from the finish line at 12:15pm. the word a new record time of 4 hrs and 40 mins
1 Shell Va'a
2 OPT
3 Team NZ/HI
4 Hawaiian
5 Venus
6 Piare
7 Lanikai
8 Outrigger
9 OPT
10 Team Tiger
well off to the beach.....see you on the water.
Submitted by passion4paddling on Sun, 10/07/2007 - 12:27pm
Wow!! That's incredible. The finishing order of some of these teams are also incredible...the stories of this year's crossig should be quite interesting.
#1 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 1:42pm
Anyone know about the next 10 or so?
BTW check this out...
Shell Va'a crossed the channel in 4:40.
Let's see, that means they did it in 280 minutes. The race is 42 miles.....
So they managed an approximate 6:39.6 min/mile pace the entire race.
Just imagine if they learned how to surf...
#2 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 3:28pm
http://www.pacificsportevents.com/Races/Molokai%20Hoe/2007/OVERALL.HTM
Full results at link above.
Congrats to Shell, Opt, NZ/Hawaii, Hawaiian and all the other bad ass paddlers.
#3 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 5:36pm
Who's Team Progue...Herberts on Tour? They put down some good times as well, relative to everyone else minus 1st amd 2nd. Nutz.
#4 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 6:11pm
Team Pogue is from Vancouver, BC I believe (Pogue Sports sponsored). And I think Herberts on Tour is a NZ team.
#5 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 6:45pm
The next 10 crews:
hawaiian canoe & kayak
tui tonga
lanikila CA
Team Hope Canada
New Zealand
Leeward Kai
Outrigger
Keahi Aka Hoe
Team California Outrigger Masters
Hawaiian Canoe Club
Sorry no times for the crews, Marjie was taking photos and writing the crew in order as the cross the finish line and didn't get chance to the right times.
Guess, we gotta wait for the final results in the newspaper.
I should have placed my bets and collect on the Tahiti Teams.
Wish I could have been on the beach of Waikiki.
Photos will be available online soon.....stay toon for the link.
Congratulations to the winning the crews.
#6 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 8:52pm
...wow what are the chances that Nappy's crew finished with the time 5:55:55
#7 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 11:14pm
i guess pretty good.
#8 Sun, 10/07/2007 - 11:51pm
Nappy's time: 5:55:55
5 sons, fifth decade of paddling the Moloka'i channel...that's cool!
#9 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 8:56am
Only if there was one less crew in the top 55...
#10 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 9:25am
I don't like to be critical, but I heard from a reliable source, who was on an offical boat. That Shell had lots of guys in race jersey at least 5. They could have been running extra paddlers, oh by the way, by his count, running an 82-83 stroke rate across the entire channel. He also said OPTcrew had about the same amount. Should the officals limit the amount of persons in the escort to Coach, 3 extra paddlers, boat Captain?
What really chaps my A@$ is the poor display of sportsmanship by Outrigger Master crew, they got nipped at the wire by an open crew, I was watching as the 1 seat gave the canoe the One Finger Wave, and not in a nice way, it was not a shaka.
Paddle with Strength, PONO and ALOHA
#11 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 11:31am
who ever thinks the tahitians use extra guys then you must be crazy. these guys is the tiger woods of paddling. they train hard and it pays off. maybe hawaii guys need to stop complaining and just try next year. anyways congrats to everyone we had a good time. GOOD JOB TO KAILUA 1ST CREW REALLY A GOOD SHOWING....................ALOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. that was the saying yesterday.
#12 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 2:41pm
First--Every one did a great job! Congratulations to all the paddlers of 111 Teams! Fantastic stuff in history being made, Record after record--times, times crossed, amount of clubs! You all made history!
Second--Maybe, some oil bazillionaire types should help kokua some of the action here in HI! Keep talking to the people you vote for! YOU VOTE FOR!
Paddler and I vote!
oh-on 5:55:55 AWESOME huh!
k-nuff said.
#13 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 3:52pm
We can't stop people to say what they want to say, good or bad. Well, we're only humans...right.
Reliable isn't official so SHELL is still the winner. I just think that SHELL is a big family that has the means...to bring along who they want.
I will let you know what RADIO COCONUT has to say about Tahitians cheating in this race...
#14 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 3:57pm
are those that are questioning the integrity of the Tahitians guilty of committing such acts themselves, which, through their own personal expericence, give them the ideas and assumptions that they are perhaps "cheating?" hmmm...
