Kīkaha’s kupunas join New Hope to paddle across Ka’iwi Channel
Some of Kīkaha’s kupuna paddlers were part of the historic return of the Moloka’i Hoe, the 41-mile men’s canoe race across the Ka’iwi Channel. The race returned on Oct. 13 after a four-year hiatus.
The crew, which included six paddlers from Kīkaha and the Pacific Northwest and six from New Hope Canoe Club in Hawaii, put to rest any notions about what an older paddler can do. Ten paddlers were in their 70s and two were in their 80s. The race has no division for paddlers of that age, so the crew competed in the 65 division.
The crew included Lon Kincannon, Dave Oreiro, Craig Holt, Marti Trever, Karl Burch and Mike Spaulding.
“The water was not extreme, mostly, but every once in a while a huge wall of water would approach from our right that would drive the canoe into a trough and bury the ama underwater momentarily,” Kincannon said. “At close to the halfway point the New Hope team huli’d while climbing into the canoe. But they recovered quickly.”
The rest of the race was uneventful, Kincannon said. But passing Diamond Head was breathtakingly beautiful.
“I must say that every aspect of this race was positive,” Kincannon said. “All egos were left on the beach. Only encouragement and positive words were spoken. No negativity.”
Kincannon caught some of the race on video. You can find it here.
Kīkaha members offer fitness tips to become a stronger paddler
Starting with this issue of Talk Story, we hope to include workouts to help you keep your edge and prevent injuries. Staying fit in the off season, especially when it’s cold and rainy, can be a motivation challenge for paddlers. But Kīkaha has a deep roster of paddling exercise experts to help.
These workouts come from Kīkaha member Drea Park, a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, online fitness coach and nutritionist through International Sports Sciences Association. She says that completing these at moderate intensity can help with your strength endurance, enhancing your ability to overcome a lower amount of resistance. If you work harder and longer, you can develop lean muscle mass.
Agility Circuit – Core Focused (8 minutes)
Equipment needed: mat
Set an interval timer for 40 seconds active – 15 seconds rest for each exercise. Complete three rounds of each exercise set:
- Toe Touch Crunch
- Lying Superman
- Plank Tap Combo. While holding a plank, keep your core engaged and stable as you alternate tapping your wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip and bringing your knee in.
Set Rep (10 minutes)
Equipment needed: mat
Try to get through at least four rounds of each exercise set:
Spiderman push-up – 10 reps L/R. If modification is needed, you can do movement elevated (using a bench or wall)
Side plank prisoner twists – 12 reps L/R. If modification is needed, bend your inside leg to help with balance while keeping your outside leg extended while keeping your hips off the floor. Or keep both legs bent. Sprinter sit-ups – 12 L/R
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.
Find us on the web at www.kikaha.com. Contact us at [email protected]