From oval ball to paddle

Rugby enthusiasts will have spotted a familiar face on the island recently.

Ex-All Black and Northland rugby icon Alastair Robinson is on the rock taking part in the 10th anniversary of the Vaka Eiva Festival.

This is not only Robinson’s first time taking part in Vaka Eiva but also his first time to Rarotonga, which he describes as magical.

Robinson paddled with the senior master crew Fluffy Slippers from New Zealand and placed 4th in the V6 division in the 12km Iron challenge on Monday.

He joined the All Blacks in 1983 and played a total of four test matches before leaving the team the following year.

Before taking up oe vaka Robinson was cycling, but was more than happy to make the switch – likening paddling to rugby, saying the adrenaline and the build-up is the same.

A spare seat in the Fluffy Slippers crew is how it all started for Robinson, who trained hard preparing for his races.

The weekend prior to arriving in Rarotonga, Robinson took part in a sprints qualifying race on Lake Ngatu for the national sprint races to be held in January next year.

Racing in the 500m senior master division, Robinson paddled home to an impressive second place with only four months of training under his belt.

Robinson will be putting his paddle away next month as he travels to San Francisco for six months to coach the forwards in the Golden Gate rugby club.