Wouldn’t be nice if our sport was on the mainstream, and just like Formula 1, we could all watch the main Tahitian races on TV and/or web?
Since Rene Avaepi has been hired as the OPT coach, the sport is reaching new competition levels in Tahiti, hence Worldwide. Last year, OPT broke the 4 year Shell dominance in the Hawaiki Nui Va’a, and during the 2010 season they have already won 3 out of 4 major V6 races.
Interestingly, Shell Va’a maintained their core group of paddlers and hired some of the current top V1 paddlers such as Taaroa Dubois, Yoann Cronsteadt and Clovis Trope, hence if they don’t have “on paper” a better team, is at least as good as OPT. On the other hand, OPT did not sign with any big V1 stars. Their group is pretty much the same that struggled against Shell in the last few years, which leads to my question:
Is the difference being made by the coaches, with their respective culture and values? It seems that Gerard Teiva (Shell Va’a) has a more “military” leadership style and Rene Avaepi more the lead-by-example style (Masters silver medal at the 2010 Sprint World Champs), empowering paddlers and focusing on unity rather than internal competition (?).
Even EDT, who recently hired the legendary Lewis Laughlin has just won yesterday the Super Tauati (V16) in front of both Shell and OPT. Apparently, last Saturday at the Faati Moorea (85 kms) EDT only lost the 2nd place to Shell due to a capsize….
Any thoughts, ideas, 2010 Molokai Hoe & Hawaiki Nui predictions?
Mahalo/Mauruuru Roa!!!!
Submitted by feirulegui on Wed, 07/14/2010 - 7:32pm
Haven't all three of those guys paddled with Shell Va'a for at least a couple of seasons?
Shell raised the level of competition over the past few years and teams were either forced to respond or fall back to competing for second. I think it's great that there are multiple teams challenging Shell these days. It makes for better racing and Shell doesn't get complacent, which makes for better racing in the future.
Anyone know if there's online updates for the Te Aito (starts today I think)?
#1 Thu, 07/15/2010 - 3:05am
I heard a rumor that Huahine's favorite son, Manutea Owen was going to Shell. He has to be one of the worlds best Pepperus ( steerers).
How many Hawaiians are going to Hawaiki nui?
I wish Australia would send a national team to it.
My prediction is O.P.T (just) Shell, Paddling Connection, EDT.
#2 Fri, 07/16/2010 - 12:22am
Taaroa Dubois was still paddling for EDT on the beggining of 2009, and both himself and Yoann Cronsteadt were hired by Shell after placing 1st and 2nd (respectively) at the 2009 Super Aito. As far as I know, Clovis Trope who was the 2009 Te Aito and 2010 Heiva V1 champion, has just been hired by Shell.
Since Manutea Owen is a top 5 (if not top 3) V1 paddler, it'd definitely be a important addition to the team, and would put some competition on the 'always' Shell steerer - David Tepava.
My 2010 Hawaiki Nui Va'a prediction is OPT 1st, Shell 2nd, and EDT 3rd.
Aloha
#3 Sat, 07/17/2010 - 1:56pm
How are Bora Bora going this season?
They have been threatening to win it for a while.
#4 Sat, 07/17/2010 - 11:41pm
Bora Bora got 4th on the RFO race, did not compete on both on the Rangiroa Channel race and Faati Moorea, and placed 12th on the Tahiti Toa Va'a (?). They ended up doing very well on the Heiva races (3rd V3, 1st V6 women, etc.).
Pls see below the Te Aito Top 10 (Top 3 all Shell Va'a paddlers):
1.- TAUHIRO Bruno
2.- DUBOIS Taaroa
3.- CRONSTEADT Yoann
4.- OWEN Manutea
5.- KAMEHA Tamarii
6.- EBB Rete
7.- CERAN JERUSALEMY Kevin
8.- VARNEY Mike
9.- MULATIER Teva
10.- AH MIN Mihimana
#5 Sun, 07/18/2010 - 7:22pm
Please keep the updates coming. Always great to see results and paddling talk from all over the world!
#6 Sun, 07/18/2010 - 7:48pm
Looking at the results from the Te Aito this past weekend, of the top three paddlers, only Yoann Crosteadt was listed as paddling for Shell in the posted times here.
Can a paddler race for a different club for the one man races versus the six man (or larger) races?
Also, looking at the penalties it seems like Shell had a very bad day with most of their paddlers being penalized in the Te Aito.
edit: fixed link
#7 Mon, 07/19/2010 - 12:36pm
wow, so the first three finishers were assessed a 15 minute penalty. i wonder what this was for? according to the initial times Steeve Teihotaata was first across the finish line.
congrats to Reuben Dearlove... 41st overall!
ah never mind, just saw he other thread.
#8 Mon, 07/19/2010 - 9:10am
Apparently, paddlers were penalised due to the rule of starting from the beach and then running to your respective canoe. It seems that this has been the 1st year where the race officials enforced the rule, and like previous years a few paddlers thought that they could get some advantage by starting from their canoes...
