Pacific

Clarkie enjoys paddling off the river

Rod Clarkie Clark of Echuca is taking on Vaka Eiva for the first time this year. A leading senior constable of the Victorian Police, he has been on the force since 1979 but the start of his paddling career predates the year he became a policeman. Clarkie says he has been canoeing since he started […]

Round Raro Relay results

The men’s Pacific Cup results (below) are only the top three teams in each of the race divisions. The full men’s results were not readily available last night due to the tragic death of Cook Islands paddler Alan Maki during yesterday’s race.

Red Hot Chicks on fire, Super 8 doing great

The fifth round of the Edgewater Saturday Premier Womens Championship saw some great action over the weekend with the temperature not the only thing heating up on the field. Arorangi Red Hot Chicks were seeking to move to the top of the table and guarantee themselves a finals berth and home advantage against the girls […]

80 swimmers round the boiler

Eighty hearty swimmers took to the Avarua harbour for the Trader Jacks charity boiler swim as part of this weeks Vaka Eiva activities. Visitor to the island Lisa Townsend was the first out of the water in 10:02 while Gold Coast chief surf lifesaving guard Chris Maynard was hot on her tail finishing a second […]

Paddlers get a taste of the Cook Islands

A swath of Rarotonga schools yesterday put on an all-singing, all-dancing welcome for paddlers currently stationed in the Cook Islands. Paddling teams from Australia and New Zealand stopped by Takitumu, Avarua, Arorangi, St Josephs and Imanuela Akatemia schools yesterday to exchange gifts and goodwill as part of the Vaka Eiva competition currently underway. The paddling […]

Crown Beach Kings go bush with Rakei Toa

The Australian Crown Beach Kings paddling crew went bush yesterday to discover what the kids of their adopted school Rakei Toa get up to. The Kings, favourites to win todays Pacific Cup Round Raro, were treated to a coconut climbing and coconut husking session before a grand umu feast set down by the students of […]

Mapu give it their all

It was success all round for junior paddlers at yesterdays Mapu Oe Vaka races in Muri with clubs from New Zealand, Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Australia all sharing wins. The junior paddling event got started with a moving turou (welcome) ceremony along Muri beach where some 250 paddlers walked to the paddling base next to the […]

Paddlers take care of pets

Vaka Eiva paddling crew Rogz for Dogs including (from left) Peter Watson, Kylie Young, Lauren Grant and Don Gaschk delivered over $20,000 worth of pet food, medicine, leashes and toys for the Esther Honey Animal Clinic in Nikao. Check out tomorrow’s Cook Islands News for the full details of funds and sponsorship.

2 wins to Natives

The Aotearoa Natives were at it again in the masters mixed V6 12km race yesterday with the crew pulling off their second win for the day. After winning the masters mens division Aotearoa Natives called in their Wahine for the mixed division which they cleaned up in 1:07:09 two minutes ahead of second place-getters the […]

Aitutaki girls win U19 V6

The island of Aitutaki will be celebrating long into the week after the islands talented under 19 womens crew took out yesterdays V6 12km race ahead of their fancier counterparts from the Sunshine Coast. It was anyones race from start to end with the three canoes in the race paddling stroke for stroke. But with […]

Masters make it look easy

Less wind and sea chop made for smooth paddling on Monday morning in the first race of the day for the masters and senior masters men 12km V6 iron races. The uniting power of oe vaka came to the fore as crews coordinated their strokes to get their vaka across the line. It was the […]

V6 teams racing results

Sport VE open division V6

The Crown Beach Kings oe vaka crew from Australia are proving to be as good as their fighting words after easily taking out yesterdays open mens V6 12km iron race to Avana. It wasnt all cruisy work though for the Aussie boys who were left in the wake of the Cook Islands National mens squad […]

Outrigger sport unites people as one

The uniting power of outrigger paddling was highlighted at the opening ceremony of the Vaka Eiva festival at Avarua harbour on Saturday. In her address, Cook Islands Canoeing Association president Janet Maki talked about the sport of paddling being one of unity. As a paddler you are told to feel the canoe, feel the ocean […]

Arorangi holds Tupapa to a 1-all draw

Arorangi managed to hold current competition leaders Tupapa Maraerenga to a 1-all draw in the Lotto Premier Mens match played at the weekend at Victoria Park. In the first half of the match, although Tupapa were missing seven of their key players who are currently on international duties, Tupapa showed dominance on the field. Early […]

Early start

Vaka Eiva racing starts at 7 oclock this morning with masters men and senior masters men taking to the water for the 12km V6 iron races. Masters women and senior masters women paddlers will start their V6 12km race at 9am followed by the masters and open mixed crews race at 11am. The fiercely contested […]

Buzzing from elite training

Local cricketers Toara Teinaki and Hori Miller are back on the rock more cricket wise after taking part in the recent ICC Elite Training Camp in Brisbane. The pair are keen to share with club players their development and the new skills and techniques they learned while on the six-day training camp with some of […]

Turama and Sunshine Coast fight it out

While under 19 paddlers joined their senior counterparts on the open ocean in the OC1 and V1 division races Mapu Oe Vaka paddlers headed out to Muri for their first day of racing. Before taking to the water, a moving blessing ceremony for the paddlers and their vaka was conducted by staff at the Pacific […]

Local paddlers to the fore on first day

Unique Cook Islands carved pearl shell pendants and wooden trophies were presented to the top three paddlers in each race category on Saturday night. After a big day of racing, paddlers gathered at the Avarua harbour for the official opening of the 2011 Vaka Eiva festival and to celebrate the success of paddlers through the […]

Casual triathlon today

Twelve hardy athletes took on the first duathlon course of the new triathlon season on Thursday and today athletes will compete in the first triathlon at Tikioki. Vanessa Palmer lead the way in Thursdays duathlon to complete the 2km run, 8km bike and final 1km run in 29.06. Jennie George was hot on her heels […]