Prior to yesterday, Team Bradley was winless, but not spiritless.

As a result, Team Bradley got back to its winning ways, paddling to victory in the E Lau Hoe canoe race for women.

Team Bradley completed the 33-mile course from Maunalua Bay to Nanakuli Beach in 4 hours, 31 minutes, 46 seconds.

"It was a great race, and not just because we won," Team Bradley paddler Lauren Bartlett said. "The conditions were good, and it was a lot of fun. And we were really supporting each other out there. We really paddled as one unit and I think that made a big difference."

Members of the winning team were Bartlett, Noe Auger, Mahealani Batlik, Jennifer Binney, Theresa Felgate, Kelly Fey, Margie Kawaiaea, Cherisse Keli'i, Andrea Moller and Dane Ward.

Yesterday's race was one of the preludes for the Sept. 23 Na Wahine O Ke Kai championship race.

Team Bradley won the Na Wahine O Ke Kai in 2005 and 2006, and was undefeated through both of those years. But within the last month, they placed third at both the Dad Center and Queen Lili'uokalani races.

"We took some good lumps," Team Bradley coach John Puakea said. "Getting beat is OK, but getting pounded like we did was no fun. That's why I'm glad we won this one today. At least we feel like we're in the running again."

It didn't come easily. Team Wahoo's led most of the way, and was ahead by as much as a half-mile late in the race.

In an effort to make up ground, Team Bradley rode the surf near the shoreline off Barbers Point, while Team Wahoo's stayed in the deeper ocean.

"There was definitely some good surf in there," Team Bradley's Ward said. "And the longer the race went, the better we felt. It was like we started to find our groove later in the race."

Denise Darval-Chang, who steered the Team Wahoo's canoe, said: "I wasn't even considering going inside. I didn't feel like I needed to take a risk at that point. They were the ones behind us so they took the chance and it worked out for them."

Team Bradley passed Team Wahoo's in the last three miles of the race and slowly increased the lead after that. The final margin was around two minutes, with Team Wahoo's placing second in 4:33:27.

Team Bradley features paddlers from O'ahu, Maui, Kaua'i and the Big Island, so they rarely get to practice together. One paddler from Australia is expected to join the team for the Na Wahine O Ke Kai.

It is a formula that has worked for them for several years.

"Our practices are few and far between," Bartlett said. "But we have so much faith in each other. We've been through all of this before so we know what to expect out of each other."

Team Wahoo's is apparently using a similar game plan.

Team Wahoo's features six paddlers from O'ahu (Darval-Chang, Tina Handley, Megan Jones, Donna Kahakui, Malia Kamisugi and Traci Phillips), three from New Zealand (Leanne Haronga, Amy Robertson and Sarah Uhl) and one from the Cook Islands (Serena Hunter).

Yesterday was their first "practice" together as a team.

"We had no idea what to expect," Hunter said. "When we were leading, I said 'wow, we're moving pretty fast.' I think we just need more practice time to get ready."

Hui Lanakila placed third in 4:36:53, and Waikiki Beachboys was fourth in 4:41:35.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.