From the races results (ftvaa.pf website), I couldn't see the clubs from each paddler. Taaroa Dubois is supposed to be from Tahitian Paddle Club but for some reason he paddled for Shell at the Rangiroa Channel Race. Bruno Tauhiro is a long time Shell paddler and he could be seen as the faahoro (no.1) at all 2010 races. Same thing for Yoann Cronsteadt, who is usually no.3 or 4.
Aloha
#9 Mon, 07/19/2010 - 2:21pm
Weird, they changed the document my link was pointing to. The PDF of the results originally had club names next to the paddler's names. Taaroa was listed with Tahitian Paddle, Yoann with Shell, Bruno I forgot (but not Shell), and Manutea with Maiteria (probably spelling that wrong).
#10 Mon, 07/19/2010 - 3:27pm
cheers jc9 .Think you know a bit about racing until you jump in to the Aito, madness. Constantly five guys in front and five behind ready to hurt you the whole way.
#11 Tue, 07/20/2010 - 7:45pm
reuben, sounds like you need to take some friends with you the next time down!
#12 Tue, 07/20/2010 - 9:13pm
trying to find funds to get back for the super, course is set for the Moorea channel crossing. hopefully if not definitely
back next year.
#13 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 3:23am
Man I want to race down there. all this talk is nothin like race over here, its crazy.
#14 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 7:00am
Anyone know if there's a website for the Super Aito?
reuben, good luck if you make it back for the Super. Awesome job on the Te Aito. I can not even fathom what 500 V1s must look like at the start…
#15 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 11:13am
now that would be an insane helicopter shot.
#16 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 8:43am
Will try and post some footage and shots once i've had a chance to go through what got shot from my support boat. At a guess the start line was about 1 mile long with the vaa jammed next to each other. The websites in Tahiti aren't the greatest most info posted on http://www.ftvaa.pf/.
#17 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 11:58am
Iaorana Reuben,
Placing in the group of "ten percenters" on a major in Tahiti shows the level of commitment of a paddler with the sport, and is definitely something to be proud of. Congratulations!!!
I can't wait to buy my V1....
Mauruuru Roa
#18 Wed, 07/21/2010 - 9:51pm
Bravo Mr Reuben !
#19 Thu, 07/22/2010 - 9:46am
Super Aito 2010 website is up:
http://www.superaito-tahiti.com/pro/intros.html
edit:
And a link there points to the Te Aito 2010 website:
http://www.teaito-tahiti.com/site/intro.html
#20 Fri, 07/23/2010 - 5:28am
Just out of curiosity, are all the top guys paddling the same canoes as last year?
#21 Sat, 07/24/2010 - 8:58pm
Following on jc9_0's question, what canoes are the top guys paddling? The only ones I could figure out from last year were Taaroa and Steeve paddling Va'a Factory and Bruno paddling Charles Va'a.
#22 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 2:27am
No a few of the guys have swapped. Steeve, Clovis and Manutea on Timi vaa. Taaroa on Factory. Bruno, Yoann on Fai ( I think a NZ builder living in Tahiti ) all double carbon coremat vacuum bagged with the hulls weighing between 7 and 8 kg. Maybe Hiro can fill us in with a few more.
#23 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 6:31am
posted link to Fai under the other thread that prolly applies more to this subject...
#24 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 9:39am
Timi, Fai, Va'a Factory, Ah Min, Bernadino and Yvon's are all top canoes... In fact I don't check who paddles what because all the top paddlers are so good, they get good results with any canoe... All of them have extra light hulls, 7-8kgs as reuben said. jc9_0 it looks like it's the same canoe.
#25 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 9:53am
Yeah Hiro, I figured as much. Just wondering which boats are comparable. i remembered someone saying they paddled some great boats, but also a few dogs...
fast guys are always fast. dammit.
#26 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 12:20pm
I like how the Fai has a resting spot for the thermos behind the cockpit. At least I think that's what it's for.
#27 Sun, 07/25/2010 - 1:52pm
Hello All!
The results from the Super Aito should come in very soon! I bet you all can't wait just as I am very impatient to see how everyone did and what outriggers they were racing.
To answer some of the questions about the va'as: most paddlers are racing on Fai, Fai/Are, Timi and Factory va'as.
The Fai 3 is Joe Bunton's va'a. He went into partership with Yvon (Are va'a) to make the Fai 3/Are model which uses the Fai 3 hull and the Are's more streamlined deck. Paddlers still prefer the Fai 3 model in weathered sea while opting for the Fai 3/Are model in more clement weather.
These va'as are vaccumed bagged carbon fiber. I got myself one just recently and I am extremely pleased with it. If you get a chance to ride one you will know what I am talking about.
I met Joe Bunton a few months ago when he offered to let me try his va'a. Very nice guy, down to earth! Just like Reuben said, he is from NZ but has lived in Tahiti most of his life.
He has been sponsoring Bruno Tauhiro, George Cronstead, Yoan Cronstead, Heiva Amo and Hemi Wahapango from NZ. These guys have done very well for themselves this racing season between the Heiva, Te Aito, Mata Are race...
He opened a shop in Vairao in Tahiti where they showcase their canoes just a few months ago. You can contact them xby email at iatovaatahiti@gmail.com.
#28 Sat, 08/14/2010 - 2:39pm