Competing in Te Aito, Tahiti (July 2014)

Competing In Te Aito, Tahiti (July 2014)

Project 2014-04-30 20:32:01 +1200

The project is about raising the funds to compete at Te Aito on 19 July 2014. Te Aito is the biggest and most prestigious va'a (also known as outrigger canoeing or waka ama in New Zealand) long distance ocean race for single rudderless outrigger canoes (V1) in the world. The event attracts over 600 paddlers in the men's division alone, over a distance of 28km (check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k8HEUZqxWM).

Outrigger canoeing as a sport has its roots in the South Pacific, and is very popular in many Pacific nations such as Australia, Tahiti, and the US. The sport is known as Waka Ama in New Zealand, and also growing strongly here, with now over 4,000 paddlers across New Zealand.

I am a highly competitive outrigger paddler from New Zealand, within the top 3 in New Zealand. I achieved a third place at the National Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Cambridge (V1 over 500m) in January 2014, a second place at the New Zealand Aito in Auckland in March 2014 (see www.aotearoaaito.com, I won the event in 2013), and a second place at the recent New Zealand Long Distance Nationals in Christchurch.

Te Aito is THE place to go in order to compete against the best in V1 long distance paddling, and to further develop and improve my paddling by learning from the best. This will also play a key role in preparing me for the World Sprint Champs in Australia in 2016.

I need to raise approximately $1,800 in order to be able to compete. Funds raised will assist with travel, accommodation, entry fees and coaching.

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