Kamakou Mariano and his children Ke‘aina and Ocean participate in the Keiki and Makua downwind paddle race Saturday during the Molokai Holokai. Over 400 community members and visitors participated in the ho‘olaule‘a that included competitions, food and music. PF Bentley photos
Over 400 community members and visitors from around the state, mainland United States and countries around the globe came together for the annual Molokai Holokai, held Friday and Saturday on the Friendly Isle.
Day 1 of the ho’olaule’a included the Maui to Molokai paddle race and inaugural Skate Jam Session.
The paddle race drew 120 participants, including several notable competitors such as Kai Lenny, Zane Schweitzer, Andrea Moller, Annie Reickert, Cynthia Brown, Kane de Wilde, Bobo Gallagher, the Spencer brothers, Livio Menelau, Alan Cadiz and Dave Kalama. Divisions included Prone, SUP, OC1 and OC2, SUP Foil and Wing Foil.
Maui racers Finn Spencer, Gallagher and Menelau claimed the top three overall spots. Gallagher, 14, and Spencer, 18, battled neck and neck for first place and claimed the fastest times of the event, with Spencer claiming the channel record with a time of 1 hour, 14 minutes.
Brown took first place in the Women’s Wing Foil division and was the fastest woman on the course with a time of 1:49.
I‘a and Ka‘ikena Rawlins-Fernandez take top honors in the Keiki and Makua Race. PF Bentley photos
Maui’s Reickert and de Wilde took top honors in the foil divisions, Molokai’s Kamakou Mariano claimed the top spot in OC1 division with a time of 3:16, Maui’s Trez Harrison took first place in the women’s with a time of 3:42, Ray Glauser and Theresa Felgate claimed the victory in the OC2 division and Cadiz won the wing foil 60-69 age group.
While the racers prepared for the Maui to Molokai crossing, Sustainable Molokai gathered 70-plus kids from Maui Economic Opportunity, Special Olympics, Summer Pals as well as other members of the community to do a mangrove seed clean-up contest. In addition to the mangrove seeds, trash was collected for the Trash Art contest on Day 2 of the event.
The first day finished with the Skate Jam Session, which brought together youth to work on their skills on and off the ramp with Molokai’s own Alex Mawae and Neto Fernandez from Arizona, both of whom are members of the Northern Arizona University Skate Club.
Day 2 kicked off with the inaugural 5K Holo Fun Run. Elliot Greene, 17, won the men’s division in 19 minutes, 10 second, and Katina Soares took the women’s title in 23:08. No’eau Len Wai placed first in the junior girls division. The Fun Run segued into the Trash Art Contest, which was won by Ka’ikena Rawlins-Fernandez.
As the day warmed up, the ho’olaule’a at the Molokai Community Health Center came alive with food and crafts from local vendors, musical entertainment as well as cultural workshops.
Bobo Gallagher, 14, makes his way across the channel on his wing foil during the Maui to Molokai race Friday. Gallagher placed second in the race and then won the downwind paddle on Saturday. PF Bentley photos
Meanwhile, the downwind paddle race was contested from Kamalo Harbor to the health center. Gallagher, competing in the wing foil division, completed the 10-mile race at least 10 minutes ahead of everyone else with a time of 30:44.6, smashing all previous records for the Kamalo Run. Gallagher claimed the overall title for the two days, and Eli Maioho was Molokai champion for racing both days.
The Keiki and Makua Race included 40 children participating in the 3/4-mile downwind paddle race. Many of the kids were veterans who have been in the race since its conception in 2017. Ka’ikena Rawlins-Fernandez, 12, and I’a Rawlins-Fernandez, 13, blasted down the course and took the top honors.
Runners participate in the 5K Holo Fun Run on Saturday. PF Bentley photos
Finn Spencer heads to a win in the Maui to Molokai race Friday. PF Bentley photos
Paddle race competitors make their way along the Molokai coast. PF Bentley photos
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