Molokai to Oahu Kayak and Canoe Race

Top Three Finishers Repeat Victories Starbucks Moloka`i Challenge

(HONOLULU, HAWAI`I May 18, 1997) -- The world championship of blue water kayak and solo canoe racing, the Starbucks Moloka`i Challenge, concluded today as a record number of nearly 100 participants paddled the grueling 32-mile open ocean race from the island of Moloka`i to the neighboring island of O`ahu. Three of the four male and female paddlers in the open division retained their champion titles, breaking the records they set in 1996. The largest prize purse in the history of the event, $11,000, was awarded to top division winners.

Dean Gardiner of Australia triumphed as the winner in a time of 3:21:26, edging out Herman Chalupsky of South Africa by less than two minutes. Gardiner, who took home $1,000 in prize money, broke his 1996 winning record of 3:38:27. Third place went to Brad Kane of Australia, crossing the finish line with a time of 3:33:34. Nalu Kukea was the first Hawai`i finisher, taking fourth place.

First place in the women's kayak race, with a record time of 4:02:47 was earned by Kelly Fey of Hawai`i, who won $1,000. Fey beat out Jane Hall of Australia who logged a time of 4:11:44. Nicole Wilcox of Hawai`i placed a close third with a time of 4:11:58.

Claiming first place in the men's solo canoe race was Mark Rigg from Hawai`i, who beat his record by two and a half minutes, completing the race in 4:14:52. Rigg, who took first place in last year's race, battled across the channel against John Foti, his well-known rival. Foti took a close second, with a time of 4:16:47. Rich Lambert, also from Hawai`i, took third place with a time of 4:19:04.

Donna Kahakui, in her first Moloka`i solo crossing, captured the women's solo canoe title in a record breaking time of 5:16:29. Corrina Gage of New Zealand took second place.

The rough and often treacherous seas in the Molokai` Channel drew paddlers from around the world including Australia, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Tahiti.

The international team competition, race-within-a-race, was won by the Australian team of Dean Gardiner, Brad Kane and Ian Rowling.They won the title by having the lowest combined time of their first three finishers. The USA team took second place followed by Tahiti.

The annual Moloka`i-to-O`ahu Kayak and solo canoe race is in its 21st year and is produced and organized by Kanaka Ikaika, Hawaii's oldest organized racing club. To qualify for the Starbucks Molokai Challenge, local competitors are required to participate in Poa'i Puni race series and meet specific finishing time criteria. Poa`i Puni, organized by Kanaka Ikaika, is a series of coastal races which take place between early January and the end of April. The Ka`iwi Channel, referred to as the "Moloka`i Channel," is considered one of the most challenging and treacherous in the world.

For more info:
Ann Wharton, Peck Sims Mueller (808) 596-0033
Facsimile: (808) 591-6638

Final Results

EVENT:  5-18-97   STARBUCKS MOLOKAI CHALLENGE - KAYAKS -|- OC1 Canoes
OVERALL                                               SEX          DIV
PLACE        NAME                NUMB FROM  TIME    PLACE   DIV  PLACE  PACE

