MCHCA calls off regatta season | News, Sports, Jobs
Crews break from the starting line in the boys 16 race during the John Wilmington III Regatta at Kahului Harbor on June 29. This summer’s Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association regatta season has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
Because there are “too many unknowns” surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association president Keone Ball said it was clearly the right decision to cancel the summer regatta season.
“It’s really unfortunate, especially for the kids,” Ball said via phone Wednesday, a day after clubs unanimously voted to cancel the season. “The summer regattas were a time where everyone gets together from all over the island, where the kids can see their friends from different schools, and now they don’t have that.”
With current social distancing standards and stay-at-home orders in place, Ball said that clubs voted to shut down the season for the health and safety of the community. Club paddling involves thousands of participants, from keiki to kupuna, as well as supporting families, coaches and spectators.
The season had been scheduled to start on May 30 with the John M. Lake Regatta at Kahului Harbor.
“It was kind of an easy decision, if you will,” Ball said. “One, the county isn’t even open yet so we can’t practice, and the season is quickly approaching, so as far as logistics go, you know, there’s challenges there too.
Freshmen women crews make the first turn in their one-mile race during the Kamehameha Regatta on June 1 at Kahului Harbor.
“Even if we opened up tomorrow, are we really going to have 2,000 people on the beach?”
Due to the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic, the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association board announced Saturday in a press release that the state championship regatta scheduled for Aug. 1 at Keehi Lagoon is also canceled.
Previously, the state’s other three big paddling associations — the Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, Hui Waa and Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association — announced they had canceled their seasons.
For paddling in general, stay-at-home orders and emergency health protocols prohibit six-man paddling.
“We are hopeful that some of the strides made recently in reducing the number of new coronavirus cases will allow us to return to the canoes shortly,” the HCRA statement said. “We expect that safety protocols will remain in place, such as disinfecting canoes or wearing masks, and will communicate those when we are given the green light to return to the water.”
No decision has been made by any association in regard to the long distance season, which runs from August through October. An update on the MCHCA long distance season will be released by June 15, Ball said.
The Pailolo Challenge — a 26-mile race from Maui to Molokai — is set for Sept. 12, while the Molokai-to-Oahu Na Wahine O Ke Kai and Molokai Hoe are scheduled for Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, respectively.
Some requirements to host the long distance season includes the opening of county facilities, acquiring county permits for competition, getting support and entries from participating clubs, and figuring out how to train and compete while practicing social distancing if protocols still apply, Ball said.
“We’re just at a wait and see, and some clubs might even decide to say ‘forget it, there’s just too many unknowns with how much time, money and effort is put into those races,’ “ he said. “We just have to consider the amount of people involved.”
* Dakota Grossman is at dgrossman@mauinews.com.
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