“Paddles up!” Kaiser’s Girls Varsity steersman Sammi Robles called as her crew approached the starting line. The early morning sun reflected off the water at Ke’ehi Lagoon as the canoe lined against seven other schools at the Paddling OIA Championships on Saturday, January 30th. The crew sat tense and silent, paddles hovering just above the water, waiting for the signal to begin the most important race of their season.
The escort boat raised its flags, signaling crews to prepare. With five waves of its yellow flag, the boat raised the green signal, marking the start of the race. “Hit!” Screamed Robles as her crew drove their paddles through the water in unison, launching their canoe across Ke’ehi. All eight crews exploded off the line, churning up the calm lagoon water as they sprinted the quarter mile distance toward the first set of flags on the far side.
“OIA Championships is the race that really counts,” said the Kaiser Paddling Team’s Coach Tina. “Everything we do throughout the season builds to this moment.” The results of the previous regattas determined the lane positions for the championship race, and only the top three schools would be heading to State Championships the following week.
As the race progressed, Kaiser entered the turn in sixth place, trailing behind Nanakuli, Kapolei, Kalani, Kailua, and Castle. Coach Tina watched anxiously from the shore as Robles prepared to call the ‘uni, a special turning maneuver used by regatta crews. Months of training and experience paid off as the girls exited the turn in fourth place, making up ground with a very clean ‘uni around the flag.
With the finish line in sight, the Varsity Girls launched into their final sprint. Upping the stroke rate, power, and focusing on their rhythm, the girls quickly made up ground on Kalani and Kapolei. The beach erupted into cheers from the Kaiser paddlers and family as the girls cleared the line in second place, securing a spot at the State Championships.
“That was the best we’ve paddled all season,” Robles exclaimed breathlessly after finishing the race. “Everyone stayed focused [and we] put everything we had into that race.” Despite being one of the youngest teams in the division, Kaiser’s Varsity Girls, composed entirely of Freshmen and Sophomores, earned their place with the top teams in D2.
“I’m really proud of [the Girl’s Varsity],” said Senior Hayden Carranza. “They worked hard, pushed through the pain…and they showed up when it really mattered.” Carranza also noted that while the Mixed and Boys crews won’t be going to States, they still performed competitively. The Mixed Varsity Crew advanced to the finals before being eliminated, and the Boys Varsity gained valuable championship experience.
Kaiser’s Varsity Girls will represent the school at the State Championships next Saturday at Ke’ehi Lagoon. Make sure to come out and support the girls as they compete against the best paddling crews in the State.
