It was a great day of action packed fun at the Muri lagoon on Saturday for the V12 Corporate oe vaka races.

Twenty-five keen and well organised businesses turned up for the day kitted out with their bbqs, tents, chilly-bins and racing uniforms.

After two rounds, three semi finals, some fun games and a couple of dramas for good measure, the finals got underway.

The final was a mix of the old and new with Captain Tama’s Pirates, Budget Braz, Muri Beach Resort and Air Raro lining up for 250 metres of sprinting pain.

Captain Tama’s Pirates proved too strong for the challengers and took out the final in a time of 1minute 15 seconds.

This makes it two out of two for the glass bottom boaties who on debut won the February Corporate race event.

Second place went to newcomers Muri Beach Resort in a time of 1minute 19 seconds.

On reflection they may have peaked too soon as they set the quickest time of 1minute 15 seconds in the semi finals.

Third place was a battle between bikes and planes with the Air Raro crew just getting ahead of Budget Braz in a time of 1minute 20 seconds.

Finalists took home goodies which included products from the major sponsors The Bond Store, CITC Liquor, Frangi and Island Craft.

A highlight was definitely the kids novelty race which saw nearly every kid on the beach jammed into the canoes for their own 250 metre sprint.

Some definitely took the long way back to the beach but it was the crew steered by local champ Reuben Dearlove that eventually came across first.

Another highlight was the large number of paddlers who have never paddled before and are keen to do it again.

Next year CICA is planning on running a fortnightly business house series as a build up to the next V12 corporate race planned for February 2011.

So for those who missed out this time, don’t worry, there will certainly be another chance.

- CICA

Semi finals and final results:

Semifinal 1 (Pool A) – Muri Beach Resort 1.15.53, The Hoppers 1.23.43, Live Wires (Raro Electrical) 1.25.00, Heinlager (TCI) 1.26.89

Semifinal 2 (Pool B) – Air Raro 1.22.50, Wave Power 1.24.35, Motonators 1.26.44, Edgewater 1.30.26

Semifinal 3 Pool C – Budget Braz 1.22.21, CITC 2 1.22.80, CI Trust 1.23.85, Island Craft 1.24.45

Final – Captain Tama’s Pirates 1.15.10, Muri Beach Resort 1.19.19, Air Raro 1.20.54, Budget Braz 1.23.32