Robot swarms neutralize harmful Byzantine robots using a blockchain-based token economy

Dr. Volker Strobel, postdoctoral researcher; Prof. Marco Dorigo, research director of the F.R.S.-FNRS; and Alexandre Pacheco, doctoral student. The researchers from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Credit: IRIDIA, Université Libre de Bruxelles

In a new study, we demonstrate the potential of blockchain technology, known from cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, to secure the coordination of robot swarms. In experiments conducted with both real and simulated robots, we show how blockchain technology enables a robot swarm to neutralize harmful robots without human intervention, thus enabling the deployment of autonomous and safe robot swarms.

Robot swarms are multi-robot systems that consist of many robots that collaborate in order to perform a task. They do not need a central control unit but the collective behavior of the swarm is rather a result of local interactions among robots. Thanks to this decentralization, robot swarms can work independently of external infrastructure, such as the Internet. This makes them particularly suitable for applications in a wide range of different environments such as underground, underwater, at sea, and in space.

Even though current swarm robotics applications are exclusively demonstrated in research environments, experts anticipate that in the non-distant future, robot swarms will support us in our everyday life. Robot swarms might perform environmental monitoring, underwater exploration, infrastructure inspection, and waste management—and thus make significant contributions to the transition into a fossil-free future with low pollution and high quality of life. In some of these activities, robot swarms will even outperform humans, leading to higher-quality results while ensuring our safety.

Once robot swarms are deployed in the real world, however, it is very likely that some robots in a swarm will break down (for example, due to harsh weather conditions) or might even be hacked. Such robots will not behave as intended and are called “Byzantine” robots. Recent research has shown that the actions of a very small minority of such Byzantine robots in a swarm can—similar to a virus—spread in the swarm and thus break down the whole system. Although security issues are crucial for the real-world deployment of robot swarms, security research in swarm robotics is lacking behind.

In Internet networks, Byzantine users such as hackers, have been successfully prevented from manipulating information by using blockchain technology. Blockchain technology is the technology behind Bitcoin: it enables users to agree on `who owns what’ without requiring a trusted third party such as a bank. Originally, blockchain technology was only meant to exchange units of a digital currency, such as Bitcoin. However, some years after Bitcoin’s release, blockchain-based smart contracts were introduced by the Ethereum framework: these smart contracts are programming code executed in a blockchain network. As no one can manipulate or stop this code, smart contracts enable “code is law”: contracts are automatically executed and do not need a trusted third party, such as a court, to be enforced.

So far, it was not clear whether large robot swarms could be controlled using blockchain and smart contracts. To address this open question, we presented a comprehensive study with both real and simulated robots in a collective-sensing scenario: the goal of the robot swarm is to provide an estimate of an environmental feature. To do so the robots need to sample the environment and then agree on the feature value. In our experiments, each robot is a member of a blockchain network maintained by the robots themselves. The robots send their estimates of environmental features to a smart contract that is shared by all the robots in the swarm. These estimates are aggregated by the smart contract that uses them to generate the requested estimate of the environmental feature. In this smart contract, we implemented economic mechanisms that ensure that good (non-Byzantine) robots are rewarded for sending useful information, whereas harmful Byzantine robots are penalized. The resulting robot economy prevents the Byzantine robots from participating in the swarm activities and influencing the swarm behavior.

Adding a blockchain to a robot swarm increases the robots’ computational requirements, such as CPU, RAM, and disk space usage. In fact, it was an open question whether running blockchain software on real robot swarms was possible at all. Our experiments have demonstrated that this is indeed possible as the computational requirements are manageable: the additional CPU, RAM, and disk space usage have a minor impact on the robot performance. This successful integration of blockchain technology into robot swarms paves the way for a wide range of secure robotic applications. To favor these future developments, we have released our software frameworks as open-source.

Posted 26 Jul 2023 22:31 by | News | 1 comment

Chiefs DT Chris Jones not present at training camp, per source: How concerning is this? – The Athletic

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is in the final year of his four-year, $80 million contract, did not report to training camp Saturday, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

What Jones’ new deal could look like

Earlier this offseason, Jones expressed his desire to play his entire career with the Chiefs. This time, such an extension could be a three- or four-year deal, according to multiple league sources. Throughout this offseason, Jones, according to a league source, has said he wants an extension that will make him at least the second-highest-paid player at his position. Jones’ holdout should accelerate negotiations between both parties. The Chiefs will not have any padded practices until late this month, so Jones will not miss much in the first week of the team’s ramping-up period. — Taylor

How concerning is this?

The concern for the Chiefs is if Jones misses one or multiple preseason games. Jones has spent this summer training in Miami with Pete Bommarito, his longtime trainer. Earlier this month, Jones praised the Chiefs, including general manager Brett Veach, while attending the ESPY Awards alongside Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Isiah Pacheco. — Taylor

What Jones said

“I’m thankful for the Kansas City Chiefs organization, Brett Veach, coach Andy Reid. I was put in a remarkable situation to play with these guys behind me,” Jones said while accepting the ESPY for Best Team alongside Mahomes, Kelce and Pacheco. “They score all the points. I just go sack the quarterback. My job is easy. I’m very fortunate to be in this.”

(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)

Posted 26 Jul 2023 21:31 by | News | No comments

Lanikai claims fifth straight OHCRA title | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

While the collective field of outrigger canoe clubs was climbing the proverbial stairs to top the Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association ranks, Lanikai Canoe Club took the express elevator headed to the penthouse.

Three-time defending Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association state champion Lanikai continued its undefeated run through the summer sprint season and notched its fifth consecutive AAA division (31-45 crews entered) title on Sunday at the OHCRA Championship regatta at Keehi Lagoon.

Prior to the regatta, Lanikai coach and veteran paddler Scott Freitas said that the season resembled a steady climb, and that he pressed his club to “ride the elevator all the way to the top” as they pursued the “Drive for Five” championship streak with an eye on a fourth state title to cap the summer sprint season.

Lanikai completed the sweep of all six official OHCRA regattas this summer and has now won 30 straight OHCRA competitions dating back to 2017. The green-and-white clad club tallied 226 points on a regatta-best 23 victories in the large-club division to top Hui Nalu (130 points), Kailua (127 points), Keahiakahoe (109 points) and Outrigger (97 points).

Through the first 22 races, Lanikai posted 96 points and established a sizable advantage over Hui Nalu (59), Kailua (58), Outrigger and Keahiakahoe (56 points apiece) thanks in large part to eight early victories, including a streak of seven straight during that span. Lanikai then blitzed through the open adult races, winning six straight contests capped by victories in the senior women’s and men’s races to cap undefeated seasons in those marquee events and put the club ahead by nearly 50 points.

“Every week you face a different set of conditions, so it’s great to finish undefeated going into states and help the club with the overall goal of winning the championship,” said Lanikai paddler Dana Yaross after helping power Lanikai’s senior women to victory. Building on the metaphor of riding the elevator to the top, “You want to make sure all the mechanisms are working and keep tabs on them so you end up where you want to be at the end. You always need to have a backup plan and be able to swap in someone on a crew if something happens.”

Lanikai’s undefeated senior women’s crew also featured Joey Foti, Kamalani Freitas, Aulani Hall, Carolyn Seto-Mook and Laura Young and finished the 11⁄2-mile event in 13 minutes, 40.54 seconds to beat Outrigger (14:05.33) and Hui Nalu (14:08.49).

Lanikai’s unbeaten senior men’s crew included Matt Crowley, Paie Moehau, Aaron Norris, Raven Pokini, Igor Sobreira and Karel Trasnak Jr. The veteran squad flew through the five-turn, 11⁄2-mile race in 11:26.52 and topped Outrigger (12:00.86) and Hui Nalu (12:09.40)

Lanikai also saw its boys 18 (Abhi Erukulapati, Luc Lambert, Shay Able, William Cruz, Spencer Niemann and Reece Ventura), men’s sophomore (Kahele Anderson, Ryan Dolan, Alakai Freitas, Jordan Gomes, Pokini and Crowley), girls 18 (Kule‘a Bruhn, Kawena Harbottle, Jenna Jaffe, Peaches Kay, Tabitha Mansell and Alohilani Morris), women’s novice B (Tracy Buscher, Aimee Durrant, Mel Hurwitz, Lana Kingham, Ninya Ybarra and Taylor Young) and women’s masters 60 (Lisa Barney, Melanie Bailey, Susan Butterbaugh, Cindi Chess, Barrie Morgan and Kelly Smith) crews complete undefeated seasons.

Additional crews that wrapped up undefeated OHCRA seasons were Hui Nalu’s women’s masters 70 (Lurline McGregor, Lita Blankenfeld, Mary Fern, Dayna Owskey, Katie Scott and Christie Gibson) and Kailua’s women’s masters 65 (Cindy Cobb-Adams, Linda Fernandez, Vivian Griffin, Lois Hewlett, Carleen Ornellas and Sandy Scafe-Kalama).

Leeward Kai (57 points) captured the AA division (16-30 crews entered) ahead of Waikiki Surf Club (50 points) and Healani (43 points).

Hui Lanakila (27 points) took gold in the A division (1-15 crews entered) in a close battle with New Hope (24 points), Kai Oni (17 points), Koa Kai (16 points) and Waimanalo (13 points).

