IT'S an idea whose time has come. One that is coming to fruition. Paddling circuit is
great, workable ideaIt's an outrigger canoe paddling circuit in which the best travel to compete against the best, to Hawaii, Tahiti, California and Australia. The seed was planted at the Queen Liliuokalani Races in Kona on Labor Day weekend, when the winners -- the Lanikai men and Outrigger women -- won free trips to the Hawaiki Nui Wa'a races in Tahiti, Nov. 5-7.
Dr. Phil Foti, president of the International Hawaiian Canoe Association, hopes the round-robin concept of trips to the major competitions going to the winners branches out across the Pacific Ocean. The circuit would include the Liliuokalani and Molokai Channel races in Hawaii, California's Catalina race, the Hamilton Cup in Australia and Tahiti's Hawaiki Nui Wa'a.
This would go beyond athletic competition to a chance for cultural and socioeconomic exchanges throughout the Pacific. To that end -- or rather beginning -- the IHCA is organizing a nine-day excursion package to Tahiti for the November races.
"I think it's important that we begin to show support for Hawaii's state sport in other parts of the Pacific," Foti said. "We have not made as good a showing in Tahiti as we should have. This is an attempt to do that for the participants and spectators.
"It's a beautiful race and a wonderful cultural experience, as well as an inexpensive way to see Tahiti. It's really an adventure, a most unusual tour, and we hope it will become a regular thing."
The Nov. 1-9 tour package is $1,230 and includes everything except meals. Four nights will be spent on yachts that will follow the races from Huahine to Raiatea to Tahaa to Bora Bora.
Voyage Tahiti Travel (947-4008) is handling the arrangements.
PADDLING is an up-and-coming sport among emerging Pacific nations, Foti said. Members of the IHCA have been assisting canoe club development in the Marshall Islands, Palau and Guam.
Next August, the Micronesian Games in Palau will have outrigger competition for the first time. The IHCA is soliciting donations to buy Hawaiian-class racing canoes and donate them to the various islands' athletic organizations.
"There are numerous islands that are building canoes and forming canoe clubs," Foti said. "Easter Island, Tonga, Western Samoa, New Zealand, Majuro are all becoming involved. Obviously, the commitment is there in Australia, as evidenced by Sunday's results."
Last Sunday, Panamuna from Queensland, Australia, became the first foreign crew to win Na Wahine O Ke Kai. More than a dozen foreign entries are among the 100-plus canoes in the Oct. 12 Molokai Hoe.
Whether canoe paddling will become an Olympic sport has been a longtime topic of debate. Many thought it would become a demonstration sport at the 2000 Games in Sydney.
Other sports will debut Down Under, a decision met with mixed feelings from canoe organizations at the international level.
"There are active discussions with the U.S. Olympic Committee," Foti said. "But I don't think paddlers are unanimous in wanting the sport to go to that level. Some people think it has the potential to lose some of the virtues it has. On the other hand, there is a strong movement to proceed in that direction.
"Right now, we're just wanting to stimulate people who are interested in outrigger canoes and Polynesian athletics. I've seen in my visits to Palau and Majuro that the young paddlers are forming a valuable matrix that ties the Pacific together in a way that I've not seen other cultural things do. We want to capitalize on the benefits of the canoe culture. It has a great deal of value for the Pacific Island nations."
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.