Kīkaha blesses newest canoes, Kai Koa and Kaimana

With water from Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, cultural leaders from both regions led the Kīkaha ‘ohana in a blessing of the Tacoma club’s new canoes on a windy morning at the Foss Waterway practice site. 

More than 50 people shared in the May 18 blessing of Kaimana (Power of the Sea) and Kai Koa (Sea Warrior), dubbed the twins by Kīkaha leadership. The canoes are Kai Wa‘a Hydra Pro models, which weigh 127 pounds fully rigged. The event included chants, prayers, ti leaves, conch shell blasts and crews paddling the new boats. 

“It was very emotional,” said Nellie Bell, club vice president and one of the first people to paddle Kai Koa.

The canoes were blessed by cultural practitioner Sui-Lan Ho’okano, Puyallup tribal members Clinton McCloud Sr. and Clinton McCloud Jr., and kumu Kaui Auwae and her daughter Anelalanioahonui Auwae.

Club members Lon Kincannon and his wife Fay Tong blew conch shells as part of the ceremony. Haupia, a traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding, was served.

Kaui Auwae gave the inaugural paddlers in each canoe a ti leaf, Bell said. Both canoes were blessed as well as every seat, she said.

“Kaui gave us a ti leaf to put on our seat or the floor of the canoe with the stem pointing back and the top pointing forward for direction and safety,” Bell said. 

At one point, Ho’okano pointed to Kīkaha’s fleet of canoes just beyond the chain link fence that surrounds the club’s equipment. They have been used by club members for decades. 

“Sui-Lan said remember your ancestors beyond the fence, the other wa’a that have been keeping you safe for years,” Bell said. 

The canoes were purchased with the help of a $25,000 grant Kīkaha received from the Asia Pacific Cultural Center. They were delivered to the club at the Race Around the Island distance race on May 3 and brought back to the Foss Waterway by Clifford “Unko Bu” Daniels. The canoes received an early, partial blessing a few days later during a packed practice. Many of the Kīkaha paddlers there got a turn and their smiles were a highlight of the practice.

Longtime Kīkaha member and keiki coach Vance Bader said the May 18 blessing made him nostalgic as he found himself thinking of the first canoe blessing when the club was founded nearly 30 years ago. 

“It wasn’t a brand new wa’a or the fastest at nearly 500 lbs, but it had mana,” he said. “The spirit and energy to propel us on the waters and carry us safely each and every time we paddled together. It also set a solid foundation for our club to continue our mission to perpetuate Hawaiian outrigger paddling here in the Pacific Northwest.”

Kai Koa and Kaimana are exciting new canoes, sleek, built with the newest materials and light, Bader said. But they are also part of everything that came before them.

“Even as time has gone by, and technology of the wa’a has changed, our kuleana remains the same,” he said. “To share our aloha for paddling and continue that tradition for future generations.”

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Campbell trains hard — and easy — to prepare for world distance championships

Since qualifying for the U.S. team in February, Kīkaha coach Brent Campbell has trained nearly every day – sometimes twice a day and sometimes even racing twice a day – to prepare for the IVF World Distance Championships this summer in Brazil.

Campbell, who qualified for the V1 event in the Masters 40 division, hopes to improve his overall speed by 0.5 mph. It sounds easy. It’s not.

Campbell said he typically spends an hour and a half paddling or on an ergometer, grinding out the miles. It’s a mix of long slow distance, high intensity sprints and intervals at just below race pace. He also hits the gym twice a week.

“Today I’m paddling twice a day because I have the time,” he said the day he shared his routine. “I don’t always have the time.” 

His routine includes regular doses of Zone 2 training, when an athlete maintains a heart rate of 60% to 70% of maximum. Those workouts can improve your VO2 max, Campbell said. The higher your VO2 max, the more efficiently your body can utilize oxygen, allowing you to perform at a higher intensity for a longer period.

“It makes you more efficient, even if you get off the water and you’re not tired,” he said. 

Campbell qualified by winning his division in a V1 race at Marina Del Rey, California on Feb. 1. He finished the 15-mile course in 2:03:37. He will also race in a V6 crew, he said. The distance championships will be from Aug. 13-20 in Niteroi, Brazil. 

Campbell raced at the last world distance championships, in 2023 in Samoa. He said he didn’t do well, partly because he was just learning how to use a V1 canoe, “and it was just hot.” 

