(NMA) — The Northern Mariana Islands Va’a National Team is made up of many young paddlers and the sport’s leadership would like to give them opportunities to experience competing in high-level events such as the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, the Solomon Islands.
Eleven members of the team are between the ages of 16 and 22, and they include high school students Tyler Pedro Andrew, Yu Ling Chai, Mitchelle Kukkun, Gracie Mendiola, Eva Nicole Weaver, Terry Ruben, VInalynn Oronigo, Michael Peters.
Also making it to the national team are Jenisha Dubrall, Willie Cabrera, and Dayne Lou Macaranas, who are in their early 20s.
The other team members are Momoko and Sakurako Halstead, Oliver Igisaiar, Ashley Pangelinan, athlete/coach Jason Tarkong, Richard Sikkel, and team managers Joseph Weaver and Justin Andrew.
“These young athletes are the future of the sport and we want to give them as many opportunities as we can to get them the exposure they need,” team manager Justin Andrew said.
“We would like them to see and experience for themselves how is it like to compete outside the Micronesian Games, how the level of competition is very high when you see the regular powerhouse and world-class paddlers from Tahiti and New Caledonia in the waters. Get points from every race and seize the opportunity to race against the best,” the team manager added
The va’a (outrigger canoe race) has a full field with the Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Wallis & Futuna joining the NMI, New Caledonia, and Tahiti in the competition. Va’a races will run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 at the DC Park.
The competition will start with the women’s and men’s V1 and V12 500m races on Nov. 27, while the men’s and women’s V6 500m and 1,500m events are scheduled for Nov. 28. Long distance races will take place in the last two days of the event with the men’s and women’s V1 16K set for Nov. 30 and the men’s and women’s V6 24K slated on Dec. 1.
The NMI National Va’a Team and the rest of the Team Marianas delegation are supported by Joeten Daidai Foundation, Triple J, Crowne Plaza Resort, IT&E, IP&E, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Mobil, Tan Holdings, and McDonald’s.