Smile... things could be worse...
#15 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 8:14pm
I think it's poor sportsmanship to denigrate Tahiti's effort. What's wrong with trying to do better when you were the underdog for years carrying the stigma of flat water only specialists?
They took up the challenge and did it in record breaking fashion last year and still the excuse of being flat water paddlers stunk up the place. Now that the conditions were a litlle rougher some Morons think they cheated??
Now that stuff stinks even more!!
Give it up and get used to the idea of being the underdog. Nothing wrong with that.
Progress comes through resistance not the other way.
The Tahitians just put up a beautiful wall and bitching about it being there is the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results).
Get on it, put the laurels of past victories in the closet and earn some fresh ones. Look for new ways. The old ones don't work any more or need to be altered.
Correct me if I'm wrong but Shell Va'a has for many years been sponsored by Shell Oil, even in the years when they didn't win. All the money in the world isn't going to make you a better paddler. It'll make it easier to become one, because of the sponsors money but it's still you and how much of your ass you are willing to work off when you are on the water.
Personally I paddled with Team California Gold and we came in second.It wouldn't even occur to me to bitch about Waimanalo Gold having All Stars from all over Oahu. We don't have that luxury.
Good on them. Take a slice from Waimanalos Gold Team and put together Hawaiians best and you will see a huge difference. Waimanalo won with a new record and graciuosly and humbly accepted my congratulations, as I will when we beat them next year.
There's our wall to climb and that's called work and it starts tomorrow.
Someone recommended sucking it up.
There's a lot of Aloha in that.
So congratulations to Tahiti for the win with a new record, but Tahiti also remember that America loves an underdog and it has just become one.
Aloha to all.
Paddling rules!
#16 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 8:51pm
use common sense.
5 of the top 10 crews were tahitian. did all the tahitian crews cheat? obviously they are all fast.... shell vaa is the fastest team in tahiti. it makes sense that they blew everyone away.
re: extra people wearing jerseys on the escort boat... this is a travel trip for them- it makes sense that all the people supporting them on the boats are wearing jerseys to designate their team and to highlight their sponsors... wouldn't you do that if you were racing in another country?
here's a quote from the advertiser article:
"The past three months, we do nothing but train for Moloka'i; no races," Maoni said. "In Tahiti, we went out every day and looked for waves to practice for this day."
give them their due- this is their sport also, they earned it and deserve all props. personally it blows me away since the fastest crews in hawaii are so fast, and to see that it can be taken to another level even beyond that.
#17 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 10:14pm
I'm not saying that shell cheated but I had to say ' what the f#%k ' when I looked over at their escort as we were getting ready for the first change off la'au and saw 6 guys in racing jerseys stretching and warming up. I'd like to believe that they are that fast but when you see that it makes you question it. Next year it would be nice to see them win it with just three extra guys in their escort boat and end this debate.
#18 Mon, 10/08/2007 - 11:06pm
I think there's confusion over what their escort boat was. I saw their boat several times and don't remember seeing more than 5-6 people on it including their coach and the driver. There also was a much larger boat that appeared to have sponsors or family on it - 10-15 people - many of them in Shell T-shirts (maybe jerseys, but I doubt any of those old guys or women did a piece.) Everyone remotely associated with them was wearing a Shell logo of some sort.
Face it, they're just fast...fast as shit. They proved it in the Hawaiki Nui Va'a last year when NO changes were allowed. They still blew doors. Give them the respect they deserve. Five in the top ten...I doubt ALL of Tahiti is in some big conspiracy to cheat in a sport that pays almost nothing. Those guys have just raised the bar.
Also, does anyone know what their "sponsorship" includes? Are they actually getting a paycheck? I assumed it was mostly money for travel, equipment, etc. Not having to have a job would make a big difference in how much a person could train.
#19 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 3:50am
Let's see. In the past year, a 40+ Tahitian has won the Molokai solo in a surfski. He then won the Super Aito in a rudderless V-1 and then the US surfski champs in a surfski. Is there any paddler in history that could compete at the top level in different boats like this?
Tahitian crews have now set records in the Molokai Hoe for the past two years and filled the top ten. They were also dominant in the world sprints. Keep in mind the clubs that finished second and third last year were not there this year. There's a lot of talent still in Tahiti that didn't race Molokai.
