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Another weekend in July, another full slate of ocean related activities to keep our aquanuts healthy and having fun. With our summer days heating up there's no better place to be than in the water. So far in July we've seen record numbers of swimmers, paddlers, and multisport athletes showing up at events all over our island and state.

Last weekend's main event here on the Big Island was a new one on our already jam packed calendar, but as most would agree you can never have too many fun events. Turnout for the Hapuna Lifeguard Challenge ended up being very good for a first time race that included 1,000 meters of running, 1,000 meters of swimming, and 1,000 meters of paddleboarding. The race was put on by the County of Hawaii and the Big Island Lifeguard Association.

You couldn't ask for a better venue than the warm waters and soft white sands of Hapuna Beach. The race began with the run segment where the relay runners like Kalani Scott and Danny Guerpo were able to strut their stuff. Next up was the swim which helped spread things out and saw Ralph Sawyer extend his team lead with Scott while Keith Johnson used his best event to
power his way to the front of the individual race.

The final paddleboard segment was probably the most challenging since it is not done as often as the swimming or running. This allowed the strong all around watermen to excel. Even though Johnson isn't a regular at the paddleboard events, he's an avid surfer who spends time on a board.

With each segment so short the race to catch the 44-year-old Johnson was very close. The strong chase pack of Monti Hansen, Jerry Bess, Ty Scarbrough and James Wee kept the pressure on Johnson all the way to the finish.

Johnson's versatility gave him a strong victory in 25:23. Hansen edged out Bess for second 26:23 to 26:39. A few seconds later Scarbrough took fourth with Wee a few steps back in fifth.

The champ in the very small ladies race went so fast that race organizers never were able to catch up to her. Hopefully I'll be able to report a name and time at a later date.

County lifeguard and event co-organizer Jason Nixon anchored the winning relay that had Scott running and Sawyer swimming. The awesome trio combined for a winning time of 25:00. Second for the relays went to the Hapuna Lifeguards, Paul Tucker, Mark Sarme and Sam Stevenson at about 27 minutes. Team Mauna Kea took third. The ladies crown went to Team Starbucks. Susan
Nixon, Derinda Hamilton and Jayne Heinze made up the Caffeinated Crew that was unchallenged throughout the event.

Thanks to the motivated and enthusiastic members of the Big Island Lifeguard Association and the support of the County of Hawaii we won't have to wait until next July to enjoy the beauty of Hapuna Beach. Right now it looks like we will only have to wait until Sunday, October 6, 2002. If all goes O.K. we will be making three changes to the 2002 Peaman Training Schedule.

The Peaman International Biathlon will move to October 6th at Hapuna Beach instead of September 15th. The Kealakekua Bay 2 Mile Swim, originally planned for October 6, will be taken off of the schedule at least for this year, and the Peaman Thrash and Dash Biathlon will move up into the International's original date of September 15. The Thrash and Dash will take place at it's usual spot next to the Kailua-Kona Pier.

These new changes should help make this year¹s Pea event schedule better than ever! Any questions on distances, times or dates can get more details by calling Frozen Peas at 324-PEAS.

Over on Oahu several Big Island athletes extended their aquatic weekend by competing in Saturday's Cholo's 2000 Swim or Sunday's Aloha State Games pool swimming. The Cholo's 2000 was event number three in the four race North Shore Swim Series. The course is a nice one at Waimea Bay but it's definitely a lot longer than 1.2 miles. My guess would be about 1.4.

With just over 280 swimmers at the start, the men went first at 9 a.m. while the women followed one hour later at 10:00. In his first ocean swim race Kurt Boehm, a University of Hawaii junior from Germany, started cautiously then opened it up to pull away for the victory. Boehm covered the long swim in 28:37.

Mililani High School sophomore Dustin Fukuda, veteran Rick Heltzel, Matt Seymour, Chad Seymour, and Kona's Bob Momsen made up the chase pack that battled it out for the rest of the top spots. Fukuda ended up having the strongest kick and took second at 29:28.

Heltzel and Matt Seymour were a few strokes back in 29:31.2 and 29:31.7. Chad Seymour wrapped up fifth in 29:36 while 55-year-old Momsen once again wowed the crowd with an amazing sixth place overall and first place age group time of 29:45.

Completing our Big Island men's group was super series swimmer Moose Mullahey who placed 23rd overall and fourth in the 30-34 age group with a time of 32:58 and Peaman who cruised in near the back of the pack with a 140th place time of 53:45. Mullahey, who finished sixth in our Hawaii Island swim Series, is still alive and looking strong in the North Shore Series with a second and a fourth place age group finishes in the first two series swims.

Ocean conditions for the ladies were still good by 10 a.m. but the long outside stretch did seem to get a bit more current and headwinds as the race went on. The first 2/3 of the ladies event stayed close with Elizabeth-Rose Honohano-Hong, Jennifer Baker, Emily Bresser and Nicole Hagi all swimming together.

With less than a half of a mile to go Hanohano-Hong began to pull away. Hanohano-Hong, a 14-year-old Kamehameha High School freshman used her youthful speed to extend her lead all the way to the finish for a winning time of 31:59. Baker, 16, held off Bresser, 23, to take second in 32:53 to 32:54.

At just 13-years-old Hagi was an impressive fourth at 32:58. Samantha Khoo, a 23-year-old triathlete clocked in fifth at 33:11. Our Kona wahine Krew was headed by Mouse Kelley who placed fourth in her 40-44 age group with a time of 48:18.

The fourth and final event of the N.S.S.S. will be the 1.2 mile Surf & Sea Cup at Haleiwa on Saturday August 3rd.

The wet and wild water weekend wrapped up with the Aloha State Games swim meet at the University of Hawaii Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. Unfortunately results haven't been available so I can't give you the medal count for our home grown talent. Hopefully in the near future I'll be able to get more info on both the swimming and upcoming track and field competitions.

It surprised me every year how few people participate in these terrific games that are billed as Hawaii's Olympics for the common person. For info on the ASG call 732-8805 or log onto alohastategames.com.

Our upcoming weekend looks to be spectacular with the 20th Anniversary Kilauea Volcano Wilderness Runs (5, 10, and 26.2 miles) on Saturday and the 16th Annual Richardson Roughwater Swim (1 mile) on Sunday. Both events are always a blast and I hope to see everyone there!

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