The Cook Islands Games day one competition on Saturday saw Athletics, Aquatics, Handball, Oe Vaka and the Emo’anga Peu Tupuna (Traditional Games) events taking place at various venues around Rarotonga.

Some athletes from the participating 10 island teams had to race from one venue to the next to make it on time for their events.

Due to the rough weather conditions, the Aquatics event had to be moved from Aroa beach to Vaiana’s in Panama and because of “low tide” the swimming didn’t start early, splashing off instead at 11am.

Aquatics would have ideally liked to start at high tide which was at 1.30pm, but the Athletics and Oe Vaka sports events were being held around midday.

Today, the 1500 metres swim will take place at Muri starting between 9.30am and 10am.

Tomorrow is the Boiler Swim at 1pm at Traders Jacks followed by medal presentation and a barbeque. The spear fishing competition is on again as an exhibition sport starting at 6am to 12pm for weigh in at Traders as well.

Out at Muri beach on Saturday at the Rarotonga Sailing Club, the Oe Vaka Sprint Races were held in windy, rough and high tide conditions.

Handball at Nikao beach drew a good crowd of athletes and spectators, and Lawn Bowls which had started last week continued on Saturday with a good crowd of supporters looking on.

The results for the Oe Vaka Sprints results are as follows. 500m Open Mixed - 1^st Rarotonga, 2^nd Atiu, 3^rd Mangaia; 500m Open Women –1^st Rarotonga, 2^nd Atiu, 3^rd Mangaia; 500m Open Men – 1^st Mangaia, 2^nd Mauke, 3^rd Atiu. Open Women’s 1000m Heat 1/2 1^st Rakahanga, 2^nd Rarotonga, 3^rd Mangaia; Open Women’s 100m Heat 2/2 1^st Atiu, 2^nd Mitiaro, 3^rd Aitutaki; Open Women’s Final 1000m 1^st Mitiaro, 2^nd Rakahanga, 3^rd Rarotonga. Open Men’s 1000m Final 1^st Atiu, 2^nd Aitutaki, 3^rd Mauke; Open Mixed 1000m Final 1^st Rarotonga, 2^nd Mauke, 3^rd Atiu.

Today Monday 3^rd October the Games schedule is as follows: Athletics 9am at the National Stadium, Aquatics is between 9.30am to 10am the 1500m swim is at Muri, Basketball 10am at the National Indoor Arena, Darts 9am at the Tupapa Centre, Handball 9am at the Beach Courts in Nikao, Oe Vaka 4pm at Trader Jacks Avatiu harbour, Squash 11am at the National Indoor Arena, Tennis 9am at the Nikao Tennis Courts - 18Under only - Girls Singles and Doubles and Boys Singles and Doubles.

Take note, there are no Lawn Bowls on today (Monday), the semi-finals will be played tomorrow starting 5pm at the Rarotonga Bowling Club.

The sailing events are postponed until entries are accredited, the expectations are that kite boarding will take place when weather and resources allow, from Tuesday.

Sailing events – optimists, sunbursts and electrons – commences on Friday.

Note – Other results from Saturday’s events were not made available to Cook Islands News including the medal tally by the time this edition went to press last night.