For the 11th year, the Hanohano Outrigger Canoe Club will provide a day of fun, food and competition at Bonita Cove on Mission Bay on Saturday, Jan. 27.
“Eleven years ago, there was a need for racing paddle craft and one-man outrigger canoes year-round, so we set up an eight-race winter series,” said Dan Van Dyck, club race coordinator. “We started with 25 people and now have over 200 at the events. The biggest thing for us is to be all-inclusive.”
The canoe, kayak and paddleboard-racing season was limited to the warmer months, but that changed when clubs in the southern California region decided to start the winter series. The goal was to give more opportunities to the athletes during what used to be considered the off-season, allowing them to keep in shape and opening the sport up to new people. Paddlers range in age from under 12 to over 80 years old.
The Hanohano Ocean Challenge offers two courses, a 4.75-mile race inside Mission Bay and an open-ocean race covering 9 miles. The shorter course will start at Bonita Cove and stretch to the South Shores boat ramp just south of SeaWorld, with the Ingraham Street bridges providing great views of the racing. The longer race will start at the mouth of the bay, with paddlers heading north to Crystal Pier and then approximately 2 miles west out to the sunken wreck of the Yukon before returning to the bay.
One addition this year will be the demo day aspect of the event, with retailer Patagonia bringing locally made North County and Mike Eaton Paddleboards from their newly opened Cardiff store. Other sponsors include L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Huki Canoe/Kayak, Hansen’s Board Room, Kialoa Paddles, Destination Surf, Paddleme.com, Rusty Del Mar, Epic Kayak, Ocean Paddleboard, Valhalla Surfski, Pohaku Stand-Up Paddles and Graywhale Trading Co.
“My ultimate goal is to give people an accessible venue; for $15, you get breakfast, lunch, a T-shirt and a chance to race,” Van Dyck said. “We provide a place for people to learn and race if they want to, while offering a good venue for kids and adults to get involved in athletics and also be environmentally conscious.”
Registration starts at 8 a.m.; races kick off at 9 and 10:30. For info, visit www.hanohano.com.