Aloha! Another Dam Race added a new category – Friday sprints – to it’s wealth of choices on Saturday. There was something for everyone and everyone in something this year!

Friday Sprints:

Team Phoenix had two women’s crews: Women’s Silver – Betty, Hedy, Tallman, Alison, Vega and Ilona – 2nd Place and Open Women – Adrienne, Lucie, Amy, Alicia, Julie, Hisano – 3rd Place

Na Leo paddlers were in the Keiki Crew – Preston, Lilly, Jackie, Joey, Melissa and Elijah (TAZ); a Juniors Crew – Gracie, Ayvah, Jerome, Patrick, Zoie and Kalani – 3rd Place; a Men’s Crew – Ryan, Richard, Kahale, Richard, Mike, Uncle Art and Joey; an Open Co-Ed – Andy, Amy, Alicia, Doug (Wisconsin), Vince and Cynthia (Florida) – 1st Place; and Open Co-Ed – Ryan, Kahale, Mike, Lucie, Adrienne and Makana – 3rd Place.

Saturday Races:

Short Course – Na Leo had V12 Keiki Crew/Adults – Patrick, Jerome, Kalani, Ayvah, Zoie, Preston, Patrick (Dad to Preston), Joey, Jackie, Adrienne, Rachel and Erica. And there were Na Leo paddlers in short courses with others, including Open women V6 (Alicia – 1st place) and Baby Goats – Breast Cancer Survivors V12 (Melissa, Michelle and Makana). Coach Vince completed the course on prone!

Long Course – Na Leo had V12 coed crew with Makana, Justina, Lucie, Vega, Kahale, Richard, Uncle Art, Ryan, Adrienne, Vince, Gene, Amy (1st Place) and a blended Panama-a-a-aaa V6 (Julie and Betty, 2nd place). And coming in 3rd place in OC1 was Andy Thomas. A fabulous weekend with great people!

USA Sprint National Championships were held for the first time on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, CA on Oct. 14 and 15 and Team Phoenix was there with paddlers racing in the open, 40s, 50s and 60s categories (500M and 1000M) and individual Team Phoenix paddlers racing in open, 40s, 50s, 60s and 75s V1 (500M). Everyone paddled their hearts out, most advanced to finals and many finished top 3: Open Women 1000 – 2nd place; 40s men 500 and 1000 – 2nd place; 50s women 500 – 2nd place and 1000 – 3rd place; and 60s women 500 – 3rd place. Congratulations racers!

USA Sprint National Championships is the qualifying race to represent Team USA (mainland US) at the IVF World Sprint Championships to be held in Hilo, Hawaii in 2024. Thank you to Head IVF coach Alicia Lin Kee, Amy Thomas and IVF men’s coaches Andy Thomas and Vince San Nicolas for taking on significant coaching responsibilities, in addition to representing on the race course, and to presidents and coaches of Team Arizona and Na Leo O Ke Kai for critical support. And YES! Team Phoenix will be going to Hilo, Hawaii in 2024. Details pending.

History of Team Phoenix. We are a group of people with different abilities, talents, experiences and backgrounds who have come together for a shared purpose, to paddle! There are no shortcuts, we need to put in the hard work, dedication, sacrifice, effort, commitment, teamwork and patience to level up! Team Phoenix was originally formed in 2021 with paddlers from Na Leo O Ke Kai, Team Arizona and SunGi, MonGi and PFD dragon boat teams and coached for 2022 IVF competition by former Na Leo head coach Margaret Coulombe, with support from Alicia Lin Kee (coach with Na Leo) and Laura Baack (coach of PFD). The goal for the group was to take the best in Phoenix and elevate our performance nationally and internationally. In 2023, Team Phoenix expanded significantly, including attracting athletes from AZ, CA, NV and OR. Looking forward to 2024 in Hawaii. Go Team!

On Sept. 23 at 9 a.m., there will be a Paddle Out for Lahaina and Maui families who have been impacted by the wildfires. Details below! Also, congratulations to Na Le O Ke Kai mixed team (Alicia, Andy, Amy, Ryan, Julie and guest steers Hisano), who raced at the 50th Anniversary Queen Liliuokalani event on Big Island. Kudos also to Na Leo O Ke Kai club members Ceci and Peggy who placed 4th in 50+ women and 2nd in double hull with Washington Canoe Club (Washington, DC) and Lucy who placed 2nd in 40+ women and 1st in double hull 40s (with Amy) and raced with Makana’s wonderful Hale’iwa’s women’s crews. Congratulations all!

