On Wednesday, February second, the girls junior varsity 1 paddlers finished first in their race.
The JV team 2 appropriately took second.
The girls' varsity 2 team came in third.
The next meet for the girls will be next Wednesday, February 9, at 4:30 off Magic Island.
The boys will race on Tuesday, the 8th--same time, same place.
Paddling fans are encouraged to attend.
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A Student's Perspective on Paddling
By Darrah Kauhane-Floerke ’06, with help from Ms. Catherine Fuller
Paddling is a sport for the extremist. Participants push their muscles to their straining point, carry 450-pound canoes in and out of the water, practice in the Ala Wai and race in the depths of Mother Ocean. Successful paddlers are not only in top shape, but they also possess true One Team spirit: they must work together to overcome not only other crews and their own fatigue but the whims of the ocean as well. The worth of their hard work all comes into being when races begin.
On Wednesday, January 12, 2005, the ILH Paddling season officially began with the first race of the season. Unfortunately, the first two weeks of the season were characterized by rough seas and difficult conditions, even for experienced paddlers. As a result of the cancellation of the boys' races on the previous day, the girls had the honor of starting off the season. The JV II crew did not show, thinking the race was canceled and both the Varsity I and JV I crews flipped in the first race. The Varsity II crew, however, finished 4th despite the waves and winds fighting against them the whole race. The girls finished with their energy level nearing the bottom. Sore muscles and vocal chords haunted the crew for the next couple of days but the difficult time and triumph symbolized the season to come.
The next Tuesday, the boys took their first shot at racing. They were not supplied with the best conditions either, as the Varsity I crew huli-ed and had to be towed in by the escort boat. The other crews, including the newly acquired mixed crew, finished after a raging battle. The mixed crew, including seniors, Lauren Tuthill, Amy Lawson, Anna Frej and Jacob Browning, junior, Dean Ushijima and sophomore, Justin Faulkner, finished in 2nd place. Also noteworthy was the JV II crew, who finished despite having their ama come loose in the middle of the race.
Next week was just as exciting after a few days of practice, including a Saturday of huli-drills. All crews participated successfully, with the mixed crew and girls JV crews finishing in top positions.
This past week was a trying one for some crews. The boys Varsity I crew was forced to forfeit because of injuries and the absence of key crew members, making the boys ineligible for a trip to states. Despite this downfall, the other boys remained committed and finished respectably. The mixed crew finished 2nd, girls JV I, JV II and Varsity II finished 3rd;a record for the Varsity II crew members and for the girls as a whole!
Darrah Kauhane-Floerke, steerswoman for the Varsity II girls’ crew says, “I cannot tell you how awesome the feeling was, to watch and command a group in such harmony and so determined on the same goal: not letting St. Francis take our spot. We had never pulled so hard, never screamed so much, never felt such a rush as we did in those last 250 yards to the finish line when the worthy St. Francis crew powered towards us. We decided together, without a word, that we would beat them. We pushed ourselves to our limits until we heard the sound of the buzzer as we passed the buoy. At that moment we all dropped our paddles and slouched over in exhaustion, I fell back onto the back of the boat after a quick “awesome job girls” with my last breath. Although the energy escaped us, the smiles didn’t, neither did the cheers of the coaches, parents or peers. It felt as if we had come in first, and nothing will ever replace that feeling.”
We’ve had a season of ups and downs, and one of hope, seeing the enthusiasm and motivation among our younger paddlers…and we’re not through yet! We look forward to the rest of the season, and hope for ‘Iolani’s continued support. Come out and witness a sport that perpetuates Hawaiian tradition and a greater awareness of our oceans: paddling.
