The Ka Nai’a Outrigger Canoe Club of Santa Barbara won the national championship in the Co-Ed Open Division on Saturday at the Southern California Outrigger Racing Association’s paddle from Newport Harbor to Avalon Beach on Catalina Island.
The annual event is recognized as the U.S. Championships for the sport.
Ka Nai’a completed the 28-mile voyage in under five hours.
“The “Ka Nai’a Outrigger Canoe Club is made up of Santa Barbara locals who love to compete, and spend hours outside of regular jobs to train and prepare themselves mentally and physically for competition,” said club member Gregory Ofner in an email to Presidio Sports. “As a past competitive paddler, and still a devoted member of Ka Nai’a, I wanted to thank the coaches and team for their tireless commitment and unwavering standards of excellence in paddling.”
The Santa Barbara Outrigger Club placed second in the Women’s Spec division.
On Sunday, Ka Nai’a took third place in the Men’s Open Bradley Division.