More than 3,000 competitors ranging in age from 12-and-under to 70-and-above represented OHCRA’s 18 member clubs in 44 races spanning a quarter mile to 11⁄2 miles. Paddlers braved the near-90-degree heat and enjoyed steady trade wind breezes that picked up in the afternoon.

Winning crews earned 7 points toward the team standings, while second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers were awarded 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points, respectively. The top four crews from each OHCRA event based on cumulative point standings earned automatic berths in the HCRA State Championship Regatta on Aug. 5 at Hilo Bay.

“The goal is to reach the penthouse, and we’re still ascending,” Freitas said moments after steering Lanikai’s men’s 55 crew to victory. “There are sacrifices that needed to be made here at the Oahu Championships to make sure we finish in the top two seeds in as many races as possible; the main goal is waiting for us two weeks from now in Hilo Bay. Now it’s time to fine tune and get our crews ready for states.”

Hui Nalu Canoe Club 44 130

Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 34 109

Outrigger Canoe Club 37 97

Leeward Kai Canoe Club 27 57

Healani Canoe Club 19 43

Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 13 27

New Hope Canoe Club 15 24

Kai Oni Canoe Club 13 17

Koa Kai Canoe Club 11 16

Anuenue Canoe Club 4 8

Makaha Canoe Club 12 4

Ewa Pu`uloa Outrigger 7 2

Keola O Ke Kai Canoe Club 6 2

Honolulu Pearl Canoe Club 6 0

Individual Results

Special Event

Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:31.47; Makaha Canoe Club 2:39.26; Kailua Canoe Club 2:48.21; Lanikai Canoe Club 2:48.78; Waikiki Surf Club 3:08.81

Girls 12 & Under

1. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:19.43 (Naomi Alama, Ilena Hoohuli, Raeliya Kauhane, Rhylee Keli’i-Makinano, Kupeehina Mcginn, Pumehana Puaoi-Perry); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:20.92; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 2:25.07; 4. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:25.58; 5. New Hope Canoe Club 2:28.96

Boys 12 & Under

1. Kailua Canoe Club 2:08.60 (Campbell Bagood, Isaac Berryman, Banyan Dye, Ash Kubo, Talon Moya, Kamauliola Nowaczyk); 2. Waikiki Surf Club 2:11.69; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:12.05; 4. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:17.73; 5. Makaha Canoe Club 2:27.20

Mixed Boys And Girls 12

1. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:23.44 (Zerahiah Duseigneur, Ezell Fernandez-Aweau, Ezekiel Kelii-Freimark, Ka’upena Keopuhiwa, Leihua Puaoi-Channels, Kaleilehua Victor); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:24.65; 3. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:31.66; 4. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:36.51; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 2:43.85

Girls 13 & Under

1. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:19.33 (Kaha’i Brown, Nina Kjonegaard, Kamala Rodrigues, Maia Stefanov, Callie Thompson, Nysa Yamasato); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 2:19.67; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:20.58; 4. Kailua Canoe Club 2:24.61; 5. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:25.29

Boys 13 & Under

1. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:04.93 (Riley Ching-Pickett, Caleb Demello, Nalu Hillen, Kana Hillen, Ka’aua Kenui, Kala Resurrection); 2. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:05.93; 3. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:06.62; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:07.43; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 2:09.19

Girls 14 & Under

1. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:13.40 (Shore Hong, Teiana Keliihoomalu, Kameaaloha Kenui, Mala’e Martinez-Peapealalo, Hiialo Tom-Aiu, Kyra Ward); 2. Waikiki Surf Club 2:17.75; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:19.05; 4. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:19.45; 5. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:24.74

Boys 14 & Under

1. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:00.65 (Kanalu Faufata, Jonah Gora-Aina, Nalu Hillen, Keahi Kaowili-Saniatan, Kingston Lee-Caballes, Ezekiel Wong); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:05.19; 3. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:05.74; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:09.30; 5. Waikiki Surf Club 2:10.65

Open Keiki

Outrigger Canoe Club 2:24.78; Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:29.38; Leeward Kai Canoe Club 2:38.44; Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 2:43.65; Waikiki Surf Club 2:45.78

Women Novice B

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:10.35 (Tracy Buscher, Aimee Durrant, Mel Hurwitz, Lana Kinghan, Ninya Ybarra, Taylor Young); 2. Koa Kai Canoe Club 2:17.72; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 2:18.86; 4. Healani Canoe Club 2:26.94; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 2:28.18

Mixed Novice B

1. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 2:03.01 (Zoe Curley, Josh Drury, Kevin Kaio, Michelle Leung, Mel Parker, Wink Winkenhower); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 2:10.39; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 2:10.98; 4. Kailua Canoe Club 2:13.18; 5. Waikiki Surf Club 2:13.75

Men Novice B

1. Kailua Canoe Club 3:57.78 (Henry Bley-Vroman, Derek Ferguson, Devin Frisch, Samuel Goldenbaum, Grant Ruddick, Eric Stallman); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:00.74; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:02.89; 4. Kai Oni Canoe Club 4:03.26; 5. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:06.45

Girls 15 & Under

1. Waikiki Surf Club 4:44.35 (Mahie Kaleleiki, Anuhea Kealoha, Laule’a Meyer, Fay Nuuhiwa, Lilinoe Wilson, Gweneth Yoshimura); 2. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:47.37; 3. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:53.31; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:55.80; 5. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 5:01.59

Boys 15 & Under

1. Kailua Canoe Club 4:06.95 (Logan Bergevin, Oscar Dawrs, Kaimana Fake, Benjamin O’connor, Nakoa Palmer, Kala’i Watanabe); 2. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:18.90; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:23.95; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:24.50; 5. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:24.84

Girls 16 & Under

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:41.24 (Nanea Harbottle, Alexis Heyer, Peaches Kay, Keona Klutz, Alohilani Morris, Naomi Wong); 2. Waikiki Surf Club 4:54.01; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 5:15.28; 4. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 5:17.85; 5. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 5:23.17

Boys 16 & Under

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:01.03 (Rain Ahlgren, Castle Foti, Jaemon Foti, Zayn Khan, Carter Tseu, Jack Zinsius); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 4:06.84; 3. Koa Kai Canoe Club 4:14.09; 4. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 4:15.24; 5. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:16.63

Girls 18 & Under

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:32.62 (Kule’a Bruhn, Kawena Harbottle, Jenna Jaffe, Peaches Kay, Tabitha Mansell, Alohilani Morris); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:42.26; 3. Waikiki Surf Club 4:44.21; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:44.74; 5. Healani Canoe Club 4:58.81

Boys 18 & Under

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:50.24 (Shay Able, William Cruz, Abhi Erukulapati, Luc Lambert, Spencer Niemann, Reece Ventura); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:01.17; 3. Kailua Canoe Club 4:07.42; 4. Kai Oni Canoe Club 4:07.76; 5. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:08.75

Mixed Boys And Girls 18

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:13.29 (Madison Driscoll, Taylor Inouye, Quinlan Pharaon, Tristan Rizzo-Murray, Stryker Scales, Ava Voss); 2. Healani Canoe Club 4:23.16; 3. Waimanalo Canoe Club 4:33.17; 4. New Hope Canoe Club 4:35.48; 5. Keola O Ke Kai Canoe Club 4:44.14

Women Novice A

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:25.08 (Kelsey Lawley, Michelle Nelson, Bettina Ngweno, Tori Rooks, Valentina Trejos, Shea Van Klompenberg); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:27.57; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:27.84; 4. Kai Oni Canoe Club 4:34.23; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 4:41.69

Men Novice A

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:50.44 (Andrew Chen, Nick De La Mare, Todd Lewis, Kaena Place, Chad Thompson, Wailani Wong); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 3:51.21; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 3:53.19; 4. New Hope Canoe Club 4:00.17; 5. Waikiki Surf Club 4:04.29

Women Freshmen

1. Kailua Canoe Club 4:27.32 (Sydney Budde, Jessica Deery, Sarah Emerson, Jojo Lee, Ginger Lockette, Maile Villablanca); 2. Waikiki Surf Club 4:28.38; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:34.81; 4. Healani Canoe Club 4:40.36; 5. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:46.31

Men Freshmen

1. Outrigger Canoe Club 3:37.77 (Harrison Deisroth, Nathan Loyola, Billy Pratt, Bobby Pratt Jr, Jesse Solis, Kamealoha Wilson); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 3:39.47; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 3:40.43; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 3:45.82; 5. Healani Canoe Club 3:51.39

Women Sophomore

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:27.41 (Tina Craveiro, Kamalani Freitas, Lauren Gaeta, Rachel Harbottle, April Nakayama, Carolyn Seto-Mook); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:32.80; 3. Kailua Canoe Club 4:39.62; 4. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:48.21; 5. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 4:49.61

Men Sophomore

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:39.42 (Kahele Anderson, Matt Crowley, Ryan Dolan, Alakai Freitas, Jordan Gomes, Raven Pokini); 2. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 3:46.03; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 3:50.24; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 3:51.43; 5. Healani Canoe Club 3:58.77

