Outrigger canoe club ranking well in regional races

All the South Shore members of the Kawai'ulu O Tahoe outrigger canoe club have arms rippling with muscle. That muscle shows their dedication to paddling, and not just for kicks. They want to race and they want to win.

"We keep is small, so we have a dedicated group," said the club's founding member Sue Norman. "What's neat about a small group is because we've been paddling together for so long we've really been able to develop that fitness and technique."

The South Lake Tahoe club, started in 2004, currently has about 16 members. They attend races throughout the state. This year, they've placed well in several and have heightened their ranking in the Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association.

"Competitive wise, they're very competitive when they're at races," said Phil Siaris, vice president of NCOCA. "They don't have much time in training, but when they do come out to compete they do well."

But the South Lake Tahoe club's secret is that they really are training all year. Down at the Sierra Athletic Club, members can often be found working a rowing machine that's been modified with a canoe paddle. Their exercises are specifically toned to canoe paddling.

"Our workouts are very structured and have a purpose," Norman said.

The group paddles at least once a week in the lake to keep their strength and technique at peak performance. Though the goal isn't to wear yourself out, it's not always easy, said the team's coach Mike Gabor.

"They occasionally come back and are happy to get out of the boat," Gabor said. "But if you do your training right, you should never be in that position."

During a typical practice, the crew will work on endurance, power, speed or a combination, Gabor said. Sometimes, they will "fly the ama" or balance the canoe with the outrigger out of the water to reduce friction. They flip over about 10 times a year on purpose and once on accident, usually during a race, Gabor said. For newcomers, it can take up to two years to learn the club's methods and achieve their fitness, he added.

Lake Tahoe has proved to be an excellent training ground for the club. The weather during the summer is better than many Northern California locations. The wind gives the opportunity to train in rough water. And in the off season, there's still plenty to do to stay fit, but the abundance of other activities has been a bit of a bane to the club.

"When we first started, it was slow growth," Norman said. "It's hard because there's so many other sports for people to do in Tahoe. Many people can't add another activity."

Yet some members are extremely dedicated to the outrigger canoes.

South Lake Tahoe resident Tom Gandt remembers the first time he saw one of the canoes come into shore.

"I saw them and it was just like, 'Oh, man!,'" Gandt said before the Thursday night practice. "I sold my bike. I sold my skis. It was just paddling."