Race Report: State Championships 2025
We had six crews represent Keauhou Canoe Club at the Hawaii State Championship on Saturday, August 1st. Saturday brought calm winds with some strong surf. Due to the high surf some of the crews had to make ocean changes rather than returning to shore between races.
The day started with Big Island Women's Champions Team: the 70's boat.. During the season this crew had seven paddlers – Jeannie Isola, Suzanne Jarvinen, Ingrid Malone, Linda Churches, Debbie Kinder, Sherri Carney, and Cindy Hope. When Sherri Carney couldn’t paddle the last two races, Linda Churches stepped in as the Steersman and Cindy Hope moved from Novice B to the 70s crew.
Keauhou’s State Race Results: We competed in the A division (up to 6 crews) and we tied for 5th place out of 21 Division A Canoe Clubs.
- 70 Women – 6th place (5.10.67) – Linda Churches, Cindy Hope, Jeanne Isola, Suzanne Jarvinen, Debbie Kinder, Ingrid Malone
- 70 Men – 9th place (5.07.81) – Vern Bieraugel, David Case, Rich Jarvinen, Joe Lavalle, Peter Matlock, Dave Tracy
- 65 Women – 10th place (5.19.29) – Linda Churches, Suzanne Jarvinen, Joreen Knox, Ingrid Malone, Miri Sumida, Leslie Woods
- 16 Girls – 12th place (5.09.49) - Kaia Gagnon, Julia Sanchez, Peri Ozbil, Ayla Ozbil, Emalia Noble, Cheyenne Kahulamu
- 18 Girls – 13th place (5.07.57) - Tamara Young, Tia Kaai Miller, Vitto Rean, Kaia Gagnon, Jocelyn Conae, Julia Sanchez
- 18 Boys – 13th place (4.26.52) - Colton Kahulamu, Slayde Thompson, Thor Jongert, Ka'ohu Lagunte, Jackson Rathje, Abram Utrera
Makani Kai, our koa, raced in additional races when borrowed by other Clubs and won two 1sts, two 2nds, and one 3rd.
Many thanks to our Athletic Director Chris Vasquez for leading the Team.
Thank you also to:
- Assistant Athletic Director and Women’s Coach Dave Yamagata;
- Youth Coaches: Meredith Ozbil, Noelen Kahulamu, Spike Carroll, Kathy Ka'ai, and help from Quintin Vasquez.
- Men’s Coach Moke Hauanio;
- Keiki Coaches: Vern Bieraugel, David Case, Dave Tracy, and Bill Armer; and
- KCC Van Drivers for youth paddlers: Alice & Wayne Morris, Laura & Noelen Kahulamu, Kathy Kaai, and Meredith Ozbil
An additional thank you goes to Vern Bieraugel and Dick Roberts for taking such good care of our koa canoes. Together they organized the two-month long project of refinishing our koa canoes. Vern says Dick was the “brains” behind the project.
Lele Waʻa had been on a shelf in our halau for years and needed repairs for leaks and some rotted knots in the canoe before being sanded and finished by Dick and Sue Roberts, Bill and Lois Hodges, and a little help from a few others.
Makani Kai needed sanding and refinishing and Pat and Janene Lasswell, Gayle Mayekawa, and Thuy Brooks were there with Vern for the entire project.
Vern has also been our canoe trailer driver all season. What would we do without Vern??? (He's also our treasurer!)
by Cindy Armer