Women Junior

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 9:21.44 (Kealohi Bruhn, Lauren Gaeta, Aulani Hall, Rachel Harbottle, Kristen Kauhane, April Nakayama); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 9:55.41; 3. Kailua Canoe Club 10:03.46; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 10:06.83; 5. Healani Canoe Club 10:23.44

Men Junior

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 7:48.27 (Ryan Dolan, Alakai Freitas, Jordan Gomes, Aaron Norris, Justin Soares, Igor Sobreira); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 8:27.33; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 8:29.02; 4. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 8:29.92; 5. Healani Canoe Club 8:38.50

Women Senior

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 13:40.54 (Joey Foti, Kamalani Freitas, Aulani Hall, Carolyn Seto-Mook, Dana Yaross, Laura Young); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 14:05.33; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 14:08.49; 4. Healani Canoe Club 14:30.52; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 14:40.46

Men Senior

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 11:26.52 (Matt Crowley, Paie Moehau, Aaron Norris, Raven Pokini, Igor Sobreira, Karel Tresnak Jr.); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 12:00.86; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 12:09.40; 4. Healani Canoe Club 12:32.37; 5. Kailua Canoe Club 12:35.63

Women Master (70)

1. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 5:16.49 (Lita Blankenfeld, Mary Fern, Christie Gibson, Lurline Mcgregor, Dayna Owskey, Katie Scott); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 5:33.04; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 5:33.59; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 6:23.84; 5. New Hope Canoe Club 6:37.18

Men Master (70)

1. Waimanalo Canoe Club 4:31.28 (Harold Akeo, Cam Cavasso, Glen Fujihara, Kapena Kim, Cormac O’carroll, Christian Smith); 2. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:36.42; 3. Anuenue Canoe Club 5:15.27; 4. New Hope Canoe Club 5:34.69

Women Masters (65)

1. Kailua Canoe Club 5:05.11 (Cindy Cobb-Adams, Linda Fernandez, Vivian Griffin, Lois Hewlett, Carleen Ornellas, Sandy Scafe-Kalama); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 5:09.35; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 5:10.30; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 5:16.12; 5. Kai Oni Canoe Club 5:42.47

Men Masters (65)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:18.01 (Sam Alama, Ron Barron, Carl Evensen, Gordon Hanson, Benny Quitevis, Guy Wilding); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 4:19.31; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:22.39

Woman Masters (60)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:39.27 (Melanie Bailey, Lisa Barney, Susan Butterbaugh, Cindi Chess, Barrie Morgan, Kelly Smith); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:51.21; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:59.24; 4. Kailua Canoe Club 5:19.70; 5. Anuenue Canoe Club 5:48.90

Men Masters (60)

1. Kailua Canoe Club 4:01.78 (Patrick Aweau, Bruce Campbell, Rob Cates, Mark Miller, Toby Morris, Michael Willett); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:14.16; 3. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:17.93; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:21.87

Women Masters (55)

1. Waikiki Surf Club 4:40.91 (Heather Cottrell, Richline Fong, Gail Grabowsky, Melvea Hardy, Deneen Mcnicoll, Nikki Queyrel); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 4:57.70; 3. Lanikai Canoe Club 5:04.61; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 5:05.53; 5. New Hope Canoe Club 5:20.00

Men Masters (55)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:55.68 (Raven Aipa, Jeff Cummings, Scott Freitas, Michael Hall, Kanai Kauhane, Dano Newbill); 2. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:02.36; 3. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:14.68; 4. Kailua Canoe Club 4:23.31; 5. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:25.31

Women Masters (50)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:23.81 (Karen Bond, Robin Cooper, Jennifer Fisher, Ke’ani Hardy, Pauahi Ioane, Ingrid Seiple); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 4:47.54; 3. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 4:52.62; 4. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:55.83; 5. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 5:04.31

Men Masters (50)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:43.75 (Kale Barney, Jason Bellefeuille, Kekoa Bruhn, Kawika Crivello, David Daniels, Jim Foti); 2. Kailua Canoe Club 3:50.02; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:01.21; 4. New Hope Canoe Club 4:27.20; 5. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:42.66

Women Masters (40)

1. Healani Canoe Club 4:25.29 (Kelly Allen, Violet Carrillo, Dondi Dawson, Alexia Lopez-Savage, Celeste Paiaina, Allison Sokei); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:26.40; 3. Kailua Canoe Club 4:58.18; 4. Koa Kai Canoe Club 5:28.67; 5. Ewa Pu`Uloa Outrigger 5:29.05

Men Masters (40)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:45.24 (Ka’ai Bruhn, Aaron Creps, Paie Moehau, Andy Penny, Mike Pharaon, Karel Tresnak Jr.); 2. Healani Canoe Club 3:51.48; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 3:55.35; 4. Kailua Canoe Club 4:11.82; 5. Anuenue Canoe Club 4:16.31

Women Open Four

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:54.97 (Kelly Aylward, Kilali Gibson, Kulia Pacheco-Boerstler, Heather Patinos); 2. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 5:08.31; 3. Kailua Canoe Club 5:10.85; 4. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 5:13.38; 5. Outrigger Canoe Club 5:14.79

Men Open Four

1. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:10.83 (Chad Dunhour, Jace Faufata, Ty Fu, Kamu Lau); 2. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:14.68; 3. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 4:17.03; 4. Outrigger Canoe Club 4:20.95; 5. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 4:31.43

Mixed Masters (55)

1. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:23.81 (Joe Kanana, Sam Keliihoomalu, Ricci Keltz, Cindy Knapman, Louie Mendonca, Karen Spellmeyer); 2. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:30.49; 3. Hui Nalu Canoe Club 4:33.33; 4. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 4:36.21; 5. New Hope Canoe Club 4:43.31

Mixed Masters (40)

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 4:04.53 (Ethan Creps, Brett Fillmore, Amber Kuhlmann, Lydia Hoku Mertyris, Jill Radke, James Ruvio); 2. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 4:09.59; 3. Hui Lanakila Canoe Club 4:12.66; 4. Healani Canoe Club 4:15.04; 5. Waikiki Surf Club 4:26.39

Mixed Men And Women

1. Lanikai Canoe Club 3:57.10 (Steve Condon, Evy Lopez, Elise Martin, Tristan Pokini, Michelle Resende, Nick Whitcomb); 2. Leeward Kai Canoe Club 4:00.24; 3. Kai Oni Canoe Club 4:03.38; 4. Keahiakahoe Canoe Club 4:10.49; 5. Koa Kai Canoe Club 4:16.97

Posted 26 Jul 2023 20:31 by | News | 2 comments

Where does Clyde Edwards-Helaire fit into the Chiefs’ offense? – ESPN – Kansas City Chiefs Blog- ESPN

Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff WriterJul 19, 2023, 06:00 AM ET
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was like old times for Clyde Edwards-Helaire during most of offseason practice for the Kansas City Chiefs. He took his place as the starting running back just as he had for much of the time since the Chiefs drafted him in the first round in 2020.

It was easy to think nothing had changed for Edwards-Helaire, but plenty is different. He lost his starting job last year to rookie Isiah Pacheco even before he suffered a high-ankle sprain that kept him out of the lineup for half of the season.

He was inactive for the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles even after being activated off the injured reserve list. The Chiefs this spring then declined to exercise their fifth-year option on his contract, meaning he could well be headed into his final season with the team.

Edwards-Helaire was working with the starters in the offseason only because Pacheco was rehabbing after having surgery and another running back, Jerick McKinnon, was not participating.

Once Pacheco and McKinnon are back at training camp, Edwards-Helaire is looking at being no better than third on the depth chart. Edwards-Helaire said shortly before the Chiefs wrapped up offseason practice that he will worry about his future later.

For now, he will concentrate on being a more consistent producer than he was in his first three NFL seasons.

“I can’t think two years ahead from now or the position I will be in 12 months from now,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It was really coming in and figuring out and seeing the things I can work on and from that point on rolling with it.

“I know what I have to do in order to get on the field and do the things I need to do this year.”

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One thing for Edwards-Helaire is to stay healthy. Each of his three seasons were interrupted by an injury that caused him to miss at least three games.

Even when he was in the lineup, Edwards-Helaire wasn’t as productive as the Chiefs hoped he would be when he was drafted. He led the Chiefs in rushing as a rookie with 803 yards, but was second with 517 yards behind Darrel Williams in 2021 and third with 302 yards behind Pacheco and quarterback Patrick Mahomes last season.

He also had little impact as a receiver, catching 72 passes over the three seasons.

Edwards-Helaire appeared frustrated with all of last season’s developments. He skipped the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade, though he said that was because he had a prior commitment.

“I wouldn’t say it was a roller coaster,” Edwards-Helaire said. “I wouldn’t even say it was some of the hardest things [to go through]. You go through something, you figure it out.

“You kind of [focus] in on what you need to focus on and you go at that. You can’t really shoot for the stars if you’re not aiming for the things to get to the stars. You’ve got to get through some planets and some other things in order to get to where you want to go. [There were] some trials and tribulations throughout that time but I was never down and out.”

Running backs coach Todd Pinkston acknowledged Edwards-Helaire had been bothered by last season’s developments but said he put that behind when offseason work started.

“His mindframe is totally different,” Pinkston said. “I told him to press the reset button and start from scratch and we can go from there.”

