Tomorrow’s the day everyone in Tahiti has been waiting for

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The long awaited, long anticipated outrigger canoe race the Hawwiki Nui Va’a 2015 kicks off tomorrow morning at 6 AM in front of the small village of Fare on the island of Huahine. Today the small village of Fare is packed with muscular men all carrying their rams through town. Each team that participates in the 3 day, 80 mile race must have their outriggers canoes weighed in and inspected before the race kicks off tomorrow morning. This year it’s expected to be the biggest year ever. At last count over 200 clubs from the islands of French Polynesia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and even California registered for this race. Each club has at least two 6 men teams that will paddle the outrigger canoe from Huahine to Raitea for the first leg of the race. The teams started to arrive in Huahine on Sunday and the military board carrying all the outrigger canoes and other team members arrived this morning in Huahine. It’s amazing to see all the canoes come off this giant military ship with the dedicated men and women carrying their rams. The race has three classifications; the junior’s, the women’s and the senior’s classifications. Only the seniors will make the 3 day growling race from Huahine to Bora Bora. The juniors and the women have 2 long days ahead of them and they participate in a course specially designed for their classification. These men and women spend 11 months preparing for this course. It takes dedication to wake up each morning at 4 AM to go ram the outrigger in the lagoon before work. Each night after work the teams continue practicing in the outriggers while jogging and doing other exercise to prepare for this event. It’s amazing to be in one of the boats on the water early in the morning watching over 200 outrigger canoes line up at the stating lineup. The canoes stretch across the lagoon in a single line waiting the gun to go off to start the first leg of the race. All teams’ battle for the best placement as the race begins. During the race the teams have a boat that follow them to supply them with fresh drinking water, snacks and energy bars to keep them going. The first leg of the race normally takes 5 to 6 hours to finish. As the outrigger canoes approach Raitea they are greeted by he locals from the island and women waiting in the lagoon with flower leis for each member of the team. This will continue the next day as they leave Raitea on their way to Tahaa. From Tahaa to Bora Bora is the hardest part of the race because of the ocean currents and rough waters. The Hawwiki Nui Va’a is important to the Tahitian people and their culture. The first official race took place in 1992. This race represents how the Tahitian people came to these islands in outrigger canoes carrying their families, belonging and livestock. Today people from all over the world come to test their skills between man and sea. Image Source Personal image taken in Tahiti