Aloha. It’s hard to believe that we are approaching September and that most of the keiki are already back in school. We’ve had adult general practices on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings, plus special sessions on Thursday eves and Sunday mornings for our men and women partnering with paddlers on Team Arizona training to attend USAORCA Nationals Oct. 14 and 15 as Team Phoenix. And then there are those who have added in their outrigger training to attend Queen Liliuokalani’s 50th Anniversary on Big Island at the end of the month. Head Coach Vince and club president have also been working with members of the keiki team on Sunday mornings, teaching OC1 canoe skills as well as OC6.

We may be in a desert, but there’s been lots of water time!

Na Leo O Ke Kai crews finished out the iron SCORA season with juniors, short course, open women, open coed, masters coed (3rd place winners), and men’s crews at Iron Champs in San Diego. It was an awesome weekend with Ohana Va’a. To top off our June activities, Na Leo started the small boat Sunday series, and also joined with the outrigger and dragon boat communities on Tempe Town Lake for a lake clean up day, supported by City of Tempe. I don’t know how much we picked up, but most of us filled and emptied our buckets with everything from fishing hooks and weights to clothing, cups and food wrappers. Thanks to everyone for investing in our lakeside.

Na Leo had three crews at the Kahanamoku Klassics SCORA race in Marina Del Rey: short course coed, long course open women and long course master’s coed crews. The day was sunny and the water beautiful. Thanks to our guest steersman, Hisano and guest short course paddler, Tyler. Also, congratulations to Alicia Lin Kee on her first time steering (short course)! And, congratulations to Betty Flores for making the Team USA Senior B 20 person crew for IDBF World Dragon Boat Races in Thailand (coming this summer). What to rock it, gangy!

Next up: Iron Champs in San Diego

Na Leo O Ke Kai headed to CA the first week of May to take part in the first races of the season with the Southern California Outrigger Racing Association (SCORA). Crews came from all over the West coast to be part of the fun. We had two women’s crews (Open, 50s) and an open men’s crew out on the water. The best part: being with our paddling Ohana and seeing old friends from the other clubs, including Lori Kitahata from Nahoa (who paddled with us) and her cousin Cub. Good times! Next up: Marina Del Rey.

On April 2, Sunday, at 10am, we will be paying respects, honoring our past, present, and future, and giving thanks to the water we paddle on. Please join us for this canoe blessing. The Tampos ‘Ohana will be leading us in the blessing. If you want to bring your personal crafts (OC1, OC2, SUP, etc) and paddles, please bring them with you. Pacific Rim and Sushi Food Truck will also be there, so come ready to support local and eat good food!

And a reminder that April 15 is the date set for our Kalua Pig Fundraiser this year. We are doing pre-orders now! You can email/tell your orders to naleookekai@gmail.com (or any club member) before the 15th. Don’t miss out!

Lovely to see so many new faces at our first Open House. We have two more days set up to welcome you. Come out and meet the crew and paddle on March 28 and March 30 at 6 pm at the Tempe Town Lake Marina. Bring water and casual clothes to paddle in. Hope to see you there!

April 15 is the date set for our Kalua Pig Fundraiser this year. We are doing pre-orders now! You can email/tell your orders to naleookekai@gmail.com (or any club member) before the 15th.

So many great things happening this weekend (March 11 and 12) at the annual Aloha Festival in Tempe. Come get your malasadas on! Come eat plate lunch at the Paradise Hawaiian BBQ and come meet us in the Ohana Village. We will also have new Na Leo O Ke Kai merchandise on hand.

If you want to help us volunteer for our friends Diana and Rena at the Paradise Hawaiian Barbeque booth on Sunday, we could use your help. Sign up here (and you have to get a food safety card): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4baca82ba2fd0-paradise#/

The following week, we will have Na Leo’s Open House, so you can meet the crew and paddle. Open House dates are March 19 at 12 pm, March 21 at 6 pm and March 23 at 6 pm at the Tempe Town Lake Marina. Bring water and casual clothes to paddle in. Hope to see you there!