Without Pacheco injured and McKinnon not practicing in a nod to his advanced age for a running back (31), the Chiefs had little choice but to get Edwards-Helaire plenty of work. Their other running backs are Deneric Prince, an undrafted rookie, and La’Mical Perine, who joined the Chiefs’ practice squad last season during the playoffs.

“It was great for him to get all the reps that he did,” coach Andy Reid said. “He did a nice job with it. Obviously he’s talented.”

Edwards-Helaire spent time after the Super Bowl working with two of his assistant coaches in college at LSU, former NFL running back Kevin Faulk and Tommie Robinson. The goal was to get him back to the player he was at LSU.

“We worked on some of the things we did in college,” said Edwards-Helaire. “Those are the guys who know me best. They watched who I was in college, figured out who I was throughout that time. They watched me in high school because they were the guys recruiting me. They kind of gave me pinpoints here and there and then we figured it out and worked on it.”

When Pacheco and McKinnon return to practice, there may not be much time available for Edwards-Helaire. Pacheco and McKinnon were important players for the Chiefs last season.

But the Chiefs have had to dig deep into their depth chart at running back because of injuries the past several seasons. If this one is anything like those, Edwards-Helaire could wind up playing a lot.

“We’re going to need that three-, four-headed monster,” he said. “It’s a 17-game season.”

Posted 26 Jul 2023 19:31 by | News | No comments

Sacramento Snapshot: Republicans score rare win on child trafficking bill ahead of summer break – Orange County Register

Editor’s note: Sacramento Snapshot is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County’s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on — from committee work to bill passages and more.

The California Legislature couldn’t start its month-long summer break without a little drama.

Or rather, a lot.

At issue was a bill meant to make child trafficking a serious felony, with increased sentences for repeat offenders, that had previously gotten unanimous, bipartisan support in the Senate. It would make sex trafficking of minors a crime included under California’s “Three Strikes” sentencing law, which means if a person is convicted of a third serious or violent offense, they will face between 25 years to life in prison.

The idea, supporters say, is to deter potential traffickers with these harsher penalties.

“This is an important issue, and I’m glad to see it moving forward,” said Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, who is a co-sponsor of the bill. “There’s an ongoing debate on striking the right balance between criminal justice reform and sentencing, but this is a different issue. We need to ensure traffickers are prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and I’m gratified to see that cooler heads prevailed on the Assembly side.”

From Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, the bill has broad support with Sens. Newman; Janet Nguyen, R-Huntington Beach; and Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta signed on as co-sponsors. The city of San Juan Capistrano gave its support for the bill as have all of Orange County’s Republican assemblymembers.

Where it didn’t have support, at least initially: the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

On Tuesday, only Republicans voted it out of committee. The six Democrats, including chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, abstained from voting, essentially killing the bill before Friday’s deadline for it to make it out of policy committees.

It’s no secret that public safety committees in the California Legislature are considered “cemeteries” for bills that either create new crimes, enhance existing crimes or result in more incarceration — look no further than what happened with fentanyl legislation this year. And those opposed to the bill, like the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, argue the Three Strikes policy doesn’t actually act as a deterrent and is disproportionately applied to Black, Latino or Indigenous people.

But on Thursday — after Jones-Sawyer said he met with Grove and after Gov. Gavin Newsom and brand-new Speaker Robert Rivas signaled their support for the bill — he called for his committee to meet again where this time legislators advanced the bill.

Human trafficking is a sick crime. We must do more to protect vulnerable people, especially kids.

It’s great to see SB 14 making progress and we look forward to working with the Legislature on this.

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) July 13, 2023

That doesn’t mean it’s a slam-dunk to the finish line for the bill, however. Next up is the Assembly Appropriations Committee, scheduled to hear it in mid to late August, according to Grove’s office, and Jones-Sawyer says he wants to see tweaks. According to the Associated Press, he wants to shore up protections for victims and ensure the bill won’t disproportionately affect people of color.

“Human trafficking is a serious crime,” Jones-Sawyer said on social media. “But SB 14 needs to be fixed. It could charge trafficking victims and children with a felony. We are going to improve this bill and provide justice for victims.”

Still, it was a rare victory for Republicans in a supermajority as legislators head into the month break.

“This momentous achievement represents a resounding victory for Republican legislators, with Senator Shannon Grove being a tireless champion in the fight against human trafficking,” said Nguyen, the minority caucus chair. “This milestone underscores our shared commitment to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our communities.”

Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, vowed to back the bill in the Appropriations Committee. “It is our job as lawmakers to ensure the most vulnerable members of our community are protected against predators and criminals,” she said.

The legislature will be back in session on Aug. 14.

In other news

• A contentious bill meant to increase fast food franchisors’ legal accountability for compliance with health and safety standards was put on pause this week. Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, is seeking a rules change to hold a special hearing on it later this year, in August or September, he said. The idea, he says, is for both sides to come to an agreement on the issue.

“I do believe that franchisors do bear responsibility in this issue when they are made aware of repeat labor violations at their franchises,” Umberg said from the dais. “Therefore, they would be well-served to negotiate in good faith. We’ll be continuing to work with both sides on this issue in the weeks to come and will keep members informed of progress.”

• Newsom signed several bills last week, including an effort from Democratic Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, whose district includes La Habra, that clarifies just when attorneys fees and costs as a sanction can be imposed.

He also signed legislation from Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, to give survivors of abuse greater opportunity to request evidence in their cases. It increases the time for victims of sexual assault, stalking and other similar crimes to request documents like photos of injuries or property damage and 911 recordings from two years to five. The bill also allows victims to request this evidence, in addition to incident reports, without a fee.

“Until now, (domestic violence) survivors have had to pay for the evidence they need to seek legal protections from their abusers, often at exorbitant costs they cannot afford,” said Min. “In the digital era, where storing and accessing digital records is inexpensive, it is outrageous that we continue to propagate this unnecessary barrier to the safety of survivors.”

The bill caught the attention of actress Angelina Jolie, who said: “Beyond the government’s decision of whether to criminally charge and prosecute crimes, abuse survivors need records of the abuse they or their children experienced to advocate for health and trauma care and for safety protections in legal realms, including in family court systems.”

• The lower chamber passed Assemblymember Tri Ta’s bill to dedicate a portion of the 405 Freeway from Bolsa Chica Road to Magnolia Street as the “Little Saigon Freeway.” The Westminster Republican’s resolution is to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Little Saigon.

Posted 26 Jul 2023 18:31 by | News | 1 comment

Monday Rockpile: The Pitching Woes Continue (plus Pebble Report)

Colorado Rockies v Pittsburgh Pirates
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Colorado Rockies news and links for Monday, July 17, 2023

The Colorado Rockies got to have one nice thing this season when Elias Díaz became not only the first catcher from the organization to make the All-Star, but the first Colorado player to take home MVP honors in the mid-summer classic.

Then someone apparently drank Jobu’s rum…again.

Bad news for RHP Antonio Senzatela.

After a setback in SF last weekend, he will require Tommy John surgery, according to Rockies manager Bud Black.

— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) July 14, 2023

Before the first game after the break got underway, a slew of news broke regarding the Rockies’ pitching throughout the organization. Antonio Senzatela is now set to have Tommy John surgery despite sitting out the past two months since injuring his UCL in May in hopes that he could avoid going under the knife.

But it didn’t end there as the news on the minor league front also included LHP Ryan Rolison — who hasn’t pitched since re-injuring his shoulder at the beginning of June — moving to the 60-day IL and Double-A Hartford announcing that last year’s first round selection Gabriel Hughes was placed on the injured list with what is initially rumored to be an injury to his throwing arm.

There was some silver-lining in the news pipeline as Kyle Freeland spoke about his injury suffered in San Francisco before the break, saying the imaging revealed a “best-case scenario” of no structural damage. But he is still headed to the IL with no immediate time frame for his return.

Giving credit where it’s due, the recent series against the New York Yankees was certainly a successful stint for the rotation. Although Connor Seabold suffered in the rubber game, Austin Gomber gave up two runs in the first inning of his outing before blanking New York for the next five frames while Chase Anderson delivered five scoreless innings in a wild walk-off series clincher on Sunday.

Gomber has certainly been throwing well in his last six starts with a 3.82 ERA over 35 ⅓ IP with a greatly diminished 2.1% walk-rate. But he also relies heavily on getting outs through contact – indicated by his subpar 15% K-rate – and has been no stranger to catastrophic outings this year, leading to a 6.19 ERA. Anderson, meanwhile, pitched admirably in his first six starts with the Rockies after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays organization. But he fell flat in his final four starts before the All-Star break with 27 runs surrendered in just 13 ⅓ IP before righting the ship against the Yankees.

Those two, at least until Freeland returns, are the backbone of the rotation.

The injuries have piled up, and it is an unfortunate break for the franchise. One that many teams around the league have experienced themselves. Some prepare for pitching disaster better than others and it’s very apparent the Rockies fall into the latter category.

The organization has already been without Senzatela, Ryan Feltner and staff-ace Germán Márquez for much of the season, so surviving the present has been a reality for some time now. But with Senzatela joining Márquez as officially out for the year, Feltner out indefinitely recovering from injuries sustained from a line-drive to the head and Freeland on the mend, the situation in the rotation for the final 68 games of the season is looking dire.