As I understand it, this is not unprecedented. Back in the 70's, the Tahitians came over to race Molokai and finished in the first several spots. Hawaiians then copied some aspects of their boats, paddles, and technique then went back to winning again. Maybe someone who was around then could chime in. I've only heard the stories.
If you really think these guys are cheating, you need to talk to the people that have gone over to Tahiti to race in the past few years. Tahitians have immersed themselves much deeper into competitive paddling and there's a lot everyone else can learn from them.
#20 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 5:57am
If the question exists, then it should be addressed--preferably without rumour, prejudice, or innuendo. I don't think that more detailed rules are out of order, on the contrary, they are a reflection of the way the event has grown and evolved.
#21 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 7:26am
I think 12 paddlers is the least of your worries. I bet they are blood doping and using steroids. I also heard from a reliable source they have a boat thats 190 lbs. I also heard from a reliable source that it is extra super fast because its made from a super stiff material from the planet ukmucjukapoo and they were able to get it because 3 of the paddlers are from planet ukmucjukapoo. I also heard from a reliable source that they had 15 tiny invisible engines attached to the hull of their boat using ocean water a fuel. I also heard form a reliable.......
good god...
poops
#22 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 9:39am
The Tahitians have been coming here since 1975. Over the years they have always sent good teams, but have not always won. Whenever Hawaii has raised the bar as outrigger and Lanikai has, Tahiti has come back and done the same. Consider the fact that the 2nd and 3rd place teams from last year didn't even come. If they sent all of their top teams it could be scary!
Most of our all star teams referred to have worked hard, but it is usually the talent or blend that has made them, as all of the all star teams we have seen do not always succeed. Sometimes an all star team is simply a blend of a few clubs. This year's Waimanalo Team had 7 Outrigger, 2 Kailua, 1 Waimanalo, 1 Hui Lanakila, and 1 Hui Nalu. None of those clubs entered crews in the 55 age group, as it is hard to get to 12 paddlers 55 and over in one club that are competitive. That would make Waimanalo similar to California Gold, which I think was mostly Dana with some paddlers from other clubs.
#23 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 10:22am
I thinks its unfair to criticize shell for "cheating." I really doubt they would use more then the nine guys needed to do the molokai and jeapordize all that they have worked so hard for. (besides, don't you know? Oil companies are the most honest companies in the world.) Seriously though, as far as blood doping goes and even steroids, though i think that one might be a little far fetched. I don't believe i have heard any rules against it.
Frankly, I think there should be drug testing in our sport, but not just because of the tahitians, or when the Hawaiians get their ass handed to them so politely. I think it legitimizes the sport as a world class event like every other major sporting event in the world. And just like ALL other sporting events there WILL be drug users, but that is because of the passion people have for their sport.
I'm not saying the tahitians were blood doping or using steroids, in fact I don't care. I just think drug testing legitimizes the sport and more specifically the Molokai Hoe as a true world championship.
Also, I hope all those people who so emphaticaly defend the inocent until proven guilty are also defending Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong, Mark Mcguire, and even yes Mr. OJ
#24 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 4:04pm
Go Tahiti. I road back on the plane with most of the Pirae Va'a guys they were super cool guys and seemed just like any other paddler I know. The raced hard and they were still partying on the plane ride home.
#25 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 5:30pm
I am pretty sure there was a prop coming out of the hull underneath seat six. I definitely smelled gasoline during their changes coming from their supposed hydration systems.
#26 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 6:13pm
Amazing stuff here, lets just say about now, I'm embarrased to be from Hawaii, you should all be ashamed of yourselves, instead of focusing so much on the disbelief that those men of Tahiti could honestly be better, spend that extra energy changing what is not working for you and get better. Steroids, cheating, extra paddlers, what else can you all think of???? How bout, they are good, 5 in top 10, and they are closer to their roots than we have become.... They won, good for them, we can learn from them and maybe if we'd have less "teams" and more club loyalty could we then blend, work and train together. instead of ALWAYS trying to find those who we think are better than our own members. Look inside your clubs, forget the "Team All Stars"
...SUCK IT UP...;TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't be jealous, its an ugly ugly animal....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Smile... things could be worse...
#27 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 7:44pm
I think there was also a tow rope from the escort boat.
I mean how else could they have won? Hard work? Training? The hundreds if not thousands of years of Mana from their Pacific Islander ancestors flowing through their veins? The undeniable and focused desire to excel and win?
