VIDEO: Senior women's race
VIDEO: Boys 18 race
VIDEO: Junior women's race
VIDEO: Sophomore women's race
mg src="http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/inc/pix/icon_video5.gif" alt="" height="14" width="14" border="0"> VIDEO: Junior men's race

After seeing its streak of state championships stopped last year, the Hawaiian Canoe Club came back with a vengeance.

Hawaiian — a club based at Kahului Harbor, Maui — won the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta in impressive fashion for its eighth title in the last nine years.

"What happened last year, happened last year," Hawaiian head coach Diane Ho said. "We just keep working to make ourselves better. We spend our time looking forward rather than backward."

Hawaiian scored 355 points in the regatta, which featured 39 races in age divisions ranging from 12-younger to 60-older.

There were 57 clubs in yesterday's state regatta, and none of them came close to matching Hawaiian's depth and consistency.

Kai 'Opua from the Big Island placed second with 295 points. Kailua from O'ahu was third with 293.

Lanikai, which beat Hawaiian for the state title last year, finished fourth yesterday with 273 points.

"We really didn't think about the margin," Ho said. "We thought there were four clubs in the mix at the top ... and it was going to be close with everybody knocking each other off with their strengths. So I guess we are surprised (at the final margin)."

In keeping with a formula that provided success during its previous seven-year championship streak, Hawaiian racked up points early in the youth races and then maintained the lead through the open adult and masters races.

Hawaiian won four races yesterday: boys 12, girls 14, girls 15 and women novice B.

In the 13 youth races, Hawaiian amassed 156 points. No other club scored more than 90 points in the youth races.

It was the 11th time in the last 12 years that Hawaiian scored the most points in the youth races at the state regatta.

"The keiki title means a lot to us," said Paul Lu'uwai, director of the Hawaiian youth program. "So I'm really proud of our group. There were a lot of surprises in the kids races — a lot of unexpected winners — so for us to score the most points ... I'm just glad."

Hawaiian scored an emotional victory in the girls 15 race. The crew of Juju Valencia, Ali Hoeck, Diondra Gomes, Ui Ahuna, Lilinoe Bal and Kiana Siliado edged Hui Lanakila by three seconds in the 1/2-mile race.

"Our coach reminds us every day how important it is for us to do well at states," Siliado said. "He puts enough pressure on us to keep us going, but not break us."

Hui Lanakila's girls 15 crew was racing just two days after the death of teammate Makamae Ah Mook Sang.

After the victory, the Hawaiian girls 15 crew walked to the Hui Lanakila tent and shared tearful hugs.

"We were all crying with them," Siliado said. "I can't even imagine what they're going through."

Hui Lanakila crossed the finish line in second, but was later disqualified for burying the flag on one of the turn buoys.

Hawaiian also got an inspiring victory in the women's novice B race. It ended a six-year winning streak by Waikiki Beachboys in that race (with a different crew each year). Last year, Hawaiian did not have a women's novice B crew at the state regatta.

The novice B classification is for first-year adult paddlers.

"From the first day you join the club, the talk is about states," said April Ingle, who steered the Hawaiian crew. "They make it clear from the beginning that this club is competitive, so we feel like we did our small part today."

Last year, Hawaiian placed second at the state regatta, due in part to a controversial disqualification of one of its crews. Yesterday, Hawaiian's men's junior crew suffered a disqualification, but by then, the club already had a big lead.

By mid-day, the only drama was for second place.

Kai 'Opua won four races, and the second-place finish was the best showing by a Big Island club since 2004, when it also was runner-up to Hawaiian. No Big Island club has ever won the overall championship at the state regatta.

Kailua won two races, and ultimately could not keep pace with Hawaiian.

"They were in a league of their own today," Kailua president Carleen Ornellas said of Hawaiian. "When you win by that many points, it's like, 'what's your secret?' They're just really good from top to bottom."

Outrigger and Keauhou placed fifth and sixth, respectively. The two clubs also tied for top individual honors with six race victories apiece.

Among Outrigger's gold medals was a controversial win in the prestigious men's senior race.

Keauhou actually crossed the finish line first in the 1 1/2 mile race, but was later disqualified for a violation by one of its boat holders (judges ruled he provided an illegal push at the start of the race).

"You still have to hand it to Keauhou," Outrigger paddler Tapa Worthington said. "They beat us, hands down. It's unfortunate that they got DQ'd for something like that."

Members of the Outrigger crew were Worthington, Scott Gamble, Craig Gamble, Michael Kane, Billy Lawson and Jimmy Austin.

"This was a wake-up call for us," Worthington said. "Keauhou was back-and-forth with us the whole way and they got us at the end, DQ or not. It shows we still have work to do."

Member's of Keauhou's men's senior crew were Thibert Lussiaa, Andrew Penny, Nate Hendricks, Ikaika Hauanio, Bruce Ayau and Mike Field.

As a club, Keauhou still made an impressive showing in its first appearance in the AAAA division.

The club could have had two more gold medals — which would have given them a regatta-high eight — but two first-place crews got disqualified (men's senior and women's 60, both for the same violation).

Last year, Keauhou was the AA division state champion, and it jumped all the way to AAAA this year.

There was also much discussion during yesterday's regatta about favorable currents in the outside lanes. At most state regattas, the top seeds select inside lanes (usually lanes 1 through 6) to stay away from the rougher outside conditions.

Yesterday, 19 of the 39 race winners were from lanes 7 through 14.

"I guess you have to say that's as fair as it gets," Kailua's Ornellas said. "You just had no idea which lane was going to be running the fastest. It kind of made things exciting."