The club has already used an alarming 13 different starting pitchers this season, showing the depth from the minor league ranks has already been utilized to patch the existing holes and what remains has either proven ineffective (Karl Kauffmann), untested (Jeff Criswell) or injured (Rolison). Beyond that, far-fetched options worth consideration from Double-A like Hughes or Joe Rock have gone through injury themselves and cannot have their development expedited for the sake of the current big-league pitching situation.

That leaves the Rockies leaning on their thin artillery of starting pitching depth and likely scouring the waiver wire through the end of the season. Maybe an arm or two can be thrown into the mix at the trade deadline, but history tells us that is not the wisest bet to make. As it stands, the club looks to have considerable instability to endure as it plays out the string of the 2023 season.

★ ★ ★

Walk-off blast gives Trejo a story he’ll tell for a lifetime |

Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees was a roller-coaster victory for the Rockies. C.J. Cron’s eighth inning grand slam and Nolan Jones’ game-tying two-run homer in the 10th set the table for Alan Trejo’s biggest moment as a big-leaguer with a walk-off solo home run in the 11th.

Rockies Journal: DJ LeMahieu’s return with Yankees reminds us what should have been | The Denver Post ($)

To commemorate his first game at Coors Field since 2018, Patrick Saunders recounts LeMahieu’s time with the Rockies and his departure marking the end of the last competitive era for the organization. LeMahieu left the Rockies as a free agent after the 2018 season for the New York Yankees on a two-year $24MM contract.

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Pebble Report: July 10-16, 2023

It was a light week for the farm system as each level held their respective All-Star breaks. The big news of the week regarded Jordan Beck (No. 9 PuRP), who was promoted to Double-A Hartford for the second-half of the season.

The University of Tennessee product had a tremendous start to his first full-season, hitting 20 HR and posting a .944 OPS in 76 games with the High-A Spokane Indians. His abbreviated first series at the next level was not overly-impressive, however if he can show well at Double-A in the rest of 2023 he could find himself on a fast-track through the minor league ranks.

Top 30 PuRPs

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (2-1, 38-52overall)

The bats led the way for the Isotopes at home against Salt Lake (LAA). Wynton Bernard and Elehuris Montero each had five hits overall with one double and two home runs — combining to drive-in 11 runs. Jimmy Herron didn’t leave the yard, but did have an impressive 1.625 OPS in two games. Karl Kauffmann (No. 23 PuRP) threw six innings in his start with a K-to-BB of 7-to-1.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (0-3, 36-45 overall)

While the bats were hot in Triple-A, Hartford was cold in Erie (DET) with just two runs scored in three games. Kyle Datres continued his strong season with four hits, however only two other hitters had multiple knocks in the series. Joe Rock (No. 11 PuRP) tossed an impressive six innings in his start with just two hits and one run allowed.

High-A: Spokane Indians (1-2, 42-41 overall)

The Spokane rotation performed well in Tri-City (LAA). Jarrod Cande and Connor Van Scoyoc each tossed innings with two runs allowed in their starts — with Cande punching out nine without issuing a walk — while Mason Green held the Dust Devils scoreless over four innings. Benny Montgomery (No. 5 PuRP) and Sterlin Thompson (No. 14 PuRP) led the offense with four hits each while Nic Kent amassed four RBI in the series.

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (2-1, 51-33 overall)

Gabriel Barbosa and Albert Pacheco each dealt against Lake Elsinore (SD), allowing one run over five innings on five hits in each of their starts. Jesus Bugarin launched his eighth HR of the season while Andy Perez collected a team-high five hits. Skyler Messinger scored and batted-in three runs and had three of his four hits go for extra-bases.

★ ★ ★

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Upcoming Schedule

Triple-A Albuquerque: 7/18-7/23 @ Sugar Land (HOU)

Double-A Hartford: 7/18-7/23 vs Somerset (NYY)

High-A Spokane: 7/18-7/23 vs Vancouver (TOR)

Low-A Fresno: 7/18-7/23 vs Modesto (SEA)

★ ★ ★

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Posted 26 Jul 2023 17:31 by | News | 3 comments

Arajet To Connect Toronto With South American Destinations Through Santo Domingo

Last week, Dominican ultra-low-cost carrier Arajet announced it would launch a new international route between Santo Domingo Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) and Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Canada. This route will start on October 24. Today, the airline added that passengers flying on this new service could connect further to other Latin American and Caribbean destinations through easy short stopovers in the Dominican Republic.

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Extra connectivity

By employing Santo Domingo as a low–cost hub in the Caribbean, Arajet is looking to replicate (albeit offering low-cost fares) Copa Airlines’ success in Panama City’s Tocumen International. Arajet is slowly offering short stopovers and selling flight segments like Mexico City-Sao Paulo via Santo Domingo.

The airline is now looking to increase its connectivity. Arajet announced the sale of its connecting flights from Pearson International Airport in Toronto to Cartagena (CTG), Medellín (MDE), Aruba (AUA), Curaçao (CUR) Sint Maarten (SXM), Kingston (KIN), and Sao Paulo (SAO) starting on October 24.

Víctor Pacheco Méndez, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of Arajet, said,

“Canadians will be able to enjoy the privileged location of our low-price hub in the Dominican Republic to connect with dream destinations in the Caribbean throughout the year. The Arajet effect will allow more tourists to visit our countries and strengthen their economic development, generate more jobs and opportunities for more people throughout the region.”

The new route

Operated with the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet, Arajet will have four weekly frequencies to Toronto on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Launching this route aims to attract the sizeable Dominican diaspora and the Canadian leisure market interested in flying to the Caribbean.

By October, Arajet will offer flights to 18 destinations in 13 countries in the region. These countries are Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Canada, Aruba, St. Maarten, Curaçao, Ecuador, Jamaica, and Brazil.

Photo: Arajet

As of July 2023, Arajet operates 102 weekly flights. The routes with the most weekly services are from Santo Domingo to San Salvador (SAL) and Mexico City (NLU), with six flights daily. Mexico City will soon have daily services.

New routes in the future

While waiting for up to five new Boeing 737 MAX planes this year (and more due to the airline’s firm order for 20 MAXs and 15 options), Arajet wants to increase its connectivity in the region.

Arajet has already dropped some routes, stopped flying to Monterrey earlier this year, and Cali. Nonetheless, the company’s management has eyed new destinations such as New York, Miami, and San Juan in the United States, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, and Rio de Janeiro in South America.

Photo: Daniel Martínez Garbuno | Simple Flying

The airline’s primary goal is to launch flights to the United States. It recently requested authorization from the Department of Transportation earlier this year. There has been no development regarding this possibility.

Are you excited about Arajet’s new route to Toronto and the airline’s extended connectivity map in Latin America and the Caribbean? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted 26 Jul 2023 16:31 by | News | 2 comments

Manu O Ke Kai notches fifth straight Hui Wa’a crown | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Kahanu Amantiad is looking forward to taking off with her new career as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Coast Guard, but until she embarks on that journey in January, the avid paddler is doing her part to keep Manu O Ke Kai flying high.

Amantiad was a member of Manu’s senior women’s crew that completed an undefeated season and helped the club wrap up a fifth straight Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a Championship on Saturday amid light breezes under clear skies at Keehi Lagoon.

“We’ve been putting in a lot of hard work, and I’m really glad that it’s paying off,” said Amantiad, a Waialua High School product who recently graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with a degree in kinesiology. “We’ve been practicing shorter (sprint) segments and figuring out where different people should go and where they fit the best in the canoe.

“I’ve been paddling since I was a freshman in high school, and thanks to my mom and dad, I grew up around paddling, so I developed a strong passion for the ocean. With paddling, and going into the Coast Guard, I’ll get to be around the water and have fun, and that’s what life is all about.”

Varina Amantiad, Kahanu’s mother, was Manu’s steerswoman for the senior race. The winning crew, which completed the 11⁄2-mile race in 14 minutes, 5.85 seconds and beat runner-up Lokahi (15:03.34) by nearly a minute, also included Jenna Kiejko, Jacquelyn Reed, Lili Taliulu and Bree Thuston.

“We’re really fortunate that we can paddle together, and this is really special,” Varina Amantiad said. “Looking ahead to states as a steersman, I really want to focus on my turns. For any race you’re in, turns are important, but especially in the senior race because we make five turns. Each turn can result in a second gained or a second lost as we push toward each flag.”

Haleiwa-based Manu O Ke Kai continued its momentous run as the orange-and-white-clad paddlers wrapped up an undefeated season with the win and added to its run of 33 victories in Hui Wa‘a’s past 35 regattas dating back to 2017. Manu racked up 191 points on a regatta-high 18 race victories to top ‘Alapa Hoe (75 points) in the AAA Division (29-plus events).

Manu also registered undefeated seasons in the girls 13, women’s freshmen, men’s 50 and men’s novice A races. Lokahi posted an undefeated season in the mixed boys and girls 18 event.

Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i, which prior to Manu’s three-peat won six Hui Wa‘a crowns in a seven-year stretch, dominated the AA Division (15-28 events) and won the medium-club division with 116 points to hold off Kaneohe (85 points) and Lokahi (84 points) — winner of eight Hui Wa‘a titles in nine tries, including seven straight triumphs, during a streak that ended in 2011.

