Larry Libres Tournament

Kanaha Beach Park, Maui Hawaii  -  August 4th, 2012

Eugene Vierra didn’t poke the biggest tako, but still won the Larry Libres Fishing and Diving Tournament, Saturday at Kanaha Beach Park.

Oana gishing at Kanaha

The 25th annual contest drew 359 tako divers and 334 oama fishermen. Divers and fishermen had an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Divers had to be at the scale by 10:30, while oama fishermen had to be in the measuring line by 9:30.

Vierra arrived at the scale with a big smile on his face at 10:20, ten minutes before weigh-ins stopped. The crowd, that had gathered around the scale cheered, when Vierra pulled his octopus from his dive bag and plopped it on the scale.

Eugene Vierra watches the scale as his winning tako is weighed.

His six-pound, 8-ounce tako was the second biggest in tournament history. Richard Acain’s 2000 winner was 8 pounds, 1-ounce.

After putting his tako back in his bag, Vierra said, “I got it right on the break in three feet of water, straight by white house, third reef. It took me 20 minutes to get back in and I picked up two more coming in.”

The 56-year-old Makawao resident added, “I saw this was the big one, I was happy already. I took my time, this one wasn’t going away.”

Vierra was second last year, seventh in 2010, and sixth in 2008. “It’s about time I came in first,” Vierra said. “I dive here every chance I get, it’s my backyard.”

Vierra would have been runner-up again if Kendall Kealoha would have made it to the scale on time. When Kealoha put his dive bag on the ground in front of the official’s table at 10:37, the scale had already been taken down.

An out-of-breath Kealoha pulled a huge tako out of his bag. Even though his octopus was disqualified for coming in late, contest judges weighed Kealoha’s tako “unofficially”. It would have been the biggest tako ever, weighing in at 9 pounds, 4 ounces.

“It took me a long time coming in,” Kealoha said. “I couldn’t swim fast enough.” Kealoha swam with his floater, three spears, and two other takos besides his near-record catch.

“I was looking for the rescue ski to get a ride in,” Kealoha said. “Look it even bent my spear.”

Stephanie Lee, a Kihei grandmother, was the first to bring her tako to the scale, 55 minutes after the start. Her three-pounder was the leader until Alfred Balberdi, of Kihei, placed his three-pound, 11 ounce tako in the bucket 30 minutes later.

Eight minutes later, Tracy Ventura, of Makawao, dropped a 4-pound, 4-ounce octopus on the scale. Thirty-three more divers weighed their catches and 35 minutes passed before Harry Yoshioka took the lead with a 4-pound, 13 ounce catch.

Twelve minutes later, Vierra, pulled his winner out of the bag.

Divers took advantage of the clean water and light wind. Seventy-four divers weighed in 130 tako.

The fishermen had a little tougher time finding oama. Only 30 fishermen had their catches measured.

Kaylee Yagi, age 4, holding her oama.

Chris Kele, of Kahului, won the 13 & over division with a 13 cm oama. Dylan Gomes, of Makawao, took the 12 & under class with an 11.3 cm catch.

Kanoa Shannon, age 11, with his 2.2 lb. tako.

The free event was sponsored by the Maui Boardsailing Association.

Tako

1.    Eugene Vierra-Makawao, 6 lbs. 8 oz.
2.    Harry Yoshioka-Wailuku, 4 lbs. 13 oz.
3.    Tracy Ventura-Makawao, 4 lbs. 4 oz.
4.    La’akea Day-Makawao, 4 lbs. 3 oz.
5.    Julio Ramos-Haiku, 4 lbs.
6.    Addison Teves-Makawao, 4 lbs.
7.    Glen Santos-Pukalani, 3 lbs. 12 oz.
8.    Alfred Balberdi-Kihei, 3 lbs. 11 oz.
9.    Jeff Chong-Paia, 3 lbs. 10 oz.
10.     Justin Acain-Wailuku, 3 lbs. 7.5 oz.

Oama 12 & under

1.    Dylan Gomes-Makawao, 11.3 cm.
2.    Hanalei Akina-Haiku, 11.1 cm.
3.    A.J. Manuel-Kahului, 10.6 cm.
4.    Kapono Nakamoto-Haiku, 10.6 cm.
5.    Keelan Yagi-Kahului, 10.3 cm.

Oama 13 & over

1.    Chris Kele-Kahului, 13 cm.
2.    Patrick Medeiros-Makawao, 12.5 cm.
3.    Robert Felipe-Wailuku, 11.1 cm.
4.    Lianne Kele-Kula, 11 cm.
5.    Donn Shigeta-Kahului, 10.8 cm.