    1. GARDINER, DEAN               1  AU  3:21:26.0    1  M OPEN    1  6:18
    2. CHALUPSKY, HERMAN           40  SO  3:23:02.0    2  M OPEN    2  6:21
    3. KANE, BRAD                   2  AU  3:33:34.0    3  M OPEN    3  6:40
    4. KUKEA, NALU                  6  HI  3:33:52.0    4  M OPEN    4  6:41
    5. JUDD, KALA                   9  HI  3:34:08.0    5  M OPEN    5  6:41
    6. LAUGHLIN, LEWIS             11  TA  3:34:47.0    6  M18-29    1  6:43
    7. ROBELLO, BILLY               8  HI  3:35:26.0    7  M30-39    1  6:44
    8. ROWLING, IAN                 4  AU  3:41:24.0    8  M18-29    2  6:55
    9. NEWMAN, JAMES               77      3:43:21.0    9  M30-39    2  6:59
   10. BEATON, JIM                 10  HI  3:44:32.0   10  M30-39    3  7:01
   11. DURROUGH, ROBERT            79      3:45:14.0   11  M30-39    4  7:02
   12. JONES, WYATT                 7  HI  3:45:36.0   12  M18-29    3  7:03
   13. JACOBS, TIM                 78      3:45:54.0   13  M18-29    4  7:04
   14. GAESSNER, STUART            62  HI  3:46:01.0   14  M30-39    5  7:04
   15. HOATUA, SERGE               12  TA  3:46:08.0   15  M18-29    5  7:04
   16. BUCK, DAVID                 63  HI  3:46:33.0   16  M18-29    6  7:05
   17. BENNETT, GREG               57  AU  3:46:53.0   17  M30-39    6  7:05
   18. SANDVOLD, MARK              73  HI  3:47:52.0   18  M30-39    7  7:07
   19. ROCHELEAU, BOB              44  HI  3:48:36.0   19  M50-59    1  7:09
   20. PERE, GUY                   49  HI  3:50:32.0   20  M18-29    7  7:12
   21. FORESTER, IAN               48  HI  3:52:05.0   21  M18-29    8  7:15
   22. CHUN, ERIC                  50  HI  3:57:40.0   22  M18-29    9  7:26
   23. ATENI, MARC                 13  TA  3:58:33.0   23  M30-39    8  7:27
   24. HIGGINS, MATT               42  HI  3:59:48.0   24  M40-49    1  7:30
   25. TAYLOR, ROD                 54  AU  4:01:20.0   25  M40-49    2  7:32
   26. FEY, KELLY                  26  HI  4:02:47.0    1 F  OPEN    1  7:35
   27. WILFORD, PAUL               70  NE  4:04:10.0   26  M30-39    9  7:38
   28. HOOGSTEDEN, JOHN            65  HI  4:04:12.0   27  M30-39   10  7:38
   29. HAWKLESS, KRISTIAN          60  AU  4:06:28.0   28  M18-29   10  7:42
   30. KINCAID, JAMES              43  HI  4:07:14.0   29  M40-49    3  7:44
   31. TWIGG-SMITH, TIM            67  HI  4:08:29.0   30  M30-39   11  7:46
   32. MOTIGUE, TOM                47  HI  4:10:38.0   31  M40-49    4  7:50
   33. RICHMOND, BERNARD           14  TA  4:11:34.0   32  M30-39   12  7:52
   34. HORNER, EDDIE               45  HI  4:11:40.0   33  M30-39   13  7:52
   35. HALL, JANE                  34  AU  4:11:44.0    2 F  OPEN    2  7:52
   36. WILCOX, NICOLE              29  HI  4:11:58.0    3 F  OPEN    3  7:52
   37. SAKAI, MILES                51  HI  4:12:31.0   34  M30-39   14  7:53
   38. EMMETT, CHRISTOPHER         61  NE  4:14:26.0   35  M18-29   11  7:57
   39. GERMAN, WAYNE               41  HI  4:14:58.0   36  M40-49    5  7:58
   40. MONTEL, NICOLE              27  TA  4:19:01.0    4 F  OPEN    4  8:06
   41. CHING, CARLTON              64  HI  4:23:28.0   37  M30-39   15  8:14
   42. MORIKAWA, DAVID             66  HI  4:24:02.0   38  M40-49    6  8:15
   43. KIEFER, KAREN               31  HI  4:24:55.0    5 F  OPEN    5  8:17
   44. BOARDMAN, PAUL              74  HI  4:29:09.0   39  M30-39   16  8:25
   45. CHANT, ROBERT               53  AU  4:29:28.0   40  M30-39   17  8:25
   46. SMOLENSKI, MARY             28  HI  4:29:54.0    6 F  OPEN    6  8:26
   47. HEDLUND, CLYDE              75  HI  4:33:49.0   41  M50-59    2  8:33
   48. DELOS SANTOS, FRED          46  HI  4:35:52.0   42  M40-49    7  8:37
   49. GRABER, BRIAN               58  AU  4:36:34.0   43  M60-90    1  8:39
   50. SALARIS, ARTHER             55  AU  4:37:25.0   44  M60-90    2  8:40
   51. WILLIAMS, MARK              59  AU  4:42:00.0   45  M40-49    8  8:49
   52. CONNER, LESLINE             30  HI  4:47:29.0    7 F  OPEN    7  8:59
   53. COELLO, BOB                 72  HI  4:52:20.0   46  M30-39   18  9:08
   54. GAFFNEY, HADLEY             33  HI  4:52:26.0    8 F  OPEN    8  9:08
   55. BENNETT, BARRY              56  AU  4:54:29.0   47  M60-90    3  9:12
   56. CICCHETTO, TIM              71  CA  4:57:13.0   48  M30-39   19  9:17
   57. DENNEHY, ANDREW             52  AU  5:03:06.0   49  M30-39   20  9:28
   58. DOLEZAL, ELIZABETH          32  HI  5:14:03.0    9 F  OPEN    9  9:49
   59. ERWIN, KATHY                35  HI  5:14:35.0   10 F  OPEN   10  9:50
   60. MEYER, DONNA                36  HI  5:14:36.0   11 F  OPEN   11  9:50