Lahui O Koolauloa claimed the A Division (up to 14 events) crown with 35 points. Ka Mamalahoe finished second with 33 points, Kumulokahi-Elks and Haleiwa Outrigger tied for third with 31 points apiece and Kamehameha (30 points) finished fifth.

More than 1,700 competitors ranging in age from 12-and-younger to 75-and-older represented Hui Wa‘a’s 19 clubs in 44 races spanning 1⁄4 mile to 11⁄2 miles. Winning crews earned seven points toward the team standings, while second-through sixth-place finishers were awarded 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points.

In addition to competing for individual championship medals, crews battled for vital points with the goal of qualifying for the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship regatta on Aug. 5 at Hilo Bay. The top three crews from each Hui Wa‘a event according to the yearlong standings earned automatic berths in the state competition, so the difference between finishing one place higher or lower in any given week over the past two months could have made the difference between qualifying and missing out.

As a bonus for crews that won at Saturday’s championship regatta, winners in each race automatically earned a state berth. This Hui Wa‘a rule, according to race officials, incentivizes teams to enter their best crews, even if they already qualified for states according to point totals.

Ka Mo‘i was one club that took advantage of the rule and competed in the women’s 55 race for the first time this season. It won the race and earned Hui Wa‘a’s second seed in the event as paddlers shift their focus to the state race in two weeks.

“You don’t need to be nervous because you put in all those hours of practice and that’s so important: showing up to practice, putting in the work and being committed,” Kahanu Amantiad said.

The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association holds its championship regatta today at Keehi Lagoon.

NA ‘OHANA O NA HUI WA’A CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa‘a

Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 33

Kumulokahi-Elks 31

Hale’iwa Outrigger 31

Kamehameha 30

Pukana O Ke Kai 10

Kamaha’o Canoe Club 9

Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 116

Waikiki Beach Boys 42

Manu O Ke Kai 191

‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 75

Individual Results

Girls 12

1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i (Lillia Keesee, Keira Kekoanui, Nalani Keliikoa, Domirie Pelen-Lopez, Ehiku Pontes-Husemann, Tamara Sunia) 2:27.01; 2. Lokahi 2:30.17; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 2:31.22; 4. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:32.00; 5. Hale’iwa Outrigger 2:44.99

Boys 12

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Soul Burgoyne, Reign Chun, Kaua Hudgens, Kikau Hudgens, Douglas Maea, Malachi Rego) 2:23.53; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:32.54; 3. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:39.03; 4. Kalihi Kai 2:57.73; 5. Kaneohe 3:06.30

Girls 13

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Pualiliawai Clarke, Mahealani Gormley, Olivia Smith, Eliana Stultz, Karlie Vierra-Silva, Ava Williams) 2:29.39; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:33.54; 3. Kaneohe 2:34.83; 4. Kumulokahi-Elks 2:35.51; 5. Lokahi 2:41.30

Boys 13

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Nico Esguerra, Ez Fitzsimmons, Ian Ramos, Jaeden Rego, Kaliko Sellesin, Tupu Su’a) 2:07.53; 2. Kaneohe 2:20.96; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 2:27.06; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:30.17; 5. Lokahi 2:35.21

Girls 14

1. Kaneohe (Jayley Arikawa, Kaella Lauro, La’akea Loo, Josalyn Nakayama Yogi, Eva Rosario, Hayden Smith) 2:13.92; 2. Kumulokahi-Elks 2:16.47; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 2:20.41; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 2:22.87; 5. Lokahi 2:39.17

Boys 14

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Kekai Amantiad, Nico Esguerra, Colt Gomersall, Sky Hirota, Kingston Kealoha, Kea Lerner) 1:58.26; 2. Kumulokahi-Elks 2:06.07; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 2:11.94; 4. Kaneohe 2:20.40; 5. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 2:26.98

Mixed Boys and Girls 12

1. Kumulokahi-Elks (Leyah Barretto, Jai Bjorkholm, Miko Cvilikas, Matteo Kuhau, Paliku Ortiz, Adrian Saucedo) 2:24.19; 2. Kaneohe 2:30.28; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 2:30.62; 4. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:32.57; 5. Lokahi 2:48.08

Mixed Novice B

1. Waikiki Beach Boys (Johnny Beck, Elaine Brown, Guilherme Fernandes Da Silva, Justina Leach, Lindsey Thompson, Andrei Tregubov) 2:02.04; 2. Windward Kai 2:05.04; 3. Kamehameha 2:06.37; 4. Kaneohe 2:06.82; 5. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 2:07.19

Women Novice B

1. Lahui O Koolauloa 2:14.27

(Tajana Alo, Haley Mathis, Jill Rabaino, Rochelle Ramirez, Amber Rose, Sunny Unga); 2. Manu O Ke Kai 2:20.28; 3. Waikiki Beach Boys 2:23.32; 4. Windward Kai 2:30.45; 5. Kaneohe 2:34.64

Men Novice B

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Kyle Bennett, Fernando Carvalho Pacheco, Ty Ching, William Deblois, Joe Rogers, Jason Samarin) 4:04.62; 2. Lahui O Koolauloa 4:05.88; 3. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:08.02

Girls 15

1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i (Adrian Akau, Tyler Kaopuiki, Faith Manlapit, Brystie Raspotnik, Lola Raspotnik, Leichelle Tabangcura) 4:37.83; 2. Lokahi 4:55.78; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 4:58.47; 4. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:09.27; 5. Kaneohe 5:09.90

Boys 15

1. Waikiki Yacht Club (Cole Carson, Kingston Dimagiba, Joshua Higa, Axel Hufen, Drew Lohr, Tobias Nell) 4:07.27; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:08.41; 3. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 4:08.74; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 4:09.72; 5. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:32.23

Girls 16

1. Kamehameha (Kanani Akau, Taylor Gonsalves, Aaliyah Ito, Lily Merritt, Mahina Monsarrat-Ohelo, Maelia Thomas) 4:38.73; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:49.30; 3. Lahui O Koolauloa 5:05.23; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 5:16.94; 5. Pukana O Ke Kai 5:34.55

Boys 16

1. Lokahi (Kama Akana-Phillips, Kia Arroyo, Dan Jean-Baptiste, Keilen Maon, Kai Naus, Jahsiah Sabanal) 3:50.27; 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:00.27; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:04.63; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:07.76; 5. Pukana O Ke Kai 4:26.41

Girls 18

1. Lokahi (Hi’iaka Aipia White Eagle, Noelani Hopfe, Gerricka Pang, Lexy Saena, Lucy Shanefield, Kiki Tamashiro) 4:26.94; 2. Kamehameha 4:30.91; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 4:44.95; 4. Pukana O Ke Kai 5:10.34; 5. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:11.12

Boys 18

1. Lokahi (Dan Jean-Baptiste, Ryu Kalua, Caleb Ledesma, Logan Ledesma, Dayson Li’i, Bryceson Pang) 3:46.78; 2. Kaneohe 3:55.35; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 4:00.17; 4. Pukana O Ke Kai 4:08.10; 5. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:19.12

Mixed Boys and Girls 18

1. Lokahi (Kia Arroyo, Logan Ledesma, Bryceson Pang, Gerricka Pang, Lexy Saena, Kiki Tamashiro) 4:11.51; 2. Kaneohe 4:17.13; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:20.61; 4. Manu O Ke Kai 4:20.94; 5. Kamehameha 4:32.52

Women 75

1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i (Bea Anderson, Kathleen Cameron, Georgia Campbell, Aunty Kalei Keamo, Randy Pisani, Geri Tavares) 6:17.98

Men 75

1. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club (Bruce Ames, Bill Hunt, Vernon Ramos, Ellis Smith, Kimbal Thompson, Warren Watts) 5:35.47

Women 70

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Gloria Butterworth, Linda Cox, Judy Myers, Dawn Peerson, Yolanda Racca, Charlyn Sales) 5:05.31; 2. Kai Poha 5:11.81; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:24.66

Men 70

1. Lokahi (Ka’ai Fernandez, Colin Galang, Marshall Giddens, Shaka Madali, Billy Rees Jr, Burt Shimoda) 4:21.35; 2. Manu O Ke Kai 4:26.64; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:32.87; 4. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:37.37; 5. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 5:09.02

Women 65

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Brenda Bunting, Kay Burgoyne, Susie Giambalvo, Helen Kalili, Charlyn Sales, Ginger Williams) 5:32.96

Men 65

1. Team Olelo (Wink Arnott, Mark Denzer, Kevin Maloney, Kevin Mokuahi, Douglas Ostrem, Eddie Perreira Jr) 4:33.05; 2. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:38.00; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:43.19; 4. Lokahi 4:49.26

Women 60

1. Waikiki Yacht Club (Joy Arizumi, Joan Bennet, Cecile Chisholm, Lori Elwood, Anne Li, Shari Nakaoka) 4:59.27; 2. Kaneohe 5:16.80; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 5:22.73

Men 60

1. Manu O Ke Kai (George Cox, John Hoogsteden, Ed Kama, Michael Knott, Albert Lagunte, Charlie Walker) 4:18.41; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:23.93; 3. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:38.87; 4. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:42.10

