The Kailua Canoe Club overcame a dropped paddle and several dropouts to win the Kailua Bay Iron Challenge for the second consecutive year yesterday.

Kailua completed the 9 1/2-mile triangle course off Kailua Beach in 1 hour, 8 minutes, 2 seconds.

"We knew we were the defending champs from last year, so we wanted to come back strong," crew member Jason Ignacio said. "This is our water, we know it back and forth. That's what kept us going."

Forty-six men's teams participated in the race. All the teams had to complete the race "iron style," meaning there were no relief changes for the six paddlers in the canoe (in most long-distance races, nine paddlers can rotate in the six seats of the canoe).

Members of the winning Kailua crew were Ignacio, Nick Ho, Vili Malamala, C.J. Day, Donovan Leandro and Kekama Akana.

Hui Lanakila's first crew placed second in 1:09:25, and another Hui Lanakila crew was third in 1:09:42. The Boiler Boys from the Cook Islands was fourth in 1:09:58.

Kailua trailed early in the race after Akana — the steersman of the canoe — dropped his paddle in the water. "It just slipped; my fault," he said.

The crew had to paddle backward to retrieve Akana's paddle, and got passed by about 10 canoes during that time.

Akana said his mindset after that was "to keep fighting. I didn't want that one mistake to cost us."

It didn't take long for Kailua to make up the lost time. By the halfway point of the course, Kailua had already caught up to the leaders.

"They came up on us real fast, and once they passed us, they were gone," Hui Lanakila's Ron Cotteen said. "You could tell they knew where they were going. After they got ahead of us, we just followed them."

Members of the Hui Lanakila crew were Mike Hangai, Eddie Horner, Scott Miranda, Mike Silva, Akeo Cuban and Cotteen.

The winds were light by Kailua standards yesterday, so the course was relatively calm.

"It's a big advantage to know the water," Akana said. "We practice in this every day. This course is the training run we do all the time, so as far as knowing the lines, that helped."

Several of the state's top clubs did not enter yesterday's race. Most notable among the absentees were Outrigger, Lanikai and Hui Nalu.

Outrigger won last week's Duke Kahanamoku Race, and Lanikai was second.

"If you don't show, you can't win," Ignacio said. "Even when we got ahead, we kept thinking about chasing down all the guys who weren't here."

The Dad Center Canoe Race for Women is scheduled for today. The 25-mile course will start at Kailua Beach and finish at the Outrigger Canoe Club.

TOP FINISHERS

Open: 1, Kailua-1 (Nick Ho, Vili Malamala, Jason Ignacio, C.J. Day, Donovan Leandro, Kekama Akana), 1:08:02. 2, Hui Lanakila-2, 1:09:25. 3, Hui Lanakila-3, 1:09:42. 4, Boiler Boys-1, 1:09:58. 5, Healani-2, 1:10:00. 6, Healani-1, 1:11:10. 7, Kailua-2, 1:13:04. 8, Hui Lanakila-1, 1:14:10. 9, Lokahi Black, 1:14:28. 10, New Hope-1, 1:14:37. 11, Boiler Boys-2, 1:15:03. 12, Kailua-5, 1:15:20. 13, Lanikai-1, 1:15:58. 14, Waikiki Beach Boys-2, 1:16:41. 15, Honolulu Fire, 1:17:16.

Masters 40-older: 1, Kailua-4 (Kahai Canario, Kanai Kauhane, Lance Anderson, Mark Miller, Paul Hewlett, Benny Quitevis), 1:12:25. 2, New Hope-5, 1:17:03. 3, Honolulu Pearl-4, 1:24:14.

Masters 50-older: 1, Waimanalo-1 (Dennis Sallas, Boy Kalama, Mel Mau, Reed Spencer, Jeff Metzger, Paul Gay), 1:16:17. 2, Keahiakahoe-1, 1:18:39. 3, New Hope-6, 1:28:14.

Masters 55-older: 1, Waimanalo-2 (Loka Lii, Bernie Palama, Billy Mowat, Paul Shaner, Nolan Kim, Ray Lii), 1:18:41. 2, Lanikai-3, 1:20:32.

Masters 60-older: 1, 'Anuenue (Gaylord Wilcox, Richard Bell, Jon Miki, Sam Rodrigues, Donald, Nappy Napoleon), 1:19:50. 2, Keahiakahoe-2, 1:21:54. 3, Lanikai-4, 1:28:01.

Juniors 18-younger: 1, Waikiki Surf Club (Kama Paikai-Hina, Josh Chase, Blaine Fujita, Pono David, Maui Cambra, David), 1:20:47. 2, Hawaiian Outrigger, 1:28:47.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.