(Peace and congrats to you Tahiti)
#28 Tue, 10/09/2007 - 10:53pm
I hope next year there are drug tests, canoe weighing scales and arm-bands for 9 registered paddlers. I'd be really disappointed if a team was cheating. I'm sure if other teams could afford to professionally employ 30 paddlers then we'd have vastly different results. Shell woudln't be on top for long
#29 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 12:51pm
...and retina scans.
Maybe they should have catagories based on how much a person practices and other lifestyle factors. I would be in the Masters-Men-Paddles-twice-a-week-and-has-kids-and-a-job-and-occasionally-drinks beer division. I'd RULE that catagory.
#30 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 2:05pm
Too easy to switch arm bands to other paddlers. They should put Molokai Hoe brands on each registered paddler's forehead.
#31 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 2:23pm
I was thinking facial tattoo's and implanted GPS tracking units, but brands will suffice. Each year the brands will have to be put in a new easily visible location that is kept secret till the morning of the race. Each paddler will be branded as they leave the shore so as to prevent counterfeit brands. Eventually it will be considered a badge of honor to have more visible brands than any other paddler.
#32 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 2:38pm
I hope one day to be branded so much that i may be confused with a NASCAR race driver.
#33 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 4:44pm
another suggestion:
just train hard.....
#34 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 6:23pm
to everyone thinks these guys cheated...................people whos talking sh...........................t. you probaly didnt even get top 20 thats why your all mad..........the reason why their so good is they want to win. they have familys they dont have much money they enjoy paddling they party hard they work hard.not like the trust fund babies..............not like the guys who just want to party.............
#35 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 7:14pm
instead of crying grow some balls and quit complaining.....tahitians is the best deal with it.........
#36 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 9:41pm
#37 Wed, 10/10/2007 - 10:26pm
Now if you stop and think about it, yes the tahitians are great paddlers and I am in no way bitter about their win. Had Hawaiian and Outrigger started the race with a noticeable amount of extra guys on their escort boat and then go on to smash the old record and beat 3rd place by 16minutes you don't think people would be scratching their head wondering what the hell just happened. That said, we all train hard but lets face it we don't train as hard as the tahitians nor do we have the depth of talent to pull from. Most clubs can put together one maybe two strong crews and even an all star crew without full sponsorship won't have the time to train. Time on the water is key. You don't make up 16minutes by changing a couple of paddlers around. We've got some serious training to do. So how about next year when we get are ass handed to us we try not to be so bitter.
#38 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 12:20am
Train hard? Why would I do that. Its so much easier to sit here and bitch. Plus there's no way I could ever beat the tahitians when I hear from all of you that they cheat, do drugs, and train all day.
#39 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 8:08am
You guys have to be kidding me, even if they used more than 9 guys it would be tough to do what they are doing. They are flat out on the juice! I have competed on the higher levels in paddling and know how fast a boat can go. With the conditions and tides there is no way they are just chopping that kind of time off of the record, and lets face it the gap is far to large! Train more my ass. You could take the top 9 paddlers in Hawaii and they still wouldn't keep up. Wake up paddling world, lets see what would hapen if they had drug testing for this race.
#40 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 8:19am
To assert that the Tahitians are using extra paddlers and doping is preposterous. Besides, I heard from a reliable source (there’s that same person again!) that it was only flax seed oil!
Hey, I’m not an expert on doping or anything, BUT I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!
#41 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 9:20am
Maybe some of it is time on the water and training... but honestly I think a lot of it is technique and stroke rate.
#42 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 9:48am
Keizo brings up the best point. The disbelievers think the Tahitians were cheating somehow, the rest of the crowd attributes their domination (that's right - DOMINATION) to ultra-high levels of hard work and training...
But the fact of the matter is that the Tahitians paddle differently than we do. The differences may be seem small, but they are obviously significant. Also subtle, are the differences in their paddles - again, obviously significant from their results.
When flatwater kayaking went through a major shift with the invention of the wing-blade, top paddlers saw HUGE improvements in speed with new equipment and technique. Much more than with advances in training/workout efficiency. Everyone knows the Tahitians paddle at a higher stroke rate with larger (and double-bend) paddles. To think that those factors do not contribute to their speed is ridiculous.
