Pre-season Regatta
Training for the Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a Regatta Season starts in February and extends through the end of May. Hui Wa‘a distance races are between 9 and 12 miles in length and take an average of an hour and a half to complete. These races are all "iron", that is, there are no water changes required. As a member of Hui Wa‘a, WYC is required to race ten (10) crews during the pre-season races.
Regatta (Sprints)
Regatta races start June 1st and run through July with Hui Wa’a championships and Hawaii State championships in August. These sprint races are between ¼ and 1 ½ miles in length. There are multiple heats based on your experience. The groups range in age and experience: from first-time paddlers to those with many years of experience.
Long Distance
Long distance races range in length from the 18-mile Queen Lili‘uokalani Races to the 41.6 mile Ka‘iwi Channel crossings. All the races except the Queen Lili‘uokalani Races involve water changes, where up to three paddlers at a time are rotated in and out of the canoe. Water changes add a level of complexity to distance racing, making it important that each crew is able to perform fast and efficient changes for the duration of the race.
The Ka‘iwi Channel races from Moloka‘i to O‘ahu, Na Wahine O Ke Kai for women and Moloka‘i Hoe for men, involve paddling in open ocean conditions, for which the Hawaiian outrigger canoe was designed. These races allow our canoes and crews to perform at their limits. Canoes are rigged with spray covers (“canvas”) and must have escort boats to carry extra crew members, coaches and helpers.
