Occ Finishes 8Th in Bankoh Molokai Hoe by Walter Guild
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occ Finishes 8th in Bankoh Molokai Hoe By Walter Guild Jn the 1990s, finishing in the top 10 in the Bankoh Molokai Hoe Molokai to Oahu outrigger canoe race will be quite a feat. As the field of competitors continues to be come more internationally diverse, the worldwide prestige of winning this famed race will continue to be elevated. It seems having a local crew emerge as the victors will prove an enormous task. Is the OCC up to the challenge? We'll fi nd out. It has been nearly two decades since any local crew besides Outrigger has taken home· the first overall trophy, with some very formidable dedicated attempts having been made. So, you ask, what does it take? The an swer is, MORE AND MORE! OCC's Open I crew included, front, Coach Walter Guild, Todd Bradley, Building a team from athletes with lives, Karl Heyer IV, Todd Payes, Clayton Chee. Standing, Tommy Damon, wives, kids, and jobs, takes a great deal of Courtney Seta, David Potter, Todd Harrison and Dean Maeva. dedication and believing in one another. The sacrifices made by family members, and employers, are a big factor in any top Molokai A record 74 teams were at the starting line off of team. Hale 0 Lono Harbo·r on the southwest end. of Molokai 1993 will be known as a year when everyone gave in the early morning sun of October 10. As usual, the all that they had. It was a year when there were no e nergy level was undescribable as close to 650 paddlers known heroes, yet each paddler became one. prepared for the start. This was a year when all three men's crews, Open I, At that moment, all those sitting on the starting line Open II and Masters, were a team and helped each were champions, and all knew anyone could become other become the best they could be. the eventual winners. The first open crew, sent out to mix it up with the The start of the race was fast and furious with New other top teams, was made up of three first crew veter Zealand taking an early lead, followed closely by Tahiti ans, four first crew rookies, and two OCC newcomers. and Australia. OCC, Lanikai, Dana Point and Waikiki Team members were Todd Harrison, Todd Payes, Surf Club were close behind. Courtney Seta, Karl Heyer IV, Todd Bradley, Tommy As the pack entered the Kaiwi Channel, the race Damon, Dean Maeva, David Potter and Clayton Chee. became a three way affair for the lead, with Tahiti (club member Tom Conner at the helm) out front. Knowing the level of competition, OCC's top team h ad realistically set its sights at finishing near the top, with hopes of being the first local crew to hit the far shore. Local rival, Lanikai, and 1993 Catalina race winner Dana Point proved to be too strong and at about the half way point, started to pull away from the OCC boys. As courses converged off of Kahala, Waikiki Surf Club and 1-Ia\',:'aii Canoe and Kayak (all-stars) also slipped by. OCC finished in respectable fashion with an eighth overall, and fourth Hawai ian team in 5:23:53 in the Iwalani. As the first team met family and friends Members of OCC's Open II crew were Billy Phi/potts, John Akana, Matt on the beach, team mates anticipated the Kresser, Kawika Fairbanks, Brad Wagenaar, Ethan Tweedy and Henry arrival of the Club's other two crews. The Ayau. Not pictured: John Cheever and Mike Fine. masters crew came marching in proudly 2 carrying the banner for the club with a first place in As athletes ourselves, we must offer our heart felt their division and lOth overall. An outstanding per congratulations to the new world champions. '\Ak must formance with a time of 5:32:10. a1so thank these fine paddlers for elevating our sport TI1e number two open crew also helped carry the to a new level, and defining the goals of our own ef flag with a third place in koa in the Kaoloa, with a forts for the future. crew made up primarily of novice paddlers being As an honest effort, the 1993 Men's Molokai crews guided by the experience and knowledge of Henry did all that was asked of them and did so as a team. Ayau and Billy Philpotts. They finished 32nd overall in 6:01:58. Though not many will do so, I thank all of them for As is the case on an ongoing basis, the 1993 winners their outstanding efforts. have taken the sport of Hawaii to a new level. From all of the men paddlers to the OCC member Tahiti, through their hard work and dedication, not ship, thank you for the opportunity to represent the only won the race overall and set a new course record finest paddling club in the world. of 4:55:27, but became the first team to paddle the Now is the OCC up to the challenge? We will find famed course in under five hours. outlfJ • New Year's Party Favors · Ken Alford Orchestra I) ·? 