Opinion time: The theory of outrigger racing in Tahiti, as interpreted by me, is much different than that in Hawaii. (and most of the rest of the world, since the rest of the world largely adapts HCRA rules as their own) And it is evidenced in their (almost) unregulated boat design(s). They push constantly towards advancements in speed by innovation with very little by way of rules holding them back. Whereas here in Hawaii, we paddle and race and design new equipment always under the priority of keeping the tradition of the days of the koa canoes alive. I'm not saying that one way is better than the other, but just pointing out the fact that outrigger racing in Hawaii is limited by these rules. Speed and racing are not the top, unfettered priorities here in Hawaii that they are in Tahiti.
My opinion, in short, is that paddling theory in Tahiti is allowed "outside the box" because there is no "box".
#43 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 10:34am
Do you all really think that Tahiti has far more depth in talent pool than Hawaii ? It seems to me that there is enough talent here in Hawaii to put together a super-crew which should be capable of challenging the Tahitian.
As for Tahitian cheating and being on the juice...there are more paddlers from Hawaii that looks like they are probably on the juice (big muscles, small head) than the Tahitian paddlers do :) . So yeah, bring on the drug testing, lets validate this sport.
Oh and what happened to Outrigger ? Did they peak too soon ? Did they put way too much effort onto the Henry Ayau and didn't recover enough for the Molokai ?
#44 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 11:48am
Good point about different equipment.
I have heard the Tahitians use different paddles for practice and racing. In both cases they have paddles that are very HEAVY by Hawaii standards. Their heaviest paddles, used in practice, are pretty much a form of resistance training. Then, on race day they go lighter and all of sudden things are much easier...makes sense.
#45 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 12:27pm
Heavy blades, huh? I've been hearing the rumours of drug use and mostly disagreed, but a performance like that makes you wonder. It seems like when something becomes important enough, the performance enhancing drug use begins. Hell, if High school football players will do it, why not top paddlers? While I'm not implicating any one specifically, it's definately time to start drug testing the top teams.
#46 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 5:18pm
first of all. i personally been training with tahitian paddlers for about 10 yrs. Doing workouts with them. working on technique. Thats why i strongly think there the best. There pros each year they raise the bar. molokai and world sprints. More to come the juniors is beating the older guys. i mean dept is large. every island has great paddlers. we had some tahitians in our boat for the molokai and yes it made big difference so i can imagine 9 of them scary....but yah we still can beat them we might have to train the young the new generation of paddlers it can be done.
#47 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 5:31pm
The Tahitians are the best paddlers.
This steroids talk is embarrassing for Hawaii/US and has no merit or logic behind it.
If that is the case in regards to steroids, then it would follow that Team Hawaii that placed 2nd in the 1st leg of the The Hawaiki Nui Wa'a Race last year was on steriods. Not good paddlers.- Right? It has to be the only way to compete. That is just silly. If anyone is likely to use steroids it is US. -where it is probably easier to get, cheaper, and a doctor will write you a prescription for HGH. Or you can pop over the border to Mexico and get whatever you want.
The Tahitians are honorable, respected, and kind. I hope more of them come to Hawaii again. I would like to see some of their Masters and Senior Masters teams come to shake up those divisions as well. Everyone in their entourage was kind, polite, and humble. If we sent near 200 support people and paddlers to Tahiti to race, I would hope Hawaii/US would behave as well.
Are Aussies whining that the Hawaiians and Tahitians cheated? No! They say “Good on you mate. We will try again next year. “ Rambo can include proper Aussie lingo.
If we want to progress, we need to serious take a look at technique, fitness, coaching ( I think it is tough for the great paddlers in Hawaii to coach themselves, their team and do logistics too, for example Hawaiian, Team New Zealand/Hawaii) I still like the idea of a more uniform boat that we have in Hawaii and I imagine the Tahitians appreciate it as well knowing that when they do come to compete the boat isn’t much of a factor.
I have a few more thoughts about technique. I hadn’t seen the Tahitians up close. Prior to the start of Molokai Hoe, Team OPT went by our crew doing a warm-up. My jaw dropped and it was truly stunning to see the reach, power, timing that was present. When you look at the pictures they are much cleaner, in time, and upright than the Hawaii powerhouse teams. They also exhibit superior technique in the Super Aito pictures as well.
Here are some more productive discussion topics-
Team OPT was in a Bradley Stryker. Would a Bradley Lightening have allowed them to win?
What was the best line during the race? I have heard different opinions?
Should we eliminate some regattas in Hawaii in order to clean up paddling schedule?
