Thanks to all of our participants and our volunteers for making this Mac-A-Thon bigger than last year!

The race start is at the intersection above the canoe club. The 10k will start at 7:00am and the 5k will start at 7:05am.

Kahu Kalaiwa‘a Kurtis Yamauchi and 'Ale'ale'a

Our new wa‘a, ‘Ale‘ale‘a, was blessed on Sunday March 11, 2012 in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony at our halau wa‘a in Honaunau. This day marked the culmination of its long journey from the forest to the sea, from its birth as a koa seedling in Honomalino to its rebirth as Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club’s third koa canoe.  Kahu Kahekili Ursua and his halau hula officiated the two day ceremony and Kahu Norman Allen and his crew prepared a feast for all our guests.

Mahalo ke Akua, aumakua, kupuna and all who came before us to make this possible. Mahalo also to the many paddlers and supporters who have contributed of their time, money, loyalty, their mana‘o and aloha over the years.

We would also like to recognize our own kahuna kalaiwa‘a, Kurtis Yamauchi, his supportive family and the many hands that helped him create such a beautiful craft.  We have all learned and been inspired through this process and look forward to meeting the challenges before us in the spirit of Ha‘aha‘a and Aloha.

– from Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club President Rafael Ramirez

Keoua president Rafael Ramirez opens the Sunday public ceremony

Come down and share your ideas and mana’o for the upcoming race season, meet old and new paddlers, rig some canoes, and check out Kurtis’ incredible craftsmanship on our new Koa canoe!

We’ll also be offering introductory paddling sessions for those who would like to try out paddling for the first time.  Experienced paddlers will be on hand to give preliminary instruction and will accompany new paddlers on a brief holoholo around Honaunau Bay.

We have an exciting agenda for this year and look forward to working together to implement effective and proactive stewardship of our sacred waters.

Practice for the 2012 season begins on Monday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m. for the keiki and 4:30 p.m. for adults. See you there!

President: Rafael Ramirez

Vice President: B.J. Galieto

Treasurer: Kawika Spaulding

Secretary: Mike Navatta

Chris Runnells

Aaron Hoke

Leialoha Kaleohano

Malama Chamberlin

Gloria Calamaco

Jeff Reiner

Congratulations to the new board, and many thanks for your commitment to Keoua!

We will also be drawing for the Herb Kane giclee, Honaunau.

Please join us on Nov. 5 & 6 at Honaunau Bay for a weekend of activities honoring Honaunau – learning about its past through the eyes of its kupuna, and imagining its future through the eyes of those who will come after us.

Honaunau: Ola Mau Loa with TE VAKA on Nov. 5, from 2-6 p.m., is the launch of a community visioning project with the intention of creating a community- and Hawaiian-values based resource and land management plan for our precious ‘aina and all of the cultural, historic, spiritual and life-giving treasures that it holds within its lands and waters. Come learn more about the project, enjoy an afternoon by Honaunau Bay, and dance to the awesome music of TE VAKA, the world-renowned Pacific Island music group.

Also part of the event will be a silent auction to benefit a member of our paddling community who is faced with a very serious medical condition – and no medical insurance.

This event is presented by Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club and sponsored by ‘Apono Hawai‘i and Pasifika Foundation Hawai‘i. For more info: acurrie@hawaii.rr.com

Kukakuka O Honaunau on Nov. 6 from 3-6 p.m., is a very special talk-story gathering that will bring together kupuna of Honaunau along with Danny Kaniela Akaka, Jr. for an afternoon of sharing stories about the old days in Honaunau.

This event is presented by Ka ‘Ohana O Honaunau/Kukulukumuhana O Honaunau and sponsored by Hui Kuapa (Friends of the Future), Ala Kahakai Trail Association and the National Park Foundation through the generous support of Lowes Charitable Education Foundation, the Anschutz Foundation and the Ahmanson Foundation. For more info: bnavas@hawaiiantel.net

Please see the flyer below for more information, and please distribute this invitation to all of your contacts who love Honaunau! Mahalo . . . and see you on November 5 & 6!

Results after the jump.

Women’s Course (8 Miles)

Mixed Course (8 miles)

Men’s Course (11 miles)