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Pocho Quitevis poked the biggest tako to win the record-breaking 24^th annual Larry Libres Fishing and Diving Tournament, Saturday at Kanaha Beach Park.

The Libres had a record-breaking 770 total entries beating the 2009 mark of 745. The 445 oama fishermen broke last year’s record of 402 while the 325 divers was the third most in the 24 years of the tournament.

Divers and fishermen had an eight o’clock shotgun start. Oama fishermen had to be off the shoreline at 9:30 while divers had to be at the scale by 10:30 am.

When Quitevis, a 42-year-old Maui County water treatment mechanic from Hailiimaile, brought his four-pound, 11-ounce tako to the scale at 9:45 am, he was visibly tired.

As soon as he bagged his tako, he swam for the shore. “I never knew the time, no more the watch, so I beeline it in,” Quitevis said. “It was tough with the current.”

At the start, Quitevis walked half-way up the upper Kanaha Beach before he entered the water. He said he swam “uphill” and was about 400 yards out when he spotted his winning catch.

“I was just before the breakers,” Quitevis said. “All the rocks were blown out inside the hole. I could see him cruising outside, its’ nice purple head.”

While Quitevis was tired from his swim to the beach, Lei Hayashi was the first to the scale at 8:43 and was exhausted from her fight with her tako. She was the top woman, placing fourth with a three-pound, 15.5 ounce octopus.

The 50-year-old Transportation Security Administator dual screener at Kahului Airport lost her three-prong spear, weight belt, knife, and one glove in a battle with the tako.

“I had to go out where I could see, it was kind of murky inside,” Hayashi said. She found her tako just past the roped-off swim zone in the center of Kanaha.

“I saw a big open hole,” Hayashi said. “I saw him in about 10 feet of water, I said ‘you’re not getting away’.”

“I couldn’t get him bagged, it was beyond my strength. I was fighting it and it took one glove. Thank God for the bullet (floater), it saved me. I was worn out. I yelled, ‘somebody help me’, I couldn’t get him by myself. Somebody named Chad helped me bag him.”

Not only did she lose some diving gear, she was stung on the face by a man-of-war. Hayashi was wearing a full diving suit with a hood. “My face was the only place I’m not covered.”

Another competitor did find her weight belt and knife and returned it to contest officials.

Kurt Nemoto won the oama 13 & over division. The 23-year-old from Wailuku just graduated with a degree in aquaculture from UH-Hilo. His winning catch was 13.6 centimeters. Nemoto had been second in 2005 and 2007.

Kolton Texeira, an Iao School sixth-grader, edged his older brother, Jaden, to win the 12 & under oama. Texeira had a 14.7 oama while older brother Jaden was second with a 14.1 catch.

Oama 12 & Under Winners (Left to Right) Dylan Gomes of Makawao (5th),

Jessica Gebken of Wailuku (4th), A.J. Manuel of Kahului (3rd),

Jaden Texeira of Jula (2nd) and Kolton Texeria of Kula (1st)

The free contest was sponsored by the Maui Boardsailing Association.

Results

Tako

1. Pocho Quitevis, Hailemaile-4 pounds, 11 ounces

2. Eugene Vierra, Makawao-four pounds, two ounces

3. Bryan Amodo, Waiehu-four pounds, one ounce

4. Lei Hayashi, Makawao-three pounds, 15.5 ounces

5. Cory Nomura, Wailuku-three pounds, 15.5 ounces

6. Martin Mortensen, Kahakuloa-three pounds, 11 ounces

7. Julio Ramos, Haiku-three pounds, seven ounces

8. Donald Dudoit, Kahakuloa-three pounds, six ounces

9. Clyde Morimoto, Pukulani-three pounds, five ounces

10.  Richard Acain, Makawao-three pounds, four ounces

Oama 13 & over

1. Kurt Nemoto, Wailuku-13.6 cm

2. Kalalani Kapaku, Wailuku-13.3 cm

3. Junior Carvalho, Makawao-13.3 cm

4. Nathan Bloch, Kula-13.2 cm

5. David Ferreira, Makawao-13.2 cm

Oama 12 & under

1. Kolton Texeira, Kula-14.7 cm

2. Jaden Texeira, Kula-14.1 cm

3. A.J. Manuel, Kahului-13.7 cm

4. Jessica Gebken, Wailuku-13.4 cm

5. Dylan Gomes, Makawao-13.1 cm