This time, he’ll go early to Brazil, where his wife is from, to acclimate. But he’s already working heat into his routine, usually after lifting weights. 

“I’m doing sauna twice a week,” he said. “I’m trying to get uncomfortable.”

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Distance season is back! Are you ready?

After a month of sprint racing, we hope you’re ready for more time on the water, the runs to Owen Beach and Browns Point Lighthouse (and beyond!) and racing for 10 to 12 miles. But never fear, Kīkaha’s in-house fitness experts, John Murillo and Drea Park, have lots of advice.

Here’s what they had to say: 

John Murillo

Paddling can put a large demand on your rotator cuff and the small and large back muscles, lats, teres major and minor and medial head of triceps. It’s critical to keep these muscles nice and loose to prevent injury as they take on big loads when pulling hard during power phases, from race starts to pace changes. As distance season returns, with longer practices and races, you’ll want to incorporate stretching before and after practice to keep your muscles supple. Here are a few that can help.

Bent over stretches. Find the back of a chair and place your arms on its back rest. Then take a few steps back so you can bend over while keeping your arms out straight. Bend down, keeping your arms on the chair so that you face the floor while your arms and the weight of your body stretch your lats. This is similar to doing a child’s pose in yoga, but with a chair.

Butterfly stretches. Place your hands on your waist with the back of your hand on your side.  This will put your arm at a 90 degree with elbows pointing away from you.  Place the back of an elbow against a wall and gently lean toward the wall as the back of your ams move toward the wall. This will make your elbows point toward the front of you. Move slowly and gently as this will stretch the upper back of shoulder muscles that are the most prone to injury. You will feel it for sure.

Rotator cuff arm bars. Lay on your side and place an arm you are laying on at a 90 degree angle in front of you with hands pointing toward the ceiling. Bring your hands down toward the floor. With the opposite arm, push down on back hand of the shoulder you are stretching. Be gentle with the push until you feel the stretch on the back of your shoulder. This would be like moving your arm like a windshield wiper.

Breathing properly during exercise is crucial for performance and safety. Here are some key patterns to follow:

Strength Training. Inhale before exertion (eccentric phase) and exhale during exertion (concentric phase). For example, when doing a squat, inhale as you lower down and exhale as you push up.  This would apply when doing sprints where you paddle hard or when doing the ups, as well as any higher and harder stroke rates. Inhale before the catch and exhale through the power phase of the stroke. It is critical to keep the breathing pattern and not hold your breath as doing so will increase your blood pressure.

Cardio Workouts. Maintain a steady breathing rhythm. For lower-intensity activities, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. As intensity increases, breathing through your mouth may be necessary.  Rhythmic breathing with a stroke pattern will keep you oxygenated.

Diaphragmatic Breathing. Engage your diaphragm by breathing deeply into your belly rather than shallow chest breathing. This improves oxygen intake and reduces fatigue.

Drea Park

Whether you’re prepping for your first endurance paddle or gearing up for race season, the secret to staying strong mile after mile isn’t just on the water. It’s in the work you do off it. Cross-training fuels your stamina, sharpens your technique, and keeps injuries at bay — so you can paddle harder, recover faster and go further.

STRENGTH TRAINING (2-3 times a week)

To build lasting paddle power and muscular endurance, focus on a well-rounded strength training routine that targets the muscles you rely on most during paddling. Prioritize:

Upper Body: Rows, push-ups, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns

Core: Planks, Russian twists, bird-dogs

Lower Body: Squats, lunges, deadlifts

Pro Tip: Stick to 8-12 reps, 2-3 sets. You’re building endurance, not bulking up.

CARDIO CROSS-TRAINING (1-2 times a week)

Boost your stamina and support overall cardiovascular health with low-impact cardio sessions. These workouts give your paddling muscles a chance to recover while still building the endurance you need for long-distance sessions.

Swimming

Cycling

Rowing machine

Brisk walking or jogging

Pro Tip: Go for 30-60 minutes at a moderate, steady pace.

MOBILITY & FLEXIBILITY (Daily or post-workout)

Maintain joint health and prevent injuries by making mobility and stretching a regular part of your routine. Dynamic stretching before paddling or workouts will help prepare your muscles and joints for movement, while static stretches or yoga after sessions aid in recovery and flexibility. Focus on areas that take the most strain during paddling — shoulders, hips, spine, and hamstrings.