I also would like to have a discussion about having the Na Wahine of Ke Kai and Molokai Hoe within a week of each other, since it would be easier for international and mainland teams to come and support each other for those races
#48 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 5:38pm
Yeah, like you said, it's more likely Americans have access to such substances- all the more reason to test the elite participants, regardless of origin. What's the big deal? All the other sports have tests, why not paddling? Innocent athletes have nothing to fear.
#49 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 6:28pm
kona j, amen to that.... speaking of bradleys, sonny must be stoked that 8 of the top 10 were bradleys (i thought they were all lightnings, but i guess a striker might be in there too)- i guess he's back after the mirage seemed to be the boat of choice... maybe the conditions favored the lightning?
drug testing on it's face seems like a "what's the big deal" issue, but probably the main issue is cost- who foots the bill? it ain't cheap. plus i think many people paddle because we love the ocean, with competition being secondary. that's the beauty of the sport. although based on the tortured agonizing about the horror of tahiti's dominance, maybe it's more important than anything... i guess that's the dilemna- the sports stay niche with all it's uniqueness, or goes big with all the extra shit like drug testing, etc...the tahitians seem to have done both. tahiti seems to like a lab experiment where paddling is being experiment and evolved in a much higher level than anywhere else- maybe because it's happening with the whole country on board, not just individual clubs or organizations.
#50 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 6:43pm
People have been talking about it for years, maybe now it's time. Unfortunately, like Dacho said, if it starts now it looks like sour grapes. I'm sure that's part of it, but it seems like a necessary step in the sport's evolution. As for line, even though it's tempting to start surfing ASAP, I've always been a fan of fighting your way north for a change or two after La'au. Doesn't it suck when you end up way south of Portlocks and about twenty boats pass you going way inside the bay?
#51 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 6:53pm
Where are the hawaiians ?
I tought it was an hawaiian race...
Congratulation SHELL, and team OPT.100% tahitian team.
What if Venus Vaa didn't have problems with their boat...
Next year, i hope you'll bring the trophy to Tahiti.
Yeahhh.
#52 Thu, 10/11/2007 - 10:24pm
A week later and still whining about cheating!!! AMAZING. Like I said before, SUCK IT UP, TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!!!! Let the Tahitians have their very well earned glory in peace. Why s#$% on them for? Wake up earlier, work out before work, train after work. Spend less time trying to figure out who is the 'better paddler' and 'I only want to paddle with these people/clubs because they are better'. Stay in your clubs, train as a club, bond and unite with your club. Take Hawaiian Canoe Club, they are not an "allstar" team, they are a club that works together thanks to the awesome coaching, have been at the bottom (when I paddled there) and now they had the patience and worked hard to become the fourth at the finish of this race. Be teammates rather than backstabbers fighting for a seat, unity, humility, etc.. Run during lunch break, do something different to up your training instead of whining and complaining that the Tahitians are cheating and trying to figure out HOW they had cheated....And as far as "juice" goes, $40 kits from Walmart available. Spend the money test the paddlers. I'd say more paddlers here have juiced up than the tahitians who are fairly average sized and not very large!
SHARKBAIT, did you accomplish what you wanted by signing up for this account yesterday?
Smile... things could be worse...
#53 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 11:01am
I totally agree with ofcr....suck it up, take it like a man...love that saying...it is so true.
Get over it! Fix what you can here and leave the tahitians alone. They deserve their success. Go TAHITI.
A record of 4.40 will definitely hold for awhile or until they beat their own record AGAIN.
#54 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 11:29am
Hmm sit here and complain and make excuses or go for a 5 mile run?
Ahhh those damn tahitians cheated!!!
#55 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 12:15pm
Now, when you say "take it like a man", what exactly are you meaning? And what exactly are you "sucking up"?
Because as we all know, there are guys like poopoo who take it like a man quite literally and often.
Just want to clarify for the rest of us who may not be into "taking" just any old guys "it".
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
#56 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 3:08pm
Side note for LCC fans: That was Lanikai's 20th consecutive top ten finish- and Jim Foti steered them all-Wow!
#57 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 6:07pm
oops, wrong button...
#58 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 6:25pm
He knew better than to antagonize me when I'm worshipping my other heroes....
#59 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 6:37pm
No drug testing in paddling please. Keep your dignity.
#60 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 9:10pm
true, if they test for one kind of drug, they probably will check for the other kind of drugs too. i don't think many of our hawaii paddlers want that.
