Due to challenging swell and wind conditions, the highly anticipated Vaka Eiva Mixed Round Rarotonga change-over course was modified to a 30-kilometre race from Avarua Harbour to the Matavera point turnaround, extending out to Arorangi and back.

The mixed “Love Birds” team, made up of husbands, wives and couples from local canoeing clubs Ngakau Toa Vaka and Te Tupu O Te Manava, dominated the race with a time of 2.47.50 hours.

Steered by Tupuna Amo, the team maintained their lead from the start to finish.

Amo was chuffed they had won the race, saying they were focused on and achieved their “main goal” which was to get to the Matavera turn buoy before everyone else.

“The conditions were rough out there, as the steerer, going up to Matavera I was trying to keep the ama down and get around the turning buoy, and work with the surf,” said Amo, who has paddled in several Round Raro races.

After the Matavera turn, they surfed to Arorangi (near the Mormon Church) then turned around back into the wind to Avarua Harbour.

“Every year is different and this year was a first for us mixing the two clubs. I think the team definitely worked together,” Amo said.

Ana File-Heather and her husband Damien Heather also paddled in the “Love Birds” team.

“It was super fun and we’re all couples, it was a great race,” said File-Heather.

Harvey Allison has photographed Vaka Eiva since its inception in 2004 and hasn’t missed an event.

Allison headed out to record the morning race on board one of the several safety boats.

“It was very testing conditions, it’s the heavy chop that makes it the hardest,” he said. “It was great racing from the start up.”

Allison said the safety committee had to consider the weakest paddlers because “they’re the ones who you’ve got to worry about safety wise”.

There were no obvious problems at the change-overs and no capsizes were recorded.

Allison said the final leg to the harbour must have been very tough pushing into the wind and swell all the way.

“It’s certainly as tough as you would get out there, and again safety is paramount.

“Congratulations to all crews, they did very well in the extremely tricky conditions.”

Today is a rest day, with the Boiler Swim for charity, postponed earlier this week, scheduled to begin in the afternoon.

Tomorrow will commence with the women’s Round Rarotonga race, followed by the men’s race in the afternoon, culminating in the closing dinner.

Results

The V6 Mix Changes 30km results for Wednesday 29 December are as follows.

Golden Master Mix - 1^st The Wandering Warriors from the Newcastle Outrigging Canoe Club, Australia in a time of 3 hours, 53 minutes and 30 seconds – 3.53.30.

The Senior Master Mix: 1^st Kolohe Kupuna - ChangGang& Hawaiian Canoe Club, Hawaii 3.13.03; 2^nd Te Tupu O Te Manava Seniors - Te Tupu            O Te Manava, Cook Islands 3.33.1.

Master Mix: 1^st Te Tupu O Te Manava Masters – Te Tupu O Te Manava, Cook Islands 2.51.51; 2^nd VO2 - Whakatu Waka Ama Club, Aotearoa 3.10.01; 3^rd Hokianga Natives - Nga Kaitiaki Waka, Aotearoa 3.14.43; 4^th Dawes Team - Dawes Team, Australia 3.33.15; 5^th Central Coast     - Central Coast OCC, Australia 3.39.03; 6^th Dawes Team 2 - Dawes Team, Australia 4.07.36; 7^th Anuenue Canoe Club - Anuenue Canoe Club, Hawaii 4.21.51.

Open Mix: 1^st The Love Boat - Te Tupu O Te Manava and Ngakau Toa, Cook Islands 2.47.50, 2^nd Oceania - Nga Hau e Wha Outriggers, Aotearoa 2.51.19, 3^rd Pacific Dragons – AOCRA, Australia 3.11.54, 4^th Ngakau Toa Open Mixed – NTV Cook Islands           3.16.42, 5^th DialUP.com – DialUP, Australia 3.34.04, 6^th Lokahi OCC Mixed - Lokahi Outrigger Canoe Club, Australia - 3.53.50, 7^th 7 Anela Gutierrez - Hawaiian Outriggers Canoe Voyaging Society, Hawaii 3.54.0.