win.
In my opinion Kona Boys will push OPT for 3rd
Hui Nalu, Lanikai, and Primo all are going to be very very fast.
Tupuria King is with Maloolooba/Gold Coast
#10 Wed, 10/07/2015 - 5:29pm
Mahalo for the information. Wow. Lots of intrigue.
Also Karel Jr. steering Mooloolaba Open Crew
#11 Thu, 10/08/2015 - 5:18am
I wonder, with the defending champs not returning & all the musical seats, if this could be the year a HI crew can take the trophy?
Seems unlikely...but a few local crews do appear to be on the rise. I like the Molokai team to crack the top ten as one of the few elite crews still training mostly 400lb boats---boys can surf and looks like trades should hold.
Also, check this app if you've got a good 20 minutes to geek out on weather forecasting; you've been warned..
http://earth.nullschool.net/#2015/10/11/1500Z/wind/surface/level/orthogr...
#12 Thu, 10/08/2015 - 6:18am
Does anyone know how many crews are registered for Sunday?
#13 Sat, 10/10/2015 - 4:11pm
Sounds like 93. Including 5 junior crews.
#14 Sat, 10/10/2015 - 4:23pm
Great coverage oc16. Got to watch the start of the race with the live feed and then go out and meet the pack,,well not so much of a pack except for all the boats around Shell. Nice to observe them..making side to side changes on the 8 or ten count depending on the waves and making crew changes in under 6 seconds without the canoe slowing in a noticeable way. Stroke rate at on average over 75 and just before swells lifted the back of the canoe hitting in the 80's.
The steersman was not ever going in a straight line coming in from the South...he would play with the swells so that the canoe constantly moved...up with the swell, once on it...down to his course. No momentum was lost...very efficient. Without the canoe ever stalling much on the crew changes and playing the small swells to catch the ocean energy the crew could maintain the crisp stroke rate throughout the part of the race I watched. Yeah...they are professional young bucks....but the way they paddle a canoe is a paradigm.
#15 Sun, 10/11/2015 - 5:54pm
Also two paddler from tahiti paddling with team KONA.One tahitian steering kona crew.We can say,we have 4 tahitian tram at the front.youhou.son good.
#16 Mon, 10/12/2015 - 6:51pm
Also two paddler from tahiti paddling with team KONA.One tahitian steering kona crew.We can say,we have 4 tahitian team at the front.youhou.so
good.
#17 Mon, 10/12/2015 - 6:53pm
I hope we have a junior crew from tahiti next year.
#18 Mon, 10/12/2015 - 6:56pm
Kona did not have 2 tahitians.
only the steersman.
great job Hawaiians
#19 Wed, 10/14/2015 - 11:08am
Great job tahitian steersman.Now the hawaiian need a paddler tahitian for beat the tahitian.
#20 Wed, 10/14/2015 - 7:49pm
Cool down
#21 Thu, 10/15/2015 - 5:31am