The World’s Most Beautiful Outrigger Canoe Race
The physically challenging three-day, three-stage, four-island race is held in the Leeward Islands, covering a distance of 129 kilometers (80.2 miles) and involving some 10 hours of paddling in the men’s competition. Women and junior category paddlers race in one stage—25 kms (15.5 miles) in the lagoon shared by the islands of Raiatea and Taha’a. The first stage for the men covers the 45 kms (28 miles) separating Huahine from Raiatea. The second stage the following day covers 26 kms (16 miles) of lagoon paddling between Raiatea and Taha’a. The third and longest stage covers the 58 kms (36 miles) between Taha’a and Bora Bora, the Pearl of the Pacific.
The Polynesian canoe has been the traditional means of transportation since ancient times to discover new land. However, in those days the canoes were twin-hulled with sails and carried families, animals and food supplies. Today, small outrigger paddling canoes are still used by fishermen as they explore the lagoons for the evening’s dinner or for fish to sell on shore. The canoes, or va’a, were originally made hallowing out a tree trunk and attaching a wooden outrigger. But as their use evolved into competition, their construction changed. Today they have evolved into racing machines with sophisticated paddles specially shaped for faster speeds. The Hawaiki Nui canoes have six places, each place protected by special canvas to keep the water from entering the hull. Five places are for paddlers. The rear place is for the coxswain, who besides steering the canoe also shouts encouragement to his paddlers.
This major sporting event in Tahiti and Her Islands also attracts paddlers from France and elsewhere in the Pacific Rim—California, Hawaii and New Zealand. Spectators, team managers and security forces number in the hundreds, creating a flotilla of boats of all sizes and missions that closely follow each stage of the race. There were 134 canoes on the starting line of this year’s event. The winner, Team OPT, broke the four-year winning streak of the Shell Va’a team.
The three days of intense racing enable a public to experience an exceptional race, reviving memories of the voyages of their Maohi ancestors, the first Polynesians in search of new horizons to conquer. At the same time, the race provided yet another exciting Polynesia event.
© Photographic archives (2007) JB Calvas – Tahitipresse