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April 21, 2013
Maui, Hawaii
This past Sunday, 90 eager stand up paddlers, that included one prone paddler, two kayaks and one OC1; journeyed 3 miles down Maui Hawaii’s famous North coast to experience a mini downwind and wave adventure, all in preparation for the wildly popular, non-competitive Fun Paddle Division of the 5th Annual OluKai Premium Footwear Ho’olaule’a. This SUP & OC1 race and event is the biggest downwind race in the world with equal gender prize money and includes an amazing line up of entertainment, luau dinner and Hawaiian culture games and sailing canoe rides. This event will be held May 11-12th, 2013. Click here to register for the main event.
Sharina Husted from Wailuku, Hawaii writes: “What a fun day! Great gang of people and an awesome event!! Thanks for giving back to our community and doing FREE events like this!! I’m hooked….next step…8 miles Olukai!”
This practice paddle is now a tradition and allows people of all ages and all levels, to build and gain their ocean confidence with water safety and proves to pull a large community of residents and international visitors. We always encourage people to come out and paddle anything humanly powered to join in on the fun. Normally Maui’s N. shore is known for high winds and wave swells, but today was unusually calm that added more of a workout paddle element but also allowed everyone to enjoy the colorful reefs and get to know the course.
With the OluKai flags flying the courtyard at the Paia Youth & Cultural Center filled with boards and excited paddlers. The skipper meeting began promptly at 8:45am with Matthew Murasko, OluKai Premium Footwear’s Hawaii Ambassador reviewing the coarse and finish. Then it was my turn to warm up the crowd and get them pumped and excited.
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With upper body exercises, 20 squats counted out loud and then my trademark “warrior warm up”, we headed down to Paia Bay to prepare and launch. The beach was beautiful and calm, waters inviting and the sky an incredible blue. Getting in was easy with minimal shore break, as the safety ski was already out and ready to guide and patrol the group. It was smiles and a few nervous jitters for others, and off we went!
The fastest paddler to Kanaha Beach was about 40 minutes and the last group arrived about and hour and ten minutes. Everyone was a winner. People were high-fiving and applauding every paddler as one by one they came in stoked. Talk about community spirit!
Each year we notice many of these paddlers move up to the main event, which is the full 8 mile course that begins at Maliko Gulch. As a trainer and paddling coach, it’s very rewarding to see how hard these folks have worked to get there.
There are over 200 photos and maybe some of you here at Jimmie Hepp’s FBook https://www.facebook.com/jimmie.hepp2
We’d like to thank all of our volunteers and vendors who helped keep our event safe and worry free:
Milton Kalani Martinson – Safety Ski
Paia Youth & Cultural Center – Location Host
Maui Lifeguards
Jimmie Hepp Photography
Kelly Moore of Moore Watertime- Board Shuttle Service
Scott Smith – Medical Support
Neal Wagner – Video Specialist
Patrick McCarthy – Sweeper and Stoke Captain from Kihei
Local SUP & Surf Shops – Board Rentals for Participants
This year’s Fun Paddle Division costs $30 to enter. Participants get a special t-shirt and luau dinner. You can register the day of the event or take advantage of online registration here: https://www.olukai.com/Hoolaulea/races
Mahalo everyone for coming out! It was awesome to meet you and we look forward to seeing you on the big day. Please share this with your friends or feel free to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Suzie Cooney
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