Fun and games on Ala Wai
The 13th annual Ala Wai Challenge, a fun mix of outrigger canoe racing and ancient Hawaiian games, will be held Jan. 18, at the Ala Wai Canal and the Ala Wai playground and park. This year's fund-raiser for the Waikiki Community Center, sponsored by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, will honor Blue Makua, who dedicated his life to perpetuating Hawaiian watersports.
In honor of the late surfer, canoe steersman, paddler and coach, and original Waikiki beachboy, a special makule canoe race for paddlers 50 years and up will be added to the program.
Each team that enters the Challenge will have 12 participants - five to paddle and one alternate for the canoe race, five to compete and one alternate for the Makahiki games. Winning teams will receive trophies and all participants will receive official Ala Wai Challenge T-shirts.
To enter, call the Waikiki Community Center, 923-1802.
O'TOOLE SCORES TWICE IN LOSS: University of Hawaii graduate Maureen O'Toole scored two goals for the U.S. national team in a 10-4 loss to Russia yesterday at the Women's Water Polo World Championships at Perth, Australia.
ALL UH ROAD GAMES ON TV: All seven WAC road games for the University of Hawaii men's basketball team will be televised live, thanks to a partnership between K5 and Oceanic Cable.
All four of the Rainbows' Saturday road games will be on K5. The Feb. 12 game at Texas Christian will be on ESPN2. The other two road games, Jan. 22 at Rice and Feb. 26 at San Jose State, will be on Oceanic channel 16.