Women 55

1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i (Gail Beckley, Mags Dentremont, Lisa Kaaekuahiwi, Ipo Kaeo, Al Momoa, Branz Williams) 4:49.20; 2. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:55.48; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:04.54; 4. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:06.57; 5. Team Olelo 5:40.87

Men 55

1. I Mua (Michael Conching, David Nichols, Joel Olegario, Mike Sonognini, Lloyd Tanaka, Neil Yamamoto) 4:14.76; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:17.76; 3. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:26.35; 4. Team Olelo 4:26.66; 5. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:37.83

Women 50

1. Hale’iwa Outrigger (Makana Clarke, Jane Duncan, Deidre M. Erickson, Folly Murdock, Linda Thoresen, Tani Waye) 4:43.09; 2. Windward Kai 4:56.08; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:00.10; 4. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 5:01.60; 5. Waikiki Yacht Club 5:06.61

Mixed Men and Women 55

1. Hale’iwa Outrigger (Jane Duncan, Deidre M. Erickson, Randy Johnson, Scott Mcintire, Folly Murdock, Yago Yago) 4:25.91; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:26.31; 3. Windward Kai 4:27.75; 4. Kamehameha 4:29.52; 5. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:34.77

Men 50

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Ama Amantiad, Sam Fisher 3rd, Richard Kamikawa, Thomas Schlotman, Tim Vierra, Glenn Williams) 3:46.78; 2. Waikiki Beach Boys 3:58.98; 3. Kamehameha 4:05.02; 4. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:18.46; 5. Kamaha’o Canoe Club 4:41.18

Women Novice A

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Monique Cole, Lei Fisher, Rachel Harris, Niki Kirby, Sami Palhano , Kelsie Rogers) 4:38.71; 2. Kaneohe 4:42.09; 3. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:42.63; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:46.98; 5. Team Olelo 4:49.36

Men Novice A

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Ken Capes, Kevin Courville, Scott Fisher, Kamu Flynn, Pomai Hoapili, Reinier Serra) 3:48.97; 2. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 3:54.47; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:02.33; 4. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:08.78; 5. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:09.93

Women Freshmen

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Erica Adamczyk, Kahanu Amantiad, Varina Amantiad, Jenna Kiejko, Bree Thuston, Kiani Watkins-Deckert) 4:19.12; 2. Kaneohe 4:29.76; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:39.93; 4. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:50.53; 5. I Mua 4:51.73

Men Freshmen

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Cito Bortolai, Tavita Maea, Thomas Pule, Solomon Souki, Tim Vierra, Glenn Williams) 3:34.95; 2. Kaneohe 3:43.97; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 3:58.05; 4. Kai Poha 4:04.50; 5. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:09.19

Women Sophomore

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Monet Bisch, Ivy Blomfield, Danielle Cretsinger, Jacquelyn Reed, Barbara Souki, Lili Taliulu) 4:24.44; 2. Kaneohe 4:32.25; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:41.84; 4. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:42.03; 5. Windward Kai 4:43.10

Men Sophomore

1. Kaneohe (Keoni Anderson, Mason Cambra, Nai Kahale, Seth Ramolete, Harley Salis, Kamu Valmoja) 3:45.06; 2. Lokahi 3:52.91; 3. Waikiki Beach Boys 3:54.11; 4. I Mua 3:54.51; 5. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:01.25

Women Senior

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Kahanu Amantiad, Varina Amantiad, Jenna Kiejko, Jacquelyn Reed, Lili Taliulu, Bree Thuston) 14:05.85; 2. Lokahi 15:03.34; 3. Kaneohe 15:12.47; 4. Windward Kai 16:51.53

Men Senior

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Cito Bortolai, Sam Fisher 3rd, Richard Kamikawa, Thomas Schlotman, Thomas Schlotman, Ramsey Van Blyenburg) 12:23.47; 2. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 13:00.84; 3. I Mua 13:01.10; 4. Lokahi 13:05.94

Women 40

1. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i (Tracie Carreiro, Chrystal Haia, Nani Haia, April Polite, Myrnz Resep, Branz Williams) 4:24.13; 2. Hale’iwa Outrigger 4:25.21; 3. Manu O Ke Kai 4:32.65; 4. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:53.28; 5. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:56.12

Men 40

1. Waikiki Beach Boys (Steve Gerwig, Eric Ichinose, Swenson Ikertang, Eric Lentz, Charles Meyer, Lale Turcan) 3:51.00; 2. Manu O Ke Kai 3:51.32; 3. Lokahi 4:09.54; 4. Waikiki Yacht Club 4:15.61; 5. Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club 4:16.13

Women Open Four

1. Lokahi (Chloe Heiniemi, Ashley Leinbach, Sarah Post, Esther Widiasih) 4:54.69; 2. Hale’iwa Outrigger 5:06.21; 3. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 5:08.54; 4. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 5:09.81; 5. Manu O Ke Kai 5:10.78

Men Open Four

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Tavita Maea, Thomas Pule, Solomon Souki, Ramsey Van Blyenburg) 3:52.53; 2. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club 4:04.28; 3. Lahui O Koolauloa 4:16.28; 4. Kumulokahi-Elks 4:17.79; 5. Lokahi 4:27.01

Mixed Men and Women 40

1. Manu O Ke Kai (Ken Capes, David Fuga, Gordean Kaluahine, Michele Sales, Jacob Sensano, Carla Vierra) 4:10.85; 2. Kamehameha 4:18.77; 3. Na Keiki O Ka Mo’i 4:19.03; 4. Hale’iwa Outrigger 4:26.27; 5. Waikiki Beach Boys 4:27.01

Mixed Men and Women

1. ‘Alapa Hoe Canoe Club (Janalei Kahoalii, Ashley Lincoln, Leolani Marquez, Ryan Sanford, Tyler Sanford, Lanaki Sanford Kalauli) 4:01.77; 2. Kaneohe 4:08.24; 3. Kai Poha 4:08.92; 4. Lahui O Koolauloa 4:09.61; 5. Manu O Ke Kai 4:25.73

Posted 26 Jul 2023 15:31 by | News | No comments

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Posted 26 Jul 2023 13:39 by | News | No comments

‘They were just being good pilots’ — Inside the Osprey crash that killed 5 Marines

A command investigation released by the Marine Corps found that five Marines killed in June 2022 Osprey crash were not at fault in the accident. Top, Capt. John J. Sax, Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio; Bottom: Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland.
A command investigation released by the Marine Corps found that five Marines killed in June 2022 Osprey crash were not at fault in the accident. Top, Capt. John J. Sax, Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio; Bottom: Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland.

A senior Marine with over 1,200 hours of flight time was the first to see the smoke.

No one onboard Swift 12, a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, saw the actual crash of its sister ship, Swift 11, which killed five Marines on June 8, 2022, on a desert range near El Centro, California. But within moments, a crew member on the second Osprey spotted a tall column of smoke, service officials said Friday.

The pair of Ospreys were from Camp Pendleton, where they were assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364, a unit known since Vietnam as the Purple Foxes. The two aircraft were practicing formation flying and aerial gunnery together on a remote desert range known as R-2512.

Aboard Swift 12, a senior crew chief had been firing the Osprey’s .50 caliber machine gun off the rear ramp of the tiltrotor plane at a target 200 feet below when he saw the smoke.

“Hey, there’s fire at the five [o’clock],” the Marine called into the plane’s intercom.

A smoke column over 500 feet tall was burning into the air. Watching the smoke, the crew suddenly realized they’d lost track of Swift 11. 

“This isn’t a good feeling at all,” said one Marine over the plane’s intercom. Within seconds, the Osprey was over the fire and could see the debris. The plane’s senior pilot finally said what all four Marines were thinking: 

“Yeah, that’s them.”

Helicopters photo
A Marine Corps command investigation found that the crew of Swift 11 made no errors and could not have prevented the crash that killed all five Marines onboard in June 2022. The root cause of the accident was a dual hard clutch engagement, investigators found, a mechanical failure that has occurred on other Ospreys, flown by both the Marines and the Air Force. (Airman 1st Class Jennifer Zima/US Air Force).

The dual hard clutch engagement mystery

In a 400-page report released Friday, July 21, Marine investigators confirmed that Swift 11 suffered a fatal engine failure known as a dual hard clutch engagement, or HCE, which destroyed the Osprey’s right motor and caused “an unrecoverable departure from controlled flight and the tragic crash.”

The pilots and the crew, the report found and Marine officials emphasized, were not to blame. Nor, the Marines say, was there any oversight or mistake in the maintenance of the plane on Camp Pendleton. 

The report walks through every detail of the flight, from the age of the Osprey’s engines to how many hours of sleep the crew got the night before. The fire that consumed Swift 11 in the minutes after it crashed was so intense that it destroyed the onboard flight recorder, so there is no record of what happened on board the doomed Osprey.

But the report does contain the statements of the pilots and crew of the second Osprey on the flight, Swift 12. Those personal statements detail the full-throttle response of nearby military aircraft to rescue the doomed crew and paint a powerful picture of the Marines aboard Swift 12 pushing through the duty of overseeing the site once the deaths of their friends were confirmed.

The crash resulted in the death of Captain Nicholas P. Losapio, Captain John J. Sax, Corporal Nathan E. Carlson, Corporal Seth D. Rasmuson, and Lance Corporal Evan A. Strickland. 

