Hawaiki Nui Va´a 2010

i'm not sure they raced yet...

from the pics on the web site it looks like it was a travel day.

edit: from the online schedule

Nov 10 - 1st leg plus women and juniors race
Nov 11 - 2nd leg
Nov 12 - 3rd leg

#1 Mon, 11/08/2010 - 10:18am

Aloha from the Official booth at Huahine. They let me in to use the internet :) They have a camera set up with a live feed at www.hawaikinuivaa.pf I will be post lil bits from OPT if there is internet along the way. I'm on their first crews support boat. if i'm able to get it up you will find it at www.youtube.com/timlara and pics at facebook.com/tslara again internet connection pending. if no internet over the next few days it will go up after the races are over on friday from Bora Bora

If you want to learn to surf while visiting Maui Hawaii, Hawaiian Paddle Sports offers private Surf lessons at some of maui's best surfing breaks. Also offering Outrigger Canoe Tours, Ocean Kayak tours, Stand Up Paddle board tours and lessons. Get up and go surfing today! http://HawaiianPaddleSports.com/surf-lessons

#7 Tue, 11/20/2012 - 10:20pm

live radio

http://polynesie.rfo.fr/radio

can't understand a word. we need a translator. i just heard OPT, Shell, va'a, hoe, and Manutea Owen in there somewhere.

update from the Hawaiki Nui Facebook page.

35 minutes into the race
1st OPT
2nd Shell
3rd Paddling Connection

#9 Wed, 11/10/2010 - 8:20am

After 1h race : Team OPT - Shell Va'a - Team Hawaii - EDT va'a (cap faaroa)

#11 Wed, 11/10/2010 - 8:46am

about 2k's in between Team OPT(pac leading) and Shell Va'a - Paddling Connection - EDT -Team Hawaii - Shell 2 - Moua Tamaiti no Papara - Farerua (Bora) - Maupiti - Arue -OPT2 - EDT2 - Marquise - Air Tahiti - Matatia - Fetuna sorry for the rest of the 100 va'a pac

#13 Wed, 11/10/2010 - 9:17am

Looks like Team Hawaii is in the 5th place for todays race. Any confirmation or stories would be a good read.

#15 Wed, 11/10/2010 - 1:14pm

Results posted here, http://www.hawaikinuivaa.pf/classement-2010.html

#17 Wed, 11/10/2010 - 4:54pm

Results for today: Go to Hawaiki Nui Website and click on "Classement 2010"

Team Hawaii is up there, 6th at the moment....great showing!

#19 Thu, 11/11/2010 - 3:38pm

Does anyone know why Matairea were dq'ed?
They finished 3 rd today but werent counted the boys must be pissed off about something.

#21 Thu, 11/11/2010 - 5:21pm

I think they had a paddler currently under suspension, Maitai Danielson, paddling in their team... at least thats what I could make out with my bad French...
Its a real pity though, because they were doing very well..

#25 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 9:18am

Matairea is mentioned on all the broadcasts and updates i've seen as being right in the mix with the lead pack. Both days they were in mentioned the top ten but are not shown in the results... DQ'd?

#29 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 10:04am

Unless they are just doing the race anyway.... but it definitely says they were DQ'ed after the first stage...

#31 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 10:28am

Looks like a finish: 1.paddling connection, 2, OPT, 3. Shell, 4. Hawaii? I thought I heard Hawaii as 4th. The battle was close and intense at the end...wish I could have seen it. Lets see how the points fall into place.

#33 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 11:24am

They speak to fast over there at RFO. I need to paddle like they talk...LOL

#35 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 11:45am

Day 1: Shell lead for the first 45 min-1 hr when OPT battled their way up to over take Paddling Connection and then Shell. As OPT increased their gap, shell faded high and OPT kept their line. Most crews faded and followed Shell. OPT was much stronger and faster but their coach made a bad call on the course and it cost them in the end as we came to Raiatea to low and had to paddle up the reef to get into the lagoon, while watching Shell and P. Connection come surfing straight into the pass. 1 Shell 2 P. Connection 3 OPT 4 EDT 5 Hawaii

Day 2: Again Shell had a considerable lead as the came towards Tahaa, but OPT slowly caught up. At about 1- 1 /2 hr into the race the began battling back and forth along the shore line. After 10 minutes OPT overtook them for the last time and steadily widened the gap. 1 OPT 2 Shell ..... Team Hawaii was battling with Shell B and others in about 4-6th place when Thibert dehydrated and had to jump out of the canoe. Team Hawaii finish 14 or so with only 5 paddlers!!!!!!! Pretty Mean!

...... shit internet card out of time...day three coming later... pics at www.facebook.com/tslara

#37 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 5:17pm

Aloha,
Now that I have internet again i've uploaded a few quick clips from day one and two: www.youtube.com/timlara
I've also upload the pics from day 3 at www.facebook.com/tslara

Day three was by far the most exciting to watch from the front of the pack. Shell had a pretty big lead coming out of the pass. They headed straight out and start surfing while OPT followed a little closer to the reef. Once OPT headed out to sea the quickly caught up to Shell and passed them. I believe Team Hawaii's line was headed more directly towards Bora Bora after coming out of the pass. After OPT passed Shell they faded back and started their approach to Bora Bora. OPT kept their eyes on Shell, not wanting a repeat of the first day and began their approach as well. As we came closer to Bora we could see a huge pack of support/spectator boats along the reef, at first we were told it was Team Hawaii but as we got closer we found out it was actually Paddling Connection. When OPT found that out they surfed down to cut them off. Paddling Connection caught up to, and even passed OPT. They battled back and forth all the way to opening in the pass, where P. Connection, having the inside, turned first and added 3 canoe lengths to their lead. This was the biggest lead they had all race. The whole time OPT and P Connection were battling outside the reef, Shell was making a move and coming up quickly on them both. Inside the lagoon and protected from the wind by a motu, Shell came within a canoe and half of OPT who was only about the same distance behind Paddling Connection. Shell broke early to cross to Bora from the motu and this proved to be fatal mistake as they dropped back to not have a chance. A few minutes later OPT caught up to paddling connection and passed them while they were shooting from the motu to Bora. OPT held their position for the win.

To answer "feirulegui" questions on my impressions of Shell: They are obviously very talented paddlers, however the OPT guys seem to be much faster in the surf. Each day Shell started with a lead but once in the surf OPT tracked them down and passed them. I also noticed that when they passed them, the seemed to shut down. They tried to respond which only made them drop further off. I think there is something to be said the mental component of racing. Once Shell backs away and gets back to "their race" they seem to start making ground again, as they did on day three and (possibly) day one. As far as the individual paddlers there is a noticeable difference. The Shell guys are all pretty ripped and tall which isn't the case with the OPT guys. I'm not saying the OPT guys aren't fit and in good shape (they obviously are) they just don't look like they lift weights, or paddling as nutz as they do. It just shows once again, you don't have to be a big guy to move a canoe.

#39 Tue, 11/16/2010 - 10:36am

Wow...thanks (or should I say mauruuruu) for the observations Maui Tim.

#41 Sun, 11/14/2010 - 12:49pm