"kai" means "ocean"

in Hawaiian

• KAI~Sports is continuing to network with the major open-water paddle racing organizations and events in both Hawai'i and California to bring you a compilation of the top performers from the two states. The Top 6 Finishers of any one of the "grand slam events" are nominated for each category -- boys and girls 1/2-1 mile ("short sprints"), 2-3 Miles ("long sprints"), 4-5 Miles ("middle-distance" or "short" events, ~5-to-8K) and 6-10 Miles ("endurance"  or "long" events, also over 10K to 15K).

California-Hawai'i select PADDLE RACERS - All-America Awards (National-select Archives)

At the initiation of the listings, the Sprint Paddle Races of most popular participation included the International Surf Festival (ISF), started in 1962, and the Hennessey's Cup Races for Junior Lifeguards (JG), both with high school age competitors. The JG races are 1~Mile longshore and back, and the ISF is a 2-Mile straight course, currently named the "Velzy-Stevens Pier-to-Pier Paddleboard Championships." All finish in Hermosa Beach, California. In 2005, the Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay, Oahu, Hawai'i, named the "Hui O' He'e Nalu Independence Day Race," which is a 3-Mile course, was added to our listing, then in 2009, Hawai'i Paddle organizers added a North Shore event, "Summer Solstice Paddleboard & Stand-Up Paddle Race," which has grown in part to the popularity of SUP. The latter three currently serve as the main annual events at the Long Sprint distance.

For the Endurance Paddle Races, Hawai'i has held a  Paddleboard Championship Race, named the "Duke Race," which is a 10-Mile event, starting at Hawai'i Kai-Maunaula Bay and finishing at Duke's Statue in Waikiki, Oahu. As more results are recovered, additional athletes will be recognized. California's middle distance mainstay is the Hennessey's US Paddleboarding Championships, held annually in Torrance, Redondo and Hermosa Beaches. It's routinely an 8.5-Mile event. All other events are currently under evaluation, and other races will be added as events grow.

As a point of understanding, the "overdistance" Paddle Races, such as the more famous Molokai Channel (Molokai-to-Oah'u) and Catalina Classic (Catalina Isthmus-to-Mainland), both ~32 Mile Paddle Races, are not used as a category due to the fact that most paddlers who compete in this select arena are seasoned veterans in the sport -- well beyond high school age.

California-Hawai'i select OUTRIGGER CANOE RACERS - All-America Awards (National-select Archives)

All Outrigger Canoe Races and Regattas are sanctioned by one of the premier governing bodies: the Hawai'i Canoe Racing Association (HCRA), Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (OHCRA), Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association (NCOCA) or Southern California Outrigger Racing Association (SCORA). Kai~Sports coordinators screen and evaluate most of the races, choosing the top 18 & Under Teams (19 & Under in the California events), with some 16 & Unders that have excelled as well, to keep the All-America list to be as close to high school age as possible. Although California does not have a CIF Sectional or State Championship, the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) has held a State Championship in Outrigger Canoe Paddling since 2002, featuring the top seeds from each of the islands and leagues, so their top athletes are noted here as early as 2008.

The Short Sprint Outrigger Canoe Races are those typically listed as the shorter half-mile to 1-Mile in distance, taking roughly 4 to 8 minutes to complete. Although many event results are reviewed, the marquee events include the HCRA State Championships in Lahaina, Maui, each August, and the SCORA State Sprint Championships in Santa Barbara, California, each July.

The Endurance Races considered are those in the longer 8-12 Mile zone, taking over an hour for a 6-person team to tackle.

Similar to Paddleboarding, many athletes compete in the more famous Molokai Channel and other 'long distance' canoe races, but these are not routinely scheduled with high schoolers in mind.

California-Hawai'i select SUP RACERS - All-America Awards (National-select Archives)

Sprint SUP Races, similar to the Paddle Board Races, include the International Surf Festival (ISF), a 2-Mile straight course, currently named the "Velzy-Stevens Pier-to-Pier Paddleboard Championships," from Manhattan Beach pier to Hermosa Beach Pier, California. Also included are the Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay, Oahu, Hawai'i, named the "Hui O' He'e Nalu Indepencence Day Race," and the Haleiwa North Shore "Summer Solstice Paddleboard & Stand-Up Paddle Race," which have both grown in popularity adding and expanding SUP divisions. All three currently serve as the main annual events, but others are in evaluation.

For the Endurance SUP Races, Hawai'i's  Paddleboard Championship Race, named the "Duke Race," which is a 10-Mile event, has also added SUP. On the California Scene, the main event is the Hennessey's, now expanded to be the "Hennessey's US Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championships." All other events are currently under evaluation, and other races will be added as events grow.

• These lists serve as the top high school age All-America Roughwater (Open Ocean) Paddle Racing award -- and they're the ones which highlight athletes competing in the California-Hawai'i area. These lists are assembled from the overall growing paddle arena, which features more than two-thirds the high school age paddlers in the USA.

Individual Awards are available for paddlers at a cost (described in the order forms and on the Awards tab).

Congratulations to the paddlers, their high schools and their hometowns for these prestigious accolades!

South Bay Southern California (Regional-select Archives) (link not available yet)

• This section eventually will feature the ALL-AREA TEAMS for both boys and girls high school age student-athletes as well as an ALL-DECADE TEAM. Refer back to this section later.