“There were no prior indications of an impending dual HCE event, no steps that [pilots Losapio or Sax] could have taken to prevent its occurrence, and no means of recovery once the compound emergency commenced,” the report said.

Dual hard clutch engagements — which can cause an Osprey engine to seize and shred itself during flight — have plagued the Osprey fleet. Both the Marines and Air Force fly the tiltrotor aircraft, and both services have reported HCE events. 

Statistically, the failures are rare, the report said, with 15 HCE failures reported in 680,000 flight hours across both services, 10 of which occurred within 3 seconds of take-off (Ospreys take off vertically, like a helicopter). Failures in flight, like the one that struck the Pendleton Osprey in June 2002, are rarer but nearly always catastrophic.

The Air Force briefly grounded its Osprey in 2022 but resumed flying soon after. A pair of Air Force Ospreys might have even flown the US Ambassador out of Ukraine during the opening days of the Russian invasion. But while the failure is rare, engineers have yet to solve why it occurs at all, a mystery both unique in military aviation and maddening to those responsible for the aircraft.

“The root cause of HCE remains unknown,” the report says. In a maintenance update issued in February 2023, both Air Force and Marine Osprey units were instructed to replace an engine part known as the quill assembly. This change, the Marine Corps said in a statement, should reduce the likelihood of an HCE by 99%.

In the newly released report, the commander of the Purple Foxes, whose name is redacted, said the pilots of Swift 11 were excellent Marines.

The aircraft commander, Losapio, he said, flew under the callsign of “sloppy.”

“Sloppy is a phenomenal officer and pilot,” the commander, a former Huey Cobra pilot, told investigators. “His reputation precedes him. He is just a stellar individual.”

Swift 11’s newer copilot, Sax, had worked for the commander at a previous assignment and was quickly developing his own reputation as a top flyer. “He was relatively new and he had only been in the fleet a year,” the commander recalled. “He was leaps and bounds ahead of his peers in terms of capability and stick control. I mean, he really was a natural stick and his work ethic was exceptional.”

A smoke plume in the desert

Along with describing the mechanical failings and absolving the crew of blame for the crash, the command investigation released on July 22 lays out the final flight in minute-by-minute detail through the eyes of the pilots and crew of both the second Purple Fox Osprey in the air that day and other helicopters that were training on El Centro ranges that day and responded to the crash.

On the day of the flight, the two Ospreys left Camp Pendleton just before 9 a.m., 30 minutes late, after waiting out low clouds. In the rear of the plane, the crew had brought 1200 rounds of .50 caliber ammo to fire from the Osprey’s main gun, an M240 Ramp Mounted Weapon System, or RMWS. Marine Ospreys fly with two pilots and two, crew chiefs, who are responsible for the plane’s cargo bay, finding and solving mechanical issues, and acting as gunners on the RMWS. Swift 12’s crew chiefs were a senior sergeant and a corporal, with the senior NCO serving as an instructor for the junior flyer.

As is typical in military accident reports, the report redacts the names of all personnel besides those in the “mishap aircraft.”

The crew chiefs stay connected to the pilots on the plane’s intercom system, serving as the pilots’ eyes for the rear of the plane.

Once on the gun range at El Centro, the Ospreys would make a series of passes over a target — the hulk of an old car — at about 200 feet. The two crew chiefs planned to fire 100 rounds on every pass, one Marine on the trigger, the second feeding ammo, and then strapping down the empty ammo so it wouldn’t float away as the pilots twisted the Osprey around at 30 degrees for the next run at the target.

After six ammo cans, the two Marines would switch positions.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel Pacheco, left, and Cpl. Jared Arnold, right, crew chiefs with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, fire an M240D machine gun from the back of an MV-22B Osprey aircraft, during a tail gunnery certification in support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-21 in Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 6, 2020. The WTI course is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. KarlHendrix Aliten)
Two Marine crew chiefs fire an M240D machine gun from the back of an MV-22B Osprey aircraft, during a tail gunnery certification in 2020. (Cpl. Karl Hendrix Aliten/U.S. Marine Corps).

The scene was identical just behind them on Swift 11, where five Marines — two pilots and three crew chiefs — ran through the same training, flying just off Swift 12’s wing, a routine formation for Ospreys during gunnery and general flight. Each time through the range, a pilot on Swift 11 would call Swift 12 to confirm they were about to start shooting: “In hot.”

The weather was good, the aircraft were healthy and the flying was fun.

On the fourth pass, Swift 12’s crew heard the pilot on Swift 11 call over the radio that the second plane would be pulling out of the next pass and climbing to cooler air to bring down the temperature on one of their engine’s gearboxes. 

A “hot box,” the Marines called it, was a routine mechanical issue. It had already happened once during the flight.

Rather than hearing “in hot,” the pilot of Swift 11 radioed that they were pulling up: “Swift 12, detaching.”

It was a routine training moment, not worth a second thought to the crew of Swift 12.

A few seconds later, at 7 seconds past 12:14 in the afternoon, a radar system miles away known as the El Centro Airport Surveillance Radar recorded Swift 11 climbing through 500 feet at 95 knots. On the radar’s next sweep, the blip was gone.

Swift 12 continued its next pass, the senior Marine firing and then putting the RMWS on safe. But as he worked the gun, the sergeant’s peripheral vision perked up: there was a column of smoke beyond the target that wasn’t there seconds before.

“Hey, there’s fire at the five [o’clock],” the Marine called into the plane’s intercom. “Looks like oil or tire fire.” But fires happen on shooting ranges, no cause for immediate alarm. The junior crew chief working the ammunition spotted the smoke and told the pilots to look out the left side as they turned back. 

“You’ll see it when we turn around,” he said. As the plane banked, the pilots spotted the smoke. 

“Yeah, that’s pretty big,” one pilot said.

A cold realization swept over the crew.

“Would it be crazy to call -2?” one asked over the intercom, using the shorthand “dash-two” for their wingman.

“That wouldn’t be crazy at all,” a pilot replied. The senior pilot declared a cease-fire for the training event as the crew began radio calls to their wingman, hoping a voice would respond. Two calls received no response. Swift 11’s image had also disappeared from a radar screen. 

“Well, this isn’t a good feeling at all,” the junior Marine said.

A search for survivors

Seconds later, the Osprey was over the fire’s smoke column, which one pilot later said was already 500 to 700 feet in the air. Around it was unmistakable debris, including the long, thin propeller blades of an Osprey’s rotors. The senior pilot broke the silence on the intercom.

“Yeah, that’s them.”

It had happened so fast, the Marines on Swift 12 later told investigators, with perhaps 30 seconds between Swift 11’s final “detaching” call to the realization that the burning fire was all that remained of the Osprey.

The pilot would later tell investigators his first instinct was to trace his eyes upwind of the crash. Aviators train to move upwind from a crash, out of toxic smoke. But there was no movement.

With that, he knew, it was time for another radio call, this one on an emergency frequency: “MAYDAY.”

For the next hour, the crew of Swift 12 flew overhead as the on-scene commander, first directing rescue efforts and then, when it was clear there were no survivors, securing the scene for the investigation to come.

Helicopters photo
The crash site from above. Pilots responding to the crash instantly knew it was an Osprey crash from the remains of the 3-propeller rotor. (USMC command investigation final report photo).

A mechanical issue kept Swift 12 from landing but a flight of Marine CH-53 helicopters doing unrelated training nearby quickly arrived and set down about 100 yards from the fire. Crewmembers ran to the burning Osprey with fire extinguishers. But within minutes, the Marines found the remains of four of the five crew members and no sign that the fifth Marine might still be alive. 

Later, a Navy MH-60 helicopter arrived and asked if they should also land with more extinguishers, but the crew on the ground waved them off. Any further effort, one told investigators, would have been “fruitless.”

Throughout the search, the senior pilot and crew of Swift 12 acted as the on-scene commander, relaying information to emergency and range officials, advising their unit’s leadership at Pendleton on the crash, and ensuring that aircraft responding to help stayed clear of each other and did not disturb the crash site. It was important to preserve both for the investigation to come and because, they knew, it held the remains of their friends.

The most senior pilot to respond to the crash site was the Navy Lieutenant at the controls of the MH-60, flying under the callsign Landslide 05, from Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The pilot had 16 years in the Navy including seven as a pilot with 1,400 flight hours. As the search continued, and the reality of the crash set in, he kept hearing the voice of Swift 12’s pilot.

“Swift was above us in the overhead by at least 500 feet or so,” the Navy pilot said. “The aircraft commander was very calm and in control. I didn’t know how he was doing it.”

Low on fuel, Swift 12 eventually turned toward home. In the back of the plane, the senior Marine told the junior to write down everything he could think of about the day. He wanted to keep the kid busy, he later told investigators.

But the young Marine understood the moment he was in.

“The flight back was super quiet,” he wrote in his final statement. “I was very quiet because I was really close with those crew chiefs. The pilots were doing their jobs, talking to [air traffic control] to get us back safely. I remember thinking, ‘These guys are acting way too fine right now.’ But in hindsight, they were just being good pilots and professionals, making sure we got home safe.”

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Posted 26 Jul 2023 13:31 by | News | No comments

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