Outrigger canoe racing
Outrigger Canoe Racing is a team paddling
sport which utilises the
outrigger canoe. The sport is also known as
Wa'a racing in some parts of the
Pacific and
Waka Ama in
New Zealand. The length of the
race can be up 500 meters in short sprint events, 8 kilometres for "short course" events, 16 to 18 kilometres for "long course" events, and 42 kilometres for marathon events. The standard crew complement is six to nine, depending on the type of race and canoe. As a standard outrigger canoe contains six seats, crew changovers during longer races involve exit and entry to the canoe directly from the water while the canoe is underway.
Encyclopedia
Outrigger Canoe Racing is a team paddling
sport which utilises the
outrigger canoe. The sport is also known as
Wa'a racing in some parts of the
Pacific and
Waka Ama in
New Zealand. The length of the
race can be up 500 meters in short sprint events, 8 kilometres for "short course" events, 16 to 18 kilometres for "long course" events, and 42 kilometres for marathon events. The standard crew complement is six to nine, depending on the type of race and canoe. As a standard outrigger canoe contains six seats, crew changovers during longer races involve exit and entry to the canoe directly from the water while the canoe is underway. The longer races are typically conducted in the open ocean.
History
- Pacific Rim countries
Outrigger canoe racing has grown to become a very popular paddling sport, with numerous sporting and social clubs located around the world. Sporting clubs are also often involved with
dragon boat racing.
Paddling roles
During an outrigger race the paddlers sit in line, facing toward the prow of the canoe . The
steerer sits at the very back of the canoe and as the name indicates, is primarily responsible for
steering, and the
stroke sits at the very front of the boat, and is responsible for setting the pace of the paddle strokes. The first two positions may also be involved in certain steering manoeuvers.
Steerers
A good steerer is able to maintain the straight attitude of the canoe throughout the course of a race, and also keep the boat and the crew safe in rough sea conditions. The steerer uses a steering paddle which is larger than a standard outrigger paddle, and steers by "poking" on the left or right side of the canoe. A steerer also skippers the canoe and instructs all other the paddlers as necessary.
As an outrigger is a long narrow canoe with the steerer placed at the very end, the steerer must give instructions sufficiently loudly and clearly for the entire crew to hear. From a water
safety perspective the steerer should also be amongst the most experienced crew members, and be knowledgeable with the waterways and weather conditions, relevant maritime rules and other safety considerations such as the use of personal floatation devices, and the weight distribution of paddlers.
Paddlers
Stronger paddlers are typically placed in the middle of the canoe, while paddlers with the most endurance tend to be placed at the front, as the lead paddler sets the pace for the crew. All other paddlers synchronize their strokes to the paddler in front of them . Paddlers at the front may also be instructed to "uni" or "huki" so as to help steer the canoe during sharp or sudden manoeuvers.
Adaptive Paddlers
Outrigger Canoeing is a sport accessible to all. The International Va'a Federation have included adaptive events in the World Sprints and the sport is growing in popularity amongst disabled athletes. Countries known to participate in Adaptive Outrigger include Hawaii, Italy, U.S.A, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Modifications can easily be added to seats or paddles enabling athletes with a wide range of disabilities to participate in the same canoe and/or race!
Associations
The International Va'a Federation is the international governing body for outrigger canoe racing, which has done nothing to promote the sport but have 1 race called the "World Sprints" every 2 years someplace in the pacific.
External links
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- [mailto:mbpappaslaw@comcast.net Benicia Outrigger]
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- [mailto:MikeM@wavechaser.com Hui Wa`a O San Jose ]
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- [mailto:paddle81mph@yahoo.com Kamali`i O` Ke Kai — San Jose , CA]
- [mailto:daphne@daphnehougard.com Kawaiulu — Lake Tahoe, CA/NV]
- [mailto:iluvpoi@sbcglobal.net Ke Kai O` Uhane — Monterey, CA]
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- [mailto:lala4ever@sbcglobal.net Makana Hoe — Folsom , CA]
- [mailto:alevine@mail.mcn.org Mendocino Outrigger Canoe Club]
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- [mailto:pherve@hotmail.com Ohana Wa`a — Petaluma, CA]
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- [mailto:basgrw@aol.com Santa Cruz Outrigger Canoe Club]
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