PAPER:Central Kitsap Reporter

08/07/2001

MIKE MOORE

Races a Whale of a success

"SPORTS DIGEST: Dyes Inlet Derby, Dash paddle Whaling Days to new heights. "

"Geoff Briggs and Randy Olson paddled their two-man Surfski to victory in the first Dyes Inlet Derby last Saturday.The race, featuring human-powered craft, was the first of two new water-sport features in Silverdale's Whaling Days festival. The second, also staged by the Hui Hei Hei Wa'a Hawaiian outrigger canoe club, was Sunday's Dyes Inlet Dash, a series of 500-meter outrigger sprint races which included dead-heat finishes in two of the three categories.The races proved a popular addition to the Whaling Days menu, according to promoters, who reported 27 entries in the Derby and 31 teams in the Dash.We had people signing up (for the club) on the spot, said Lori Ann LaFontaine of Hui Hei Hei Wa'a. She added that Ken Perry of Team Innovative pledged to donate a new canoe to the club to help promote the sport.We're going to need more lanes next year, LaFontaine said. The response was overwhelming.Team Innovative, comprised of Tom Turner, Ray Garcia, Paul Panfil, Jon Reed and Chuck Freedman, narrowly lost the men's division to Navy's Blue and Gold, which included John Scanlon, Jason Carson, Jeff Haga, Luis Talavera, Joe Pastorella and Ron Rodenhurst.The co-ed division was won by Armstrong Fitness (Rebecca Wood, Jason Culbreth, Sonja Tijmann, Ann Armstrong, Jerry Shaffer and Tim Cabunoc), which survived a dead-heat finish with the Renegades to win a re-race.The women's division saw Tatoo Rose (Katie Fanua, Jolina Fanua, Lyanne Spitzer, K.T. Blue, Sharon Moore and Ray Jackson) take the title. "