A Team's Journey to Molokai

Our decision to do Molokai this year came on the backs of some pretty big successes.  2010 had been an awesome year for our Canadian team with both Open and Masters World Sprint Championships titles, followed up with a first place finish in Kona.  It seemed natural to want to test ourselves in the last and perhaps biggest challenge of the three outrigger disciplines – the open ocean!  And while success can breed confidence, it also brings with it expectation.

There is no doubt about it; our challenges were big in our bid toward this year’s Na Wahine O Ke Kai.  Being a Canadian select team means we’re scattered all over the country, so training together was limited to one three day training camp in Vancouver at the beginning of September.  We had four never-ever channel virgins on the crew, two of which had never done a change let alone a change race before.  We were a predominately flat-water crew with almost half of the team training exclusively on lakes.  Somehow though, none of this managed to dampen our desire or our thoughts of victory. 

Our decision to do the Pailolo race the week before the channel seemed like a no brainer.  It was the perfect way to give ourselves one good test run without the pressure of the big race hanging over us.  Well it tested us for sure!  Kicked our asses to be more exact!  The water was big for this bunch of flat-water Canadian girls and we pretty much made every mistake in the book.  And while a 4^th place finish might have seemed good on paper, we were a full 30minutes behind the winners – Team Bradley - in a 3 1/2 hour race.  

Enter expectation! The proverbial fun wrecker!  For me we might as well have come last.  We had a mountain to climb before the channel and we had only a week to climb it.  Not only that, but our team was battle worn.  Two girls had suffered broken ribs, both very severe, and there were two tweaked shoulders.  Perhaps our biggest hurdle to overcome however was resistance – the resistance of a mostly flat-water mindset to adjust to the challenges of open water paddling.

And so the learning and the healing began.  While the injured visited the hospital and physio the rest of us did downwinds in one-mans and the six-man.  Each training session brought new insight and small but steady breakthroughs.  By the end of the week we had made good headway on the surfing front, offering a return to confidence.  Most importantly though, our injured had strengthened enough to feel able to race.   

This year’s Na Wahine saw 72 teams on the start line.  Being the steersman means I get to choose where we line up.  I thought I had nailed it with an experienced steersman on either side of me.  But then that last minute canoe squeezed in on our left and a sinking feeling set in.  She was distracted and inattentive to her canoe and when the horn sounded she promptly smashed into us.  Far out!  We were 1 minute into the race and risking a huli.  Unable to shake them, I instructed the team to stop paddling and let them go, which we did, finally freeing up the space to find our rhythm. Despite the setback we were still 2^nd team to Laau point – an excellent start. 

 

Our coach Rick Nu’u and escort boat driver Karel Tresnak had made the call to run the rumline on a southerly course to Diamond Head buoy.  The Beach Girls, Team Bradley and Hui Nalu all ran a northerly course toward Portlock.  What a difference a week makes!  Instead of just surviving, we were racing!  We surfed away from everyone else on our southerly line and became embroiled in a battle with Hui Nalu for 3^rd.  Being on very different lines only added to the excitement as we both raced toward Oahu never really knowing who had the edge.  As we approached Diamond Head it became clear that Hui Nalu’s inside line had a distinct advantage.  We arrived at Waikiki a solid 4^th and remained that way across the line.  Our time was 5hr41min, 16minutes behind the winners – The Beach Girls.  

           We finished 4^th again.  But this 4^th was different.  This 4^th had a story.  It was a story of acceptance, growth and perseverance.  I got to win this race once and it was amazing.  I came in 2^nd too and it was amazing.  Now I have a 4^th place finish that is amazing!  We had an awesome race, made few mistakes, never had a bad combo and overcame some big obstacles in the week leading up.  It is the effort that makes the amazing and that is where the winning came for me. 
 

A special thanks to KIALOA Paddles for their continued commitment to making us better competitors with their innovative designs and construction.  To Karel Tresnak and Outrigger Connection for the beautiful M2 canoe.  It was perfect.  To Stéphane for stepping up whenever we needed him. To Lauren Barlett and her family for hosting our entire team in Maui.  To Rick Nu’u for abandoning the farm for the weekend to guide us across the channel.  And to our families that put up with the tired us, the hungry us, the training us, the often grumpy us for months and months and months! 

Cheryl Skribe         

Finding the Perfect Paddle by Terri Plunkett

Just recently I raced in Catalina SUP Festival. It was a world class paddling event, with $15,000 in prize money. The format of the Saturday's race was done with 5 sprint laps. I loved it. It was fun and fast! 

 

I played with my KIALOA Pipes and Toro paddles, switching paddles in-between each race. The Pipes gave me a quick cadence stroke but the Toro allowed me to pull a lot of water and have a lot of control over my paddle. For these short course races the Toro Kicked butt for me! I improved my race times significantly by using a bigger paddle. 

 

I encourage anyone to try different paddles and select one just for you. When you are testing the paddles put thought into what you will be doing with the paddle. Will you be racing? If so, short course, long, ultra-long, surfing? Do you just need an all around paddle? Paddle styles and sizes really do make a big different. 

 

My teammate and competitor Gillian Gibree with her KIALOA Pipes Paddle and me with my combo Pipes/Toro paddles took home money with wins! For the men of Team KIALOA Chuck Patterson used his Toro paddle and Chance Feidler used his Methane paddle. Both men took home money! 

 

So the experiment results:  All KIALOA Paddles are Excellent!! Yay for Team KIALOA!! I am so glad I went out that day and tried this experiment because now I really understand.

