Womens crews a major strength for Hawaiian Canoe Club | News, Sports, Jobs

Kaimana Brummel (left) is one of the top paddlers for Hawaiian Canoe Club, while husband Aaron Brummel (right) is HCC’s women’s coach. Courtesy photo

Hawaiian Canoe Club will go to the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state championship regatta in Hilo Bay on Saturday with entries in all 44 races.

While the keiki division is still the heart and soul of the 37-time Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association champions, another formidable section of the slate is emerging as HCC seeks its 16th overall state crown, but first since 2017.

The women’s division, with several former high-profile athletes in the mix, has emerged as another big strength for HCC as it hopes to upend fellow state juggernaut Lanikai, the defending champion.

HCC women’s coach Aaron Brummel is married to one of the standout paddlers, Kaimana Brummel, a former standout volleyball player at Seabury Hall and George Washington University.

The pair have been married since 2011 and have two children, Kaiwi, 12, and Lehua, 9.

Hawaiian Canoe Club’s junior women’s crew paddles during the Dougie Tihada Memorial Regatta on July 22 at Hanakao‘o Beach. Theresa Gerry photo

Aaron Brummel oversees eight crews — women’s freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, open 4 and 40, as well as mixed open and 40.

Coaching his wife is something he enjoys.

“It’s good,” Aaron Brummel said. “She’s supportive, obviously, and she brings experience to the table. It’s always nice being able to at least get out on the water with her.”

Kaimana Brummel will paddle in the women’s junior and senior races on Saturday. All eight of the crews Aaron Brummel coaches have qualified for state, six of them as No. 1 seeds from the MCHCA.

Kaimana Brummel is one of several former top-flight athletes in the HCC women’s division, most of them moms with professional careers as well, Aaron Brummel noted. HCC open women’s occupations include entrepreneurs, community activist, store owner, farmer, nurse, engineer, receptionist, school administrator, realtor, social worker, small business owner, restaurant manager and lawyer.

“We have women who commute as far as Kahakuloa, Lahaina, Keanae, and Waiohuli to practice,” Kaimana Brummel said in an email to The Maui News. “Kaulu Luuwai lives in Hilo, works in Honolulu, and paddles for HCC. She has a career in law.”

Overall, Hawaiian won 25 MCHCA summer-long titles and 12 more HCC crews qualified for state in second place. Then, they were able to fill the other seven slots by buying open lanes in those races.

“We had some luck on our side, there were some of the lanes we were able to buy that had three teams going for two spots,” HCC keiki coach and statistician Paul Luuwai said Thursday. “Lanikai has 42 lanes filled, 26 one seeds, so they’re going to be a very formidable team.

“The spotlight is on them, we’re hoping they make some mistakes and we’re in position to take advantage, but they’re still the team to beat.”

Aaron Brummel said his crews are ready to contribute crucial points to the state championship effort. They care deeply about their role in the game plan.

“Tons of pride,” Brummel said. “I think in years past we’ve always tried to play the numbers game and spread things out, and I just feel like this year we’re going with — I don’t know about a different approach, but now we’re going at them where they’re good. We’re trying to put our strengths together a little more.”

Aaron Brummel said that there is a real bond amongst the HCC ladies.

“It’s such a mixture of elite veteran paddlers who have been around for years, since they were kids,” Aaron Brummel said. “Lauren Spalding, Dane Ward, people like that, mixed with — and especially this year — an influx of former keiki paddlers. So, we kind of have the full spectrum.”

Members of the HCC women’s open ranks include Spalding, a former U.S. Olympian in kayaking and multi-world champion in one-person canoe; Lisa Fanning, who was an NCAA Division I swimmer at Washington; and Tiare Lawrence, a veteran waterwoman who has excelled at several ocean sports, including surfing.

“There are quite a few, they’ve either surfed all their lives or been in the ocean all their lives,” Aaron Brummel said. “I think knowing what it takes to be an athlete at that level, whether it be training or just mindset, and knowing how to push yourself, definitely gives them an advantage.”

Kaimana Brummel, director of advancement at Seabury Hall for the past four years, has worn many hats for HCC over the years, but now “I am just a paddler,” she said. “I show up, I go and I do what I’m told and where I’m told to do it.”

Her children have grown up in the paddling world and will continue to do so.

“To a degree, they can take care of themselves, be more independent, and that really helps us,” Kaimana Brummel said of her children. “But I kind of think they didn’t have a choice, they have to paddle because it’s something we all do together.”

Kaimana Brummel is overjoyed to be part of the impressive group of women that is primed to help Hawaiian climb back to the top rung of the sport in the state.

“That is the best part of paddling in my opinion,” she said. “You know, we are open division paddlers in the prime, kind of, in their working, raising children life and there’s so many demands on us, yet we still choose to be a member of a club that expects to be a certain place at a certain time, which is 5 to 7 at night for us on weeknights and all day Saturdays.

“To just devote that much time to something greater than yourself speaks to the power of the club, but also speaks to the quality of the individuals I think.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

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