Paddling has been a huge influence in my personal way of living. Na Wahine will only strengthen that.
Crew Captain of the San Diego Outrigger Canoe Club, Women’s A crew, Kimberly Bond talks about her experience, Ohana, and the dedication needed to compete at the highest levels.
Please tell us your name and the club you paddle for.
Kimberly Bond from the San Diego Outrigger Canoe Club.
Have you competed at Moloka’i before, and how many times?
No.
Please describe how you feel about the Na Wahine O Ke Kai race? Why is it important to you?
I feel like it is the race of all races. I have been paddling for 17 years and I have always wanted to do this race. I would not feel complete as a woman paddler if I did not participate in it. I also feel like this is a very important race for women to bond and show their inner strengths.
What helps to give you confidence in your preparation for Moloka’i?
My years of experience, pushing myself to levels I never thought possible. The training that has gone into preparing for this race, on and off the water, has built a strong rapport within the women’s team. I have been paddling with some of the women that will be racing at this year’s Na Wahine since I started racing 17 years ago. This brings a true sense of Ohana. That is where my main source of confidence comes from my paddle family.
What is the experience like in the crew?
It ranges from 3 years all the way to 25 years. Our steersperson has been paddling for 25+years and several just under 20 years. A few of us have traveled to New Zealand, Canada, New York, Cook Islands, Queen Lilio, Pailolo, and the Gorge. We have many years amoung us. Our least experienced paddlers have been paddling three years but have really worked hard to obtain a seat in this particular race.
How do you think competing in this race will help you generally in your life?
It will help me grow as a paddler, as a mentor to my teammates, and as an individual on and off the water. Na Wahine has been a goal of mine for a long time however, the timing was just not right. This year, I have been working with motivated women to participate in this race. I am excited to be able to share our experience with our teammates and also with new paddlers. This sport has built me into the person I am today. Each challenge makes me stronger as a woman, an athelete, and a teacher. I value the experience that I will take from this, and I know the Ohana in our women’s club has already been strengthened. In my personal life, I feel like it goes hand and hand with paddling when I achieve my goal. As an individual it brings more confidence to my entire life and paddling has been a huge influence in my personal way of living. Na Wahine will only strengthen that.
What does your training program look like?
We are, as a group, paddling 3–4 days a week. As a team, we are training in both the 6 man canoes and one man’s (canoe). We started training in the fall of last year 2016. We knew as a group that we needed to build ourselves up for this race. Everything we have been focusing on has been leading up to the day of Moloka’i. We competed as indivduals to be accepted on the crew, logging all of our on the water work-outs and off the water work-outs. We can all see exactly what each member does by our logs. We have an erg time trail, one man time trials, and circuit intervals that we are responsible for doing and logging each month. Once a month, we do a women’s one-man time trial, and we push each other. On and off the water, these ladies are, hiking, biking, circuit training, paddling, running, and weight training. Each person is logging hours and miles in per week. On an average, the team is doing some sort of workout, 6 days per week. We will be ramping up our water time in the next 10 weeks with more mileage and water changes. As individuals, and a team, we are responsible to keep with the program and to commit to each other.
What will you have to sacrifice in your life to be able to compete and do the race successfully?
Much of my free time with family and friends. Events that I have missed and parties throughout the summer. Luckily my best friends will be with me during my training, so it makes it that much better when we miss things together. I am definitely more tired, and less organized at home but it will all be worth it. I have been invited on many trips this summer, but know that my training is first. I have told all my friends and partner, Na Wahine comes first this year before anything else. If there is time for other things then that is great, but my training is key.
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