Junior racing has been cut from this year’s Vaka Eiva, but that will not keep the Cook Islands and New Zealand’s young paddlers out of the water during the event.

Competitor and juniors coach Emilene Taulu-Amo said while the Under 19, U16, and U14 categories were “not officially” included in the programme for the international regatta in Rarotonga, the outrigger canoe clubs had organised a few races – and prizes – for young paddlers.

“We’ve slotted them in there because we already had the New Zealand junior teams coming,” said Taulu-Amo, who coaches the women’s open, U14, and U12 teams for Te Tupu o Te Manava.

“They booked to come over before the official programme was out. We thought, ‘They’re coming all this way, so why not put something on?’”

Junior teams are set to compete in a 5-kilometre race on Saturday (tomorrow) and a 10km race on Monday at Avarua Harbour, followed by a fun day at Vaiana’s on Tuesday.

Taulu-Amo said between 40 and 50 young paddlers, aged 10 to 19, were expected to compete.

“We want to give them a good race,” she said.

“Our teams are excited to race other teams, instead of the same ones they’ve been racing. With Covid, the most racing any of them have experienced internationally is when NTV (Ngakau Toa Vaka) sent an U16 team to Samoa for the World Distance Champs.”

Taulu-Amo said the weather could impact whether the upcoming races went ahead.

“We’re getting high winds at the moment, and they’re coming in little bursts. It’s okay for adult competitors, but it’s borderline for the juniors. Sixteen knots can be too much for them.”

The wind in Rarotonga had been too strong for Taulu-Amo’s teams to practise for the past two weeks, but she hoped “it might make them a little bit hungrier to get out on the water”.

Taulu-Amo, 31, said she had been competing in the Vaka Eiva since she was 13 years old – only missing one event because of the birth of her child.

She had been coaching for five years.