Hopu Ka Lewa History
| Year | Champions | Boat Race Winners |
Penultimate Winners |
Beer Bracket Winners | Spirit Team | Spirit Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Kumoniwannalayya | Magic School Bus | Prep Squad | Thom Walker & Laura Gilda |
||
| 2012 | Kumoniwannalayya | Sippin’ Sallys | Colorado Z Brigade | The Hucking Faoles | Kumoniwannalayya | Benjamin Storey & Aaron Johnson |
| 2011 | Kumoniwannalayya | Superstition | Pirates | Butt Rainbow | Butt Rainbow | Clay “Dukes” McKell & Daniel Bailey |
| 2010 | Captain Fatbeard | Caliaskawaii | Cyberninjas | Rowboat | Cyberninjas | Jess Kaneshiro & Joel Brunger |
| 2009 | Mystery Machine | No winner recognized | Pirates | Curt Riffel | ||
| 2008 | Party Van | Party Van | Aloha Spirit | Party Van | Meg DeLisle | |
| 2007 | Hana Hou | Swingers & Dumpers | Swing of Fire | |||
| 2006b | Hana Hou | Swing of Fire | Aloha Spirit | Pirates | Ari Patz & Chris Garth |
|
| 2006a | Three Hour Tour | Three Hour Tour | Swing of Fire | Georgia Hart | ||
| 2005 | Hana Hou | Three Hour Tour | Jabouti | Swingers & Dumpers | Sippin’ Sallys | Josh White |
| 2004 | Hana Hou | Three Hour Tour | Forcing Zen | Spirit Team | Shock-N-Awesome | Brian G. & Joe Paradis |
| 2003 | Diego En Fuego | Swingers & Dumpers | Lei My Chaminade | Maui Mana | Swingers & Dumpers | Heather Mitchell & Chris Hurwitz |
| 2002 | Hana Hou | Swingers & Dumpers | ZenDisc | Spirit Team | Chaminade | Too many to write on trophy |
| 2001 | Sugar Smacks | Swingers & Dumpers | Oregon Fighting Sheep | Oregon Fighting Sheep | Evil E. & Don N. |
|
| 2000 | Sugar Smacks | Swingers & Dumpers | ZenDisc | Mondo Chun |
| Year | Hat-Draw Location | Tournament Director | Tournament Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Maui | Chris Stevens | Laura Stevens, Vu Le, Don N., July Thomson, Kayleigh Hudson, Michelle Swan, Clay “Dukes” McKell, Scott Cooney |
| 2011 | Hanalei, Kauai | Chris Stevens | Laura Stevens, Vu Le, Don N., July Thomson, Kayleigh Hudson, Michelle Swan, Sean Munnelly |
| 2010 | Hawi, Big Island | Megan Grimshaw & Chris Stevens | Laura Stevens, Vu Le, Bill Voss, Becky Shor, Don N., Curt Riffel |
| 2009 | Lahaina, Maui | Megan Grimshaw | Kevin Kelly, Ari Patz, Vu Le, Laura Stevens, Chris Stevens, Bill Voss, Becky Shor |
| 2008 | Waimea, Kauai | Megan Grimshaw | Laura Gilda, Kevin Kelly, Ari Patz, Katelyn Allers, Vu Le, Laura Stevens, Chris Stevens |
| 2007 | Hawi, Big Island | Laura Gilda | Kevin Kelly, Ari Patz, Katelyn Allers, Jason Sickmiller, Megan Grimshaw |
| 2006b | Aaron Rosa | Kevin Kelly, Laura Gilda, Eric DeRuyeter, Jason Sickmiller, Kevin McGraw | |
| 2006a | Waimea, Kauai | Kevin Kelly | Laura Gilda, Aaron Rosa, Eric DeRuyeter, Frances Ajo, Jason Sickmiller |
| 2005 | Kaunakakai, Molokai | Laura Gilda | Rebecca Eldredge, Sara Simmons, Heather Mitchell, Kevin Kelly, Frank Dabrosky, Jason Sickmiller |
| 2004 | Hana, Maui | Dave Strang | Laura Gilda, Rebecca Eldredge, Sara Simmons, Heather Mitchell, Kevin Kelly, Nate Adams |
| 2003 | Ignacio Lobos | Rebecca Eldredge, Chris Johnson, Leilani Durand, Sara Simmons, Karen Brimacombe, Carolyn Garvey, Bartlett Durand, Laura Gilda | |
| 2002 | Ignacio Lobos | Rebecca Eldredge, Chris Johnson, Leilani Durand, Jim Teo, Karen Brimacombe, Ramzi Mirshak | |
| 2001 | Hanalei, Kauai | Ignacio Lobos | Scott Todd, Rebecca Eldredge, Chris Johnson, Leilani Durand, Jim Teo, Laura Gilda, Jacqui Ford |
| 2000 | Hilo, Big Island | Corey Tyrrell | Michael Constantinides, Helga Mispelblom Beyer, Ignacio Lobos, Julie Najita, Rick Needham, Scott Todd |
Hopu History
By Ignacio Lobos
Late in 1999, somewhere far from the concrete jungle of Waikiki,
a bunch of Honolulu Ultimate players high on too many cups of
Kona Gold coffee decided it would be a great idea to have a
relaxed, spirited coed tournament on the island of Oahu.
Surely, we thought, palm trees, plenty of sunshine and the
brilliant blue waters of Hawaii would be enough to attract
hundreds, if not thousands of teams to our little corner of the
world. Already, Oahu was known for its successful Kaimana
Klassik, a competitive tournament held by the Hawaii Ultimate
League Association (HULA) for the last 14 years. The Klassik was
turning teams away. And, so we thought, we would be saddled by
the same problem.
Our first lesson in humility came on February 2000, when only one
team had entered a bid. Eyebrows were raised, noses twitched in
discomfort, and some grumbling was heard in the room as we
pondered whether Hopu would turn from a dream into
disappointment. Yet, this little group of disc players wasn’t
about to give up.
We pushed on, perhaps crazily, some might say. By April, nine
teams had signed on, with 130 players joining our party. For our
small Ultimate community in Oahu, it was quite a feat. We had
teams from California, Minnesota and Virginia. Yet, without local
players, the tournament would never have happened. So, our first
thanks go to them, and to those who came from very far to join us
for the love of the game.
In 2003, after four successful tournaments, Hopu took another big
step. The HULA community voted to take Hopu under its wing and
make it an official HULA tournament. We believe this move will
ensure the continued success of the tourney.
Much mahalo and aloha should go to the first organizing Hopu
Committee, which got this thing started. Corey Tyrrell was the
tournament¹s first director, and the main thrust behind the idea
of a coed tourney on Oahu. Joining him and keeping things running
smoothly were Julie Najita, Michael Constantinides, Rick Needham,
Helga Mispelblom Beyer, Ignacio Lobos and Scott Todd.