 

 

Thank you Dave Chun for making the Best Paddles on the Planet!

 

Terri Plunkett

Stand Up Paddle Racer/Surfer

9 year old Savannah Baus

Savannah paddled her first 8 mile downwinder this day with mom Heather Baus.

Margo's Paddle for Charlie

In her own words, Margo talks about her attempt to paddle the New Jersey coast for four year old Charlie:

"So, this year's attempt at paddling the NJ Coast without stopping was not a success. Some would call it a failure (I might include myself in this category) and chalk up the experience as proof that this is not attainable (I would NOT include myself in this category). Others might feel that it was not proof. Maybe some else will try it. I would love to give it another go, that's for sure. The determining factor will be what equipment I have, namely what board I'll use, because if I can ever get the blasted paperwork from the state the goal is to raffle off the board with proceeds benefiting both organizations.

I can't really write this attempt off as a complete an total failure, though. I'm very happy with the amount of attention both causes received. So far, that has not led to an outstanding increase in donations, and a good friend of mine has an idea why. She thinks I set the bar too high for donations-the $100/mile thing. So let me clarify-NO donation is too small!! Seriously, you'll get your name up there. And seriously, every little bit helps, so please, even if you can only throw $5 bucks to one charity, please don't hesitate! Childhood cancer is serious stuff, as is the uncertainty in the Gulf. Please help CHOP continue it's life-saving research and help Surfrider Foundation's Emerald Coast to continue testing and monitoring the water in the Gulf.

I simply cannot thank the volunteers enough who came out to escort me out on the water-Gerry Haughey and his merry group of sailors, Dan Gottlieb and Cookie, of Steve an Cookie's Restaurant in Margate, Capt. Fogel and his crew, wonderwoman Gina, and Bill Schultz, Raritan Riverkeeper, and Lorraine who were holding up to do the final leg from Manasquan to around the Hook. The crew was in place, the plan was good, but the weather was not optimal and I had serious doubts about an outside run in those conditions past NJ's three worst inlets. To quote Kurt Vonnegut in "Slaughter House Five," "and so it goes." I was completely comfortable with my decisions but definitely not happy about not following through.

Many thanks also go out to Linda Horner of Cape May, who kindly hosted me the night before my departure from beautiful Cape May. Her place was simply perfect- a real gem!-as was her company and conversation.

Thanks also to Mark Colino of Starboard, who donated the SUP board and Meg Chun of Kialoa for their support and believing in me.

Special thanks also to Jon Coen, journalist, surfer, and paddler, and an all round amazing waterman. He came out to paddle with me at one in the morning in Beach Haven. We blew our way up to Ship Bottom where I decided to make the call to atop torturing everyone and myself and to pull off the water. He housed us and sent us on our way after a hearty breakfast and then went on to do a fantastic article about the paddle. Jon and Ann are an amazing couple, and we were completely honored that they let a bunch of salty folks crash their amazing home. We are truly lucky and indebted!

And some thanks, too, to the dolphins who of course can't read this. They kept me company for awhile along the coast of Wildwood. Even if I had to hold up paddling because of their closeness to the board, it was amazing to once again be in the position of making eye contact with a wild creature in the sea. They seemed to have as much fun playing around me as I did watching them.

Forward, Ho!"

Margo Pellegrino

More about her trip at her website:
www.miami2maine.com

Here is a great article in the Medford Sun News

KIALOA Women at Battle of the Paddle

Vanina Walsh




Gillian Gibree



Heather and Savannah Baus

Catalina Relay - Lori and Laura's Adventure

Lori Jorgenson and I, Laura Ricker, competed in the Catalina Relay on Sunday, March 26 and came in 1st place with our two paddling partners, Cheance Adair and Shannon Smith. It took us 6 hours and 19 minutes to cross the 40 mile channel between Avalon, CA and Dana Point, CA with the help of our change coach Susan Reeves, and our awesome escort driver Drew and Mike. What a team! Our Huki V2X was comfortable and a perfect fit for all four of us - which promptly sold to a new owner right when we pulled onto the beach!

The weather started off a bit overcast but with a bright horizon stretching ahead of us to paddle towards. We slammed out of the gate and had a great start. Our Kialoa Axel II and Teva Hoe paddles definitely helped with that! Throughout the race we used our Hollyakala's and were really happy to have such a variety of paddles to choose from over such different water terrain.

We were on the water for 30 minutes before our first change. We pulled up alongside our escort and zodiac and changed out with Cheance and Shannon who continued our lead. Through rain, sun, and a school of 100+ skipper dolphins, we raced to the other side of the ocean! It was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.

The challenge was the constant input from all directions every time we got on and off the canoe - current, direction, chop, rollers, chop on top of rollers, wake, wake on top of chop on top of rollers, escort boat, other canoes, changes, staying hydrating, eating, bathroom, staying warm, changing out and starting the cycle all over again. It was an awesome experience and even though we checked it off our list as something we did - all we are thinking about now is doing it again.

Thanks Kialoa! Our paddles made the difference and pulled us all the way through the race to the finish line for our win!

~Laura Ricker

Mountain Home Canoe Club

Portland, OR

KIALOA Paddler Julie Wolfe on Survior "Redemption Island"

KIALOA Paddler Julie Wolfe is on this season's Survivor, "Redemption Island". Watch her local San Diego newscast interview.

Here is Julie's introduction on Survivor.

Watch Survivor: Redemption Island on CBS Wednesday's at 8:00pm and cheer Julie on!