07/31/2002
Gray skies don't keep Whaling Days canoeists from shining

By Sean Lamphere
The Navy Blue and Gold didn’t make the cut. The Armstrong Fitness team wasn’t able to repeat either as all new teams swept through the 2nd Annual Dyes Inlet Outrigger Canoe Races Sunday at Silverdale Waterfront Park.

The Jennings Corp team of Lance Kahn, Eric Roy, John Anderson, Scot Rhymer and Ed Dwyer took first place in the 14-team men’s field, pulling out a victory against the Miller Genuine Men.

“This was the first time (racing outrigger canoes) for all of us,” Kahn said. “And only three of us had made it to a practice session.”

So when did they figure out how to paddle together?

“On the way down to the starting line we practiced,” Roy said.

Third place in the men’s competition went to Touchstone Industries.

After a long day of racing, it was the Golden Girls from Silverdale-based Encore Communities who took first in the women’s division. Wearing metallic wigs and bright blue T-shirts, the team of Paula Flores, Ora Lewis, Debbie Olerud, Alicia Oberquell and Shayla Leer had to fight their way through the loser’s bracket to win two races against the Wicked Wahines for the title. After leading most of the final race, the Golden Girls held off the Wahines by less than half a boat length as they crossed the finish line.

“It was a good competition,” a smiling Lewis said after the final race.

The golden wigs, which the team opted to wear were because “We were going for the gold,” Olerud said.

Raytheon finished in third place.

The co-ed division was won by Olympic Outdoor Center in Poulsbo in a close race with the Johnson Controls Roughriders.

The Olympic boat was crewed by Mason Walters, Forrest Wells, Connor Inslee, Molly Buckner and Lila Erickson.

“It was a lot of fun,” Inslee said.

Although the Poulsbo crew offers kayak lessons, they had never operated a 400-pound outrigger canoe before.

“We didn’t know about the practice times,” Inslee said.

“And we had never seen anyone paddle (an outrigger canoe) before,” Erickson said.

The Deputy Dogs-Alpha from the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office were third followed by Spiros No. 2.

Saturday’s 6-mile long race was won by Geoff Brigs and Mike Szewczyk on their two-man canoe. Hui Heihei Wa’a (Silverdale Outrigger Club) used the home course advantage to take first in the six-person canoe category and Shane Baker took the surf-ski title.

Both days of racing were sponsored by Hui Heihei Wa’a, Team Innovation Landscaping, Sabelhaus West, Donobi.com, West Sound Bank, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Albertson’s, Franz Bakery and the Central Kitsap Reporter.