World Sprint heiled as a success

Advertising Feature

EVEN before the first day of racing was over, the Bth Va’a World Sprints were being hailed as a success. Held in the capital of Fiji, Suva, the event coincided with Fiji’s school hol idays and the annual Hibiscus Festival.

Hundreds of people made up the crowd that flocked to Suva’s waterfront to see one of the oldest sports in the region, outrigger canoe racing, take place. Three days before racing kicked off, the Sprints were already gearing up with the blessing of the canoes and the paddle inspection at the Sprints village. During the opening of the Hibiscus Festival, participants from the various countries marched in the Hibiscus Sunset march with torches and

The 8Th Va’A World Outrigger Championships

paddles in tow.

The event brought together people from

throughout the north and south Pacific, from Australia and New Zealand, USA, Canada and France. The Sprints were offi cially opened by the President of the Republic of Fiji Islands, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who said the participants had all come “to compete in a sport which we claim in the Pacific as of our invention”.

“Culture and tradition are important parts of any society. They are very important to us in the Pacific. They give us our identity and determine our relationship with others and bind us to the land, the sea and the sky.

They form a thread which runs through us all,” he said, “we share similar languages, ceremonies and names. Our names for the

outrigger canoe bear this out, whether it is called

waqa, vaka, va’a or wa’a, the similarity is obvious.” On the day of the opening, races began at midday until dusk, when the IPCF

and Sprints Welcome Cocktail were held at the Australian High Commission.

Competition continued all day Tuesday followed by the beating of the lali when participants gathered at the Marau Hospitality Tent for Pacific Entertainment and crafts.

Medals were handed out on the third day of competition with flag raising ceremonies. This was fol lowed by the Sprints pageant in the evening.

Each day of racing was followed by entertainment to help the partici pants unwind and it added to the festive air of the Sprints. Ratu Mara said the sport of outrigger canoeing began in the Pacific between neigh bouring villages and islands, hun dreds or maybe thousands of years ago.

“Now, as we see today it has grown to draw competitors from around our planet,” he said. For the first time in the history of the event, a country (Fiji) was allowed to use its own traditional design for racing.

Previously a standard type of canoe was used whether it was in Samoa, Hawaii, California or Tahiti.

The Fijian Camakau is recognised as one of the finest sailing outrigger canoes ever designed, while the Waqa Drua (double canoe) is recog nised as the largest and finest

seagoing canoe ever designed and built by people of Oceania. Ratu Mara said “histo ry records that in times of war these mag nificent vessels carried 250 warriors to bat tle”. He said he was very glad that the IPCF recognised the need for change in

that regard. “I am even more pleased by the fact that the first different canoe you will use in these world championships is Fijian. It is through an event like this that we and others in our community are able to appreciate the vitality, spirit and unique

ness of our traditions,” he said. Ratu Mara told competi tors not to forget that they were in Suva to celebrate their Pacific traditions and culture. But he said not lose sight of the fact that though they may be competing, the event was more than that.

“You are here to share that cultural tradition, among our selves and with others. The competition is a means of strengthening our sharing.

That is the spirit in which we want you to compete,” he said. With sunshine, a cool breeze, a festive city and hun dreds of healthy young peo ple, the event was all it promised to be and more.

There is no doubt that the

World Sprints not only brought out the best in the outrigger canoes teams, but also had quite a number of converts along the way.

It will be no surprise to see the sport boom in Fiji long after the Bth Va’a World Sprints are over. ■