The MHS Girls took the first win over the defending the champions, Saipan Southern High School Girls maintaining a five-second distance towards the shore in the 1000-meter sprint.
The race went too close between MHS and Mount Carmel School in the first quarter of the race. However, a brief shift in the direction after turning around the off-shore flag gave MCS away.
Despite the considerably calm water, MCS swerved a little bit to the south which led them to make a huge letter C going back on the track, with MHS pulling away ahead of them.
Meanwhile, 2009 champions SSHS started picking up as they paddled away from to the shore putting themselves in a neck-to-neck race against MHS.
The MHS however, would not want to give it away. They kept the distance back to shore and finished the race in seven minutes and 11.87 seconds and SSHS had in 7:16.10.
Under the searing heat of the sun, the thirst for the victory intensified. The MHS Girls were not yet done exclaiming “We Are Here!” They finished SSHS off in the 500-meter sprint reaching shore in 3:19.45 beating the defending champions who clocked at 3:22.69.
In the boys’ race that was marred by a minor accident when two of the competing canoes collided, MHS also poised to end its drought for title when they beat defending champions, Mount Carmel School paddlers in 1000-meter sprint.
With only MHS and MCS left cruising back to the shore, MHS was in a wide gap ahead. MCS came close around the flag but MHS kept it open on their way back to the beach and won the race at 6:14. 96.
MCS reached the shore at 6:39.87.
In the 500-meter sprint, the MHS Boys showed no mercy at MCS leaving them way behind. However, the SSHS Boys also showed thirst for victory. They came close, perhaps, almost made it but MHS beat them by three seconds.
MHS completed it in two minutes and 51.94 seconds and SSHS came second with 2:54.20.
Last Saturday’s race is however, a no-point event. The real deal, comes April 17, will decide if MHS is ready to de-thrown the defending champions.
Canoes will continue to cruise back and forth on April 24, in the six-mile long distance race and in the championship—a 1,500-meter and 500-meter races on May 8.
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