#61 Fri, 10/12/2007 - 10:34pm
What does dignity have to do with drug testing? You're kidding me right?
#62 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 7:57am
"No drug testing in paddling please. Keep your dignity."
dig·ni·ty (dÄg'nÄ-tÄ“) - The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect.
So all the past olympians and who ever else took a drug test? No dignity.
police men? No dignity
fire men? No dignity
armed forces? No dignity
airline pilots? No dignity...
just making sure we're all on the same page here.
#63 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 9:04am
Don't forget the upcoming teacher drug testing...
#64 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 11:28am
Ah, some controversy.
dig·ni·ty (dÄg’nÄ-tÄ“) - The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect.
Very true.
It is worthy of esteem or respect to be a fair sportsman, thus no unfair advantage etc. = dignity.
It is also worthy of esteem or respect to trust each other.
My thought: if you hold a competition and you request drug testing, I would not participate. Why, because your drug testing is a statement that you do not trust my integrity.
That is definitely a lack of dignity; on your side for implying that I might be a liar, on my side if I allow you do so.
If you continue this: where will you stop, which result is going to be ' worthy of your esteem/respect', when will you be satisfied ? Will it be a 'drug test' of a drug test ... ?
What else would you want to test ?
Of course this is not a black/white topic. Some things need to be ensured, not drunk driving etc..
What about Landis ? He is fighting for his dignity, isn't he. I read that he has spent 2 million dollars on legal fees by now. He is sure that he did not do it, they are sure that he did it.
Do you like drug testing for teachers ? While it has some merits, I feel that something is very wrong with that.
#65 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 4:15pm
My view is that team funding / sponsorship has a big part to play as well as the structure of the clubs and teams.
With one or two premier teams with fully sponsored paddlers, there is a lot of pressure on the top paddlers to perform in those teams and certainly no shortage of people willing to take their seat. Hawaiian, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand teams on a person to person comparison would probably end up in the same category as a non-sponsored Tahitian team, such as Pirae. Then you've got to think of home waterform advantage.
So I think that teams like HZ/HI and Hawaiian did really well given those paddlers aren't paid to paddle. I think some of the international teams did ok too.
Shell and OPT will only last as long as their funding - anyone remember Pirae Mobil?
The biggest threat is from unreal paddlers like Manutea Owen and Taaroa Dubois who arent paid and perform well on an amateur funded basis.
#66 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 5:21pm
I'll ask again - what exactly does it mean that Shell Va'a is "sponsored?" Are they getting paychecks? Or are they only receiving financial support for equipment and race expenses? There's a big difference between someone donating nice equipment or picking up your airfare and paying athletes to train full time. Does anyone know what their sponsorship includes? Afterall, aren't the some of the top Hawaiian teams or paddlers getting free canoes and paddles?
And I'm with eckhart - the day I have to pee in a cup to participate in a sport that pays little or no money is the day I don't race.
#67 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 8:02pm
eck, you said "no unfair advantage = dignity. Fine. You feel drug testing is testing your integrity. Fine. but what about the people that are taking drugs? Test them, they have very poor integrity and are creating an unfair advantage. Landis brought all the troubles upon himself when he made the decision to take drugs. Without drug testing Landis would have been allowed to race and would have probably won because he was cheating.
As for the teachers: DRUG TEST THEM. Its a damn no brainer here. I don't want a teacher of my kid on drugs. F that. Drug test them all.
I love paddling and peeing a bit into a cup is not going to take that away from me.
#68 Mon, 10/15/2007 - 11:26pm
"And I’m with eckhart - the day I have to pee in a cup to participate in a sport that pays little or no money is the day I don’t race."
so if you qualify for the olympics (which i understand olympic athlete gets paid very little to no money, but gain national and personal sense of pride and achievement), and have to pee a little in a cup, you won't participate ?
I am with poopoopaddler...if i love the sport and love to compete in a race for which i have worked very hard for to prepare, whether it offers no money or lots of money even to the mid-packers (like golf) i'd pee not only a little bit, but a lot in the cup (or a pint glass).
peace out!
#69 Tue, 10/16/2007 - 12:48pm
What I like to do when I have to pee into a cup is fill the cup to the absolute top and leave it in the doorway thing uncovered. That way its a pretty sure bet that some of my pee gets on the technician thats testing it. Sure he has gloves on but I can say I peed on him. Oh well thats just me.
Poopoo
#70 Tue, 10/16/2007 - 1:05pm