Aloha Kakou,
On behalf of the Hawaiian Airlines Na Wahine O Ke Kai Race Committee, we would like to welcome you to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. We hope that your stay in the islands is memorable in every way imaginable. We further wish each and every crew, paddler, club and supporters our fondest Aloha and Mahalo while you are here.
For our kamaaina, we also welcome you back once again to this event. All of you combined is what makes our event so successful and the most prestigious canoe race in the world. We look forward to another successful event because of your continued support and cooperation.
In preparation for the registration process, we kindly remind you to register online by September 18th 2017 at 6pm HST. The Certificate of Insurance for out of state Associations needs to name the canoe club and paddlers, and needs to name Hawaii Canoe Racing Association (HCRA) and Na Wahine O Ke Kai as additional insured. If this cannot be done, there is an alternative to be covered by our HCRA insurance policy. In order to do this, the HCRA Waiver must be signed and dated (paddler, coach, helper etc…) and there is a cost of $15 per person.
The Na Wahine O Ke Kai Committee would like to thank each and every one of our fellow associations as well as our parent association, the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (HCRA) for the continued support in every aspect of outrigger canoe racing.
We are excited to welcome you all to the 39th annual Hawaiian Airlines Na Wahine O Ke Kai 2017 which will be held on Sunday, September 24, 2017. The schedule below includes race rule updates and the timeline of events and other information for your reference.
Race Rule Updates since 2016:
1) Open Women may include 16 and 17 year olds (no more than 2 per crew). Parents of Junior paddlers must sign Form NW-3 Adult Waiver & Release of Liability and Promotional Rights.
2) Junior Crews may include 16, 17, 18, or 19 year old (as of race day) women in their crew. The team may include a Open division(any age) steersman to be used for seat 6 only. Parents of Junior paddlers must sign Form NW-3 Adult Waiver & Release of Liability and Promotional Rights.
3) All crews must do a qualifying Long Distance Race of at least 25 miles with water changes using an escort boat.
4) All Escort Boat Drivers must have a valid DLNR License –
(Attach copy of license to the Escort Boat Waiver)
5) All canoes will be outfitted with a GPS tracking device for safety. The GPS devices are not to be removed until the canoe is on the beach. Once the race is over, the GPS devices will be removed and provided to a Na Wahine o Ke kai GPS device volunteer.
6) (New for 2017) Registration is online only at www.registration.nawahineokekai.com
Schedule:
- Registration Payment: Due by September 18, 2017 at 6pm
- Shipping Payment: Due by September 15, 2017
- Shipping of Canoes: September 18, 2017 @ Young Brothers from 5:30am – 7:30am
- Registration Help and Merchandise Sales:
- September 18, 2017 @ Outrigger Canoe Club from 5:00pm – 8:00pm and
- September 22, 2017 @ Paddler’s Inn, Molokai 9:00am – 4:00pm and
- September 23, 2017 @ Paddler’s Inn, Molokai 9:00am – noon
- Coaches Meeting: September 23, 2017 @ Paddler’s Inn, Molokai 3:00 pm
- Merchandise: at finish line on Sunday September 25, 2017, 9am-3pm
Please join the Molokai Community for great Kulaia Celebration on Friday, September 22, 2017, 5:00pm – 10:00pm from Rawlins Chevron to Fish & Dive in Kaunakakai Town.
Please remember that we are guests of the people on Molokai. Be mindful of yourselves and your actions and show appreciation and respect for all that they do for our race.
For further race information or for registration packets and information, please visit http://www.registration.nawahineokekai.com/ Any questions – info@nawahineokekai.com
Race Day – Sunday, September 24, 2017:
Pule: 7:00 a.m.
Race start: 8:00 a.m.
Finish Time: Approximately 1:00 p.m. , 1st Finishers, at Waikiki Beach
Event Ceremonies: 12:00 noon at the big tent by Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon.
Awards Ceremony: 3 p.m. and actual awards at 4 p.m.
Wrap Up: 5 p.m.
For your information, the Heli-Pad Area will be zoned off by our event permit to stage and organize the event and for necessary related storage areas. Please come early as parking is at a premium for this significant event.
Mahalo:
The Na Wahine O Ke Kai race committee and members are so grateful for all of the continued support and kōkua by paddlers and families, one and all.
May you have a fabulous, safe race in the Kaiwi channel with following seas.
With warm aloha and mahalo,
Hawaiian Airlines Na Wahine O Ke Kai Committee
Race Director – Hannie Anderson
Vice Chair – Haunani Olds
Committee Members: Carleen Ornellas, Carol Young (Race Secretary), Molly Mosher-Cates (Finance)
Mahalo nui to Monica Bob (Finance Committee Member)
Shelly Gilman and Rosie Lum for years of service
Peggie Tester and Aaron Akiona, Waikiki Beach Coordinators
Kehau Gerona, Merchandise
Luana Froiseth for continued support year after year shipping and barge services
Na Wahine O Ke Kai appreciates your years of service to the women’s race