Two crews push off from the shores of Hale O Lono Harbor yesterday at the start of the Na Wahine O Kei Kai Race.
In a race that celebrates the strength and stamina of its competitors, Team Bradley has now proved its staying power for six straight years.
The team of Hawaiian wahine from four different islands found the fortitude to overtake the Waikiki Beach Boys on Sunday in the 35th mile of the 41-mile Na Wahine O Kei Kai race across the Kaiwi Channel.
Flat water with a lack of open ocean swells kept Team Bradley from topping the course record it set in 2008. By catching a few bumps while approaching Maunaloa Bay, combined with some well-timed crew changes, Team Bradley finished in 5 hours, 54 minutes and 13 seconds, three minutes ahead of the Beach Boys.
In third place, in a time of 6:03.49, was Surfer’s Paradise team from Australia.
Team Revolusun, which combined members from New Zealand and Hawaii, finished fourth overall and first in the Masters 40-plus division in a time of 6:04.52.
The Outrigger Koa team won the Koa Division in which teams could only use wooden canoes as opposed to the modern fiberglass boats. The Outrigger Koa team from Hawaii finished in 6:38.53.
A total of 85 boats line up for the start of the Na Wahine O Kei Kai.
The team Kailua 50’s won the Masters 50-plus class by finishing in a time of 6:39.34. This was the third straight victory for the Kailua team which placed 21st overall out of 85 crews representing Hawaii, California, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The victory for Team Bradley tied it with OffShore Canoe Club of Newport Beach, Calif., for the longest winning streak in race history. OffShore claimed six straight wins from 1986 to 1991.
For complete times and results of all participants, visit www.pseresults.com