Pro Tip: Even 10-15 minutes a day can improve range of motion, reduce stiffness and keep you feeling strong and agile on and off the water.

CORE STABILITY & BALANCE (2-3 times a week)

Develop the stability and core strength needed to stay balanced and in control, even when the water gets rough.

Side planks, dead bugs, bird-dogs

Stability ball or BOSU work

Pilates-style movements

Pro Tip: A strong, stable core improves posture, stroke efficiency, overall paddling performance and fewer huli’s.

ON-WATER SESSIONS (3-5 times a week)

Your most effective training happens in your wa’a, so make every session count. Vary your on-water workouts to build well-rounded paddling fitness, including:

Endurance: Long, steady paddles

Speed: Interval paddling

Technique: Stroke drills + efficiency work

Pro Tip: By mixing up your sessions, you’ll boost stamina, sharpen skills, and stay engaged on every stroke.

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Da Kīkaha Korner

Who dat?

Paddler: Beau Whitehead

Years paddling canoes: Competitive paddler OC1/OC6 for 16 years

Years with Kīkaha: “Seven or eight years. I live in Bellingham, so I don’t get to Tacoma nearly as much as I’d like, but Kīkaha has always welcomed me with open arms, and I’ve always been made to feel part of the family.”

Favorite race adventure: “Favorite race adventure would be 2018 Molokai Hoe or 2018 M2M Solo. Anything that gets me out of my comfort zone.”

Favorite paddling experience: “Winning the Gorge last year was one of my favorite paddling experiences, not just for me, but seeing the culmination of years of development and coaching from folks like Coach Gordon. It was great to see their dedication pay off.”

Paddler: Michael Machado

Club activity: “I enjoy paddling and being on the water and steer when needed so that others don’t miss out.”

Years paddling:  September 2011 through August 2015 regularly. 

Years with Kīkaha: 1 year

Favorite race adventure: “The 2014 Race Around Alcatraz because the Coast Guard allowed us to paddle out under the Golden Gate Bridge which was both thrilling and the scariest.”

Favorite paddling experience: 2014 Race Around Alcatraz 

Why paddling? “Paddling for me is therapy. I get to zone out on long paddles. It’s how I meditate. I also enjoy working with others on the water especially when you feel the glide when everyone is synchronized.”

Best club advice your ever received: “Learning to steer as it helps if you enjoy being on the water.”

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Aw’ryte!

This year’s Manu K. Baker Regatta at Spanaway Lake on May 17 was a thrilling success both on and off the water. Thanks to the generous donations from club members and sponsors, the Kīkaha raffle brought in a record setting $2,136.77 and produced a lot of smiles. For comparison, last year’s raffle brought in $1,849.20. A big Kīkaha mahalo to the team that put it together: Nicole Gentry and her ‘ohana, Ashley Tyerman, Linda Murillo, Fay Tong, Aunty Pency Ortiga (from the new Kīkaha Booster Club) and Kai Higgins and her friend and advisor Nellie Bell…

A partnership between Kīkaha and Tacoma Boat Builders to introduce Hawaiian culture to underserved youth got underway May 21 with five youth learning the basics of canoe paddling at the Foss Waterway practice site. It was the first of six outrigger canoe experiences the club will provide. The project uses funds from Tacoma Creates, which works to increase access to culture, heritage and science in Tacoma by reducing barriers to access, especially for underserved youth…

Aw’ryte!

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Kīkaha O Ke Kai, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that paddles out of the Foss Waterway, would like to say mahalo to its sponsors and supporters: Asia Pacific Cultural Center,  Papa Ola Lōkahi, Nordlund Boat Company, Katie Downs Waterfront Tavern & Eatery, Tucci Energy Services, Hawaiian Paddle Sports, Aloha Carpet Cleaning and Moku ‘aina Wakinekona Hawaiian Club. 

Talk Story seeks to cultivate a strong, unified identity for Kīkaha O Ke Kai, reflecting the spirit of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling. It is dedicated to sharing club news and managing information promptly. It aims to provide members and supporters with a newsletter that enhances their connection to the club and represents our shared values on and off the water.  You can contact us at kikaha.info@gmail.com.