4' ~ {" '" tJ ( 'tr i(_ I i> • , • 11 /~l), ~~; • ~Friday, December 31 ) 17 t ),r 1/fi ,_,~ .- ~~ , ~ '"" ' 9 p m to 1 a m h z~ .rtz.:__:: ~ ~ (' , 7- · • • • • IJ ~ · ·'/; / c i? # ~ ( 0 · ,~ j .? r - ~/(? ,r ~ ,:l· $45.95 per person : ~ (s ? -t t. ~ il ~ . /16 '·. 1 ~;/ /y c) •• . <v l . !> q ., .'-·, lh c ~r·'", . ··:·.; :~ ·.. :. ( · .. Reservations Required ~ ¢ ~ 3 - 5'~1 7{ } ~\" t_,. e 921-1444 .\ '. ., ( [;>"-~ ? ~ { I> ~ e ) () f ( .. 3 ASTHETERRACETURNS~ By Helen Sheehan Q n Discoverer's Day, Brad Coates reception at the Outrigger 10 years Anatoli Kucheruk in an OCC T and Sachi Braden astounded ago. They now live in San Fran shirt. Anybody know how he got 250 friends by holding a surprise cisco... it? wedding in the Club Dining Room. Mark Reisert and his bride, Hal says he and Betty are enjoy The guests, who had ostensibly Donna Stanislaski, are back from ing life in Oceanside. They live in been invited to a fifth anniversary their honeymoon in Canada. a retirement community with a golf party got their first shock when Ray and Betty Starbuck spent six course and swimming pool. "We Brad took the microphone and an weeks in Europe, a trip that in miss Hawaii and hope at! is going nounced his and Sachi's engage cluded a cruise and a barge trip... well at the OCC, • Hal writes. ment. The evening fashion show by Rusty and Tommy Thomas cele Then an hour later, they turned Cielo was a sellout. Club member brated their 45th wedding anniver their short engagement into a sur models did a wonderful job of sary on a cruise to Tahiti and return prise wedding which was presided showing off the beautiful clothes. in October. over by Judge Mike Town. And The next fashion show w ill be De Nonresident members Peggy and Bob Fuller then the band played on ... cember 10 by Princess Ka iulani. renewed their wedding vows on their 45th wedding anni Another festive wedding party David Buck came home for th e versary in Stanford University's Me was for Anne Stringer and John weekend to paddle in the Barlkoh morial Church. Their attendants Stricklin who were married at Cen Molokai Hoe with the c rew from were their son as best man and the tral Union Church. A group in Tonga. He is on the national kayak original matron of honor. cluding 30 from the Mainland, at team and attends Orange Coast tended a pre-wedding dinner at the They got married exactly 45 years College in Newport Beach, CA. later, on the same day of the Club. Anne's sister, Gale, was The Rugby Team from .the Olym maid of honor. month, same day of the week, pic Club in San Francisco, here for same hour of the day and in the Bridesmaids were three class an international competition, en same church. Peggy's parent mates from Brown University s were and joyed reciprocal club privileges. married in the same church in 1921. three from Punahou. John's best Also receiving reciprocal privi A reception followed at Burl man was Mark Hockman, a class leges were the general manager of ingame Country Club... mate from University of Oregon the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles, Elise Vall hosted a lunch for the and ushers were Punahou class and the board of directors and their original Hercules, Steve Reeves and mates. wives. his companion, Deborah, recently. Wayne and Sydnee Kekina spon Steve Dunn hosted a dinner Reeves was in Hawaii for a benefit sored a very special formal birthday party for 30 associates who thor for MDA. dinner party for 50 guests to cele oughly enjoyed the atmosphere and Contributions to this column are brate Suzanne Falces' 50th birthday. the food at the Club... always welcome. Leave items for Guests came from New York, Flor Hal Mehlberg sends along a clip the Editor at the Front Desk. Be ida, Texas and San Francisco. Su ping from the San Diego Union sure to include your name and zanne and her husband, Dr. Ed Tribune. A story about the Bolshoi phone number in case additional ward Falces, had their wedding Ballet shows a photo of dancer information is needed./ Dick and Vivienne Cooke visited Steve Reeves and Deborah, were lwsted by El Rita and Hunter Parker enjoyed the Club recently. ise Vall at the Club. At right is Steve D'Amico.