Maui Earns Medals in Australia 2016 World Sprints

The Island Masters select crew, that won the 1,000-meter final for women 60 and older, receives gold medals at ceremonies Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland, Australia. Crew members are (from left) Camie Kimball of Wa`akapaemua Canoe Club of Molokai; Vanessa Weiss of Kīhei Canoe Club, Maui; Bev Tuaolo of Puna Canoe Club, Hawai`i island; Sherri Carney of Kai `Ōpua Canoe Club of Kona; Penny Martin of Wa`akapaemua, and Patty Eames of Keoua Canoe Club, Hawai`i island. Photo credit: Mary Akiona.

By Kekoa Enomoto

KAWANA WATERS, Queensland, Australia — Hawai`i youth scored their first medal on the seventh and next to the last day of the 2016 World Sprints, as Maoris and Tahitians continued to dominate the outrigger-paddling world championships.

Hawaiian Canoe Club of Kahului, Maui, captured third place Saturday for boys 19 and younger in a 1,000-meter race in a time of 4 minutes, 45:27 seconds. Tahiti won gold in 4:33:64, followed by Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 4:43:54 under sunny, slightly breezy conditions.

Meanwhile, Hawaiʻi master paddlers 50 and older netted five medals Saturday. The Island Masters select crew of Hawaiʻi women 60 and older won gold in a six-person, 1,000-meter race in 5:43:22, followed by Anuenue Canoe Club of Waikiki in 5:46:92 and Noosa Australia in 5:49:85.

Keahiakahoe and Keauhou canoe clubs of Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi island, respectively, teamed to place first for women 70 and older in a six-person 500-meter race with a turn, in 3:06:43; followed by Panamuna Australia in 3:08:34 and Hawaiian Canoe Club in 3:10:33.

Outrigger Canoe Club men 70s of Oahu took second place in 2:31:62 for the same event: six-person race in 500 meters with a turn. Noosa Australia won in 2:30:81, and Canada got bronze in 2:35:75.

Also scoring a silver medal were Ānuenue Canoe Club 50-and-older women in a six-person race over 1,000 meters, in 5:28:23. Aotearoa placed first in 5:23:63, and Noosa Australia grabbed bronze in 5:29:31.

The International Va`a Federation will conclude the weeklong World Sprints on Sunday, May 15, with 42 races, including 14 finals, plus closing ceremonies and an after party at Sunshine Coast Stadium. See results at website vaaworldsprints.com. Tahiti will host the 2018 World Sprints.