August 30 marked a milestone for the 19 and under girls Lokahi Outrigger Canoeing Club. The girls team departed from SFO to go to Hawaii for their first international paddling competition. Junior Ella Reyes tells on the serious amount of preparation and conditioning it took to be ready for the competition.

   “It took six months of actual training. We were in the water five days a week training,” Reyes said.

   The six girls that spent the summer in the canoe together, working in and out of the water to prepare physically and mentally for the biggest competition they had ever faced. Little did they know, that this work would pay off and put them in a third place position as a final result.

   There is a lot more to paddling than just pushing water to move a boat. Between a team, it takes cooperation, cohesiveness and collaboration to perform at the highest level. Another junior, Heidy Bremauntz was pleased with how much the effort they put in contributed to their success.

   “So that’s what I was happy about, I saw how much our practices were really worth and everything, and saw progress,” said Bremauntz.

   Junior Megan Reilly, sitting in the front seat sets the pace, Bremauntz herself sits in the second seat calling changes for the team, the third, fourth, and fifth seat are held by graduates Makana Dudoit, Keara Reed and current junior Kylie Tubbs. And the steersman is Ella Reyes. Reyes said that one thing that brought them closer to each other in the end was getting over the “hardships,” and “headbutting” that happened in the months prior to the competition. But, outside of the intense paddling, one can never go to Hawaii without hitting “la playa,” said she, for some rest and relaxation. Bremauntz made sure that they “took advantage of those days as vacation.” And that without a doubt, the food was the best part. Deep fried poi (a traditional Hawaiian staple) and the classic shave ice was a favorite for the girls.

   Congratulations on a hard fought win to this established and tough team of girls on their success in Hawaii. And “laki maika’i” (good luck) as the Hawaiian locals would say.