Va'a race programme announced
Va’a is more than a traditional Pacific Island sport.
“It’s a gathering of cultures that have been able to maintain many of the customs that the great ocean navigators used to voyage across the Pacific Ocean,” said Andy Wheatley, Sports Competition Manager for Va’a at the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games.
The programme for Va’a has been announced and is on the website. The event will run in the first week of Games competition – 9, 10, 12 and 13 July – at the Sheraton Beach Resort, Mulifanua.
With the magnificent back drop of Apolima Strait and Savai’i, this is also the venue for Open Water Swimming on 8 July and Sailing from 9 to 19 July.
“Mulifanua offers a fantastic venue for racing and spectators,” added Wheatley. “Crystal blue water, island views and racing right at your door step.”
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Eighteen nations will compete at the Games in two categories, V1 and V6.
“Potential medallists in the Men’s competition could come from Tahiti, New Caledonia, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Cook Islands and Fiji,” he added. “Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands are all leading contenders in the Women’s events.”
He is confident Team Samoa have prepared well.
“Having the games at home has produced a great deal of pride to prove Samoa can compete with the best in the world,” he said.
Samoan Va'a paddler, Jonathan Porter is ready for the Games
The event is already a success for local canoe builder, Jay Ah Fook Schuster from Fausaga Vaa Samoa. This is the first and only company in Samoa that fabricates canoes and won the bid to manufacture 16 single V1 canoes for the Games.
“We are just proud and happy,” he said. “These guys train for four years for the Pacific Games and can expect international standard equipment, top of the line stuff for the Games.”
Jay and Tasi Schuster with Sport Competition Manager for Vaa, Andy Wheatley and Taupau Alex Mikaele, Pacific Games Sports Services Manager
