Outrigger canoe racing
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Outrigger Canoe Racing is a team paddling sport which utilises the outrigger canoe. The sport is also known as Va'a racing in some parts of the Pacific. The length of the race can be up 500 meters in short sprint events, 8 kilometres for "short course" events, 16 to 18 kilometres for "long course" events, and 42 kilometres for marathon events. The standard crew complement is six to nine, depending on the type of race and canoe. As a standard outrigger canoe contains six seats, crew changovers during longer races involve exit and entry to the canoe directly from the water while the canoe is underway. The longer races are typically conducted in the open ocean.
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History
- Polynesian Voyaging Society
- Pacific Rim countries
Outrigger canoe racing has grown to become a very popular paddling sport, with numerous sporting and social clubs located around the world. Sporting clubs are also often involved with dragon boat racing.
Paddling roles
During an outrigger race the paddlers sit in line, facing toward the prow of the canoe (ie. forward, in the direction of travel, unlike rowing). The steerer (or steersman) sits at the very back of the canoe and as the name indicates, is primarily responsible for steering, and the stroke (or stroker) sits at the very front of the boat, and is reponsible for setting the pace of the paddle strokes. The first two positions may also be involved in certain steering manoeuvers.
Steerers
A good steerer is able to maintain the straight attitude of the canoe throughout the course of a race, and also keep the boat and the crew safe in rough sea conditions. The steerer uses a steering paddle which is larger than a standard outrigger paddle, and steers by "poking" on the left or right side of the canoe. A steerer also skippers the canoe and instructs all other the paddlers as necessary.
As an outrigger is a long narrow canoe with the steerer placed at the very end, the steerer must give instructions sufficently loudly and clearly for the entire crew to hear. From a water safety perspective the steerer should also be amongst the most experienced crew members, and be knowledgeable with the waterways and weather conditions, relevant maritime rules and other safety considerations such as the use of personal floatation devices, and the weight distribution of paddlers.
Paddlers
Stronger paddlers are typically placed in the middle of the canoe, while paddlers with the most endurance tend to be placed at the front, as the lead paddler sets the pace for the crew. All other paddlers synchronize their strokes to the paddler in front of them (whom they can directly see). Paddlers at the front may also be instructed to "uni" or "huki" so as to help steer the canoe during sharp or sudden manoeuvers.
Associations
The International Va'a Federation (IVF) is the international governing body for outrigger canoe racing.