EVENT:  5-18-97   STARBUCKS MOLOKAI CHALLENGE - CANOES
OVERALL                                               SEX          DIV
PLACE        NAME                NUMB FROM  TIME    PLACE   DIV  PLACE  PACE

    1. RIGG, MARK                  90  HI  4:14:52.0    1  M OPEN    1  7:58
    2. FOTI, JOHN                  95  HI  4:16:47.0    2  M OPEN    2  8:01
    3. LAMBERT, RICH              109  HI  4:19:04.0    3  M OPEN    3  8:06
    4. GUILD, WALTER               97  HI  4:25:20.0    4  M OPEN    4  8:17
    5. LESLIE, GEORGE             105  HI  4:25:47.0    5  M OPEN    5  8:18
    6. COLE, STEVE                 92  HI  4:29:33.0    6  M OPEN    6  8:25
    7. SETO, COURTNEY              94  HI  4:30:03.0    7  M OPEN    7  8:26
    8. BRADLEY, TODD              101  HI  4:30:26.0    8  M OPEN    8  8:27
    9. FOTI, JIM                   96  HI  4:31:56.0    9  M OPEN    9  8:30
   10. HAINE, MARC                106  HI  4:31:57.0   10  M OPEN   10  8:30
   11. ERWIN, PAT                  91  HI  4:36:25.0   11  M OPEN   11  8:38
   12. LUSSIAA, THIEBERT          100  HI  4:36:25.0   12  M OPEN   12  8:38
   13. MAIRAU, TUURATERORATA      113      4:36:50.0   13  M30-39    1  8:39
   14. KINCAID, CHRIS              93  HI  4:37:25.0   14  M OPEN   13  8:40
   15. GRAY, RALPH                107  HI  4:38:02.0   15  M OPEN   14  8:41
   16. VANBASTOLAER, CONRAD       114      4:39:52.0   16  M18-29    1  8:45
   17. KALAMA, KAMOA              110      4:46:05.0   17  M40-49    1  8:56
   18. SHERMAN, VICTOR            102  HI  4:49:33.0   18  M OPEN   15  9:03
   19. BALDING, BILL              116      4:49:41.0   19  M30-39    2  9:03
   20. POOLE, GREG                108  HI  4:52:33.0   20  M OPEN   16  9:09
   21. WACKER, JOHN               111      4:55:33.0   21  M30-39    3  9:14
   22. MCKEAGUE, ROGER            104  HI  4:58:51.0   22  M OPEN   17  9:20
   23. LOPES, K.                  115      5:09:45.0   23  M18-29    2  9:41
   24. BARON, RON                  99  HI  5:13:31.0   24  M OPEN   18  9:48
   25. HENSEN, HANS               103  HI  5:14:39.0   25  M OPEN   19  9:50
   26. KAHAKUI, DONNA              84  HI  5:16:29.0    1 F  OPEN    1  9:53
   27. GAGE, CORRINA               85      5:37:08.0    2 F  OPEN    2 10:32

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