Hello sunshine!

Sunshine Coast girls Maddy Cooper, 18, Teaicia Adams, 17, and Jody Bisschops, 18, were snapped soaking up the sunshine - with paddles in hand - counting down the days till this year’s Vaka Eiva festivities.

Cooper and Adams will be racing in the under 19 OC1 12km Iron Challenge and the Open Women’s mixed Round Raro Relay while Bisschops will cheer on her team mates from land.

This is the second Vaka Eiva for Cooper, the fourth for Adams and for supporter Bisschops it’s her first time to the island – and she’s excited about her first experience in the festivities.

“I’m loving it here, it’s such a beautiful place” says Bisschops.

The girls are part of the Sunshine Coast Junior Development Crew from Australia led by Allen Rasmussen that arrived on the island Monday past.

Rasmussen brings with him a junior crew throughout all divisions with a total of 31 paddlers.

This will be the seventh time the Australian crew has participated in the popular Vaka Eiva event with some of the original paddlers competing in the open divisions.

Two of the team’s male paddlers will be competing with local club Te Tupu o te Manava in the Sprints and the Round Raro Relay race, testament to the close relationship the Australian team has formed with the local juniors over the years.