We had no idea that the world championship outrigger canoe races would be held in Bora Bora the same week we were there in March 2002. While very few Americans were aware of these races which included the USA among fifteen participating nations, this is an important event held every two years in the Pacific. Eleven hundred men and women raced in single or six man/woman canoes for the right to be called world champions.
By the way, this is truely current news to anybody looking at this now, because the races were concluded only ten
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A great title for our article! This member of Hawaii's outrigger canoe team sported a great shirt...
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Coming home From our Club Med beach house we could see these young people coming...
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More coming home The entire 130-member outrigger canoe racing team from New Zealand...
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Looking a bit down We suspected this New Zealander didn't do too well today.
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The crowd gathers The colorful scene at the beach , only a ten minute bicycle ride from our...
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More of the crowd Our daughter Betsy and son-in-law Phil were among the hundreds of...
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The favorites Almost half of the 1,100 participants were from Tahiti, and their home waters...
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The racing canoes Every team had the same size and shaped boat, whether it was for...
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Television was there Live television coverage to Tahiti and a number of other countries pointed up...
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Three new friends Betsy quickly made friends with these two lady competitors from Hawaii.
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Spectators The sands were filled with spectators, many of whom moved out into the waters...
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Ready to race One of the 1100 competitors, a number of whom came all the way from...
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On your mark, get set, go! The start of several hundred races played out during the week. Races...
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Headed to the finish line Watching six men or women move as one , switching their paddles from side to...
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End of the race Two crews resting after their race for medals.
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Congratulations to the winners Each competitor brings his or her own paddle, a constant companion during the...
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Four happy winners As predicted, the Tahitian teams won the lion's share of the...
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Medal winners The gold, silver and bronze medals were made out of beautiful shells,...
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A kiss for the winners As in the Olympics, the awarding of the medals included the bestowing of a kiss.
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Flag ceremony The medal ceremony ended with the gold medal winner's national...
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