Aloha Karratti and the rest of her Paddlers of Laka girls 16 crew always find gold and have a good time even if they don’t finish in first place.
But it doesn’t hurt to beat the field at a Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Racing Association race.
Laka bolted to a 4-minute, 34.06-second first-place finish in a half-mile event on Saturday at the Kailana regatta, the first race of the season at Hilo Bay, where it was sunny, hot and somewhat windy.
Karratti, Ciera Kamai-Desamito, Kaleki Pakani-Flores, Ihi Kamau, Addi Reese, and Kaui Pakani-Tsukiyama edged West Hawaii rival Kai Opua, which placed second in 4:35.