Six seconds on Shell Va’a and 13 seconds on the Air Tahiti crew: Team OPT won by a narrow head on Saturday at Vairai Park on the 9e edition of the Air Tahiti Nui Race (27 km). This promises a great battle on the Hawaiki Nui, scheduled for the end of the month. The postal workers even scored a double, since their female crew also won.
The Hawaiki Nui is fast approaching. Before the legendary event, scheduled from October 30 to November 2 at the Raromatai, the V6s carried out their penultimate rehearsal, this Saturday, October 5 on the Air Tahiti Nui Race. Two distances, 27 kilometers for senior men and veterans, 22 km for mixed, women and veterans 50, were planned, around Vairai Park and the Taapuna pass.
Outgoing winners of the Hawaiki Nui, Team OPT showed their form, winning the senior men’s race in 2h08’58. And at the same time gets his tickets for the Vendée Va’a, the reward promised to the winner of this 9e edition. The competition follows very closely, since Shell Va’a arrived six seconds late. The podium is completed by the Air Tahiti Va’a rowers, arriving 11 seconds behind the winners. In the end, Enviropol finished fourth in 2h09’46. A notch below the leading group, Popora Te Hoe Mamu grabs the top 5 in 2h12’43. Twenty-six V6s were entered.
Among the 40 veterans, the Hinaraurea crews, A and B, scored a double ahead of the Ifremer team.
The OPT girls win too
Team OPT definitely had something to smile about, since their women’s crew also won, completing the 22 kilometers in 1h56’27, ahead of Ihilani Va’a and Varu Re’a Va’a. Victory for Tahitian Paddle in mixed and for Toa Tai in Veterans 50. There was only one crew entered in Veterans 60, that of Tefana. Same participation among the juniors, where only the EDT rowers participated.
The crews will be able to fine-tune their final settings next weekend, with the 2e edition of Heke Noa, Saturday October 12, still at Vairai Park.
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