The men’s team of the Marianas Outrigger Club make their way to the shore after completing a Micronesian Cup race at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan beach.
Saipan Paddling Club’s Tyler Andrew, right, won the gold in the V1 500m junior men’s division race of the 24th Micronesian Cup at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan beach.
THE CNMI’s Marianas Outrigger Club and Saipan Paddling Club shared the spotlight with medal finishes on day 1 of the 24th Micronesian Cup Canoe Race at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan Beach on Friday.
It was a rainy and then a sunny day with the Marianas Outrigger Club shining the brightest as they swept all three divisions of the V12 500m event.
The MOC men’s V12 team bagged gold after finishing first with a time of 2:23.08, defeating Guam’s Taotao Galaide, which came in second at 2:26.12. PFM/LMS clocked 2:28.22 to finish third.
The gold medal count continued to rise for MOC as their mixed V12 team also reigned victorious with a first-place finish timed at 2:27.30. Taotao Galaide 2 Maksum claimed silver with a time of 2:27.57, and Saipan Paddling Club earned the bronze at 2:30.99.
In the women’s V12 race, MOC bagged another gold medal after Marianas Pacific Paddlers were disqualified for impeding in Lane 2. MOC finished with a time of 2:42.91 while Taotao Galaide won silver at 2:48.07. MPP recorded a time of 2:42.55.
Sharing the spotlight in the V12 500m events were the Saipan Paddling Club’s junior teams as they swept all three divisions.
SPC’s junior women’s V12 team recorded a time of 2:52.19 to clinch gold while Taotao Galaide trailed behind at 2:29.25 and settled for the silver.
In the junior men’s V12, SPC’s team won gold with a time of 2:25.00 followed by Taotao Galaide at 2:25.95.
In the junior mixed V12, SPC earned their third gold with a time of 2:25.00 while Taotao Galaide settled for silver at 2:25.95.
Guam medal wins
Guam teams also had their fair share of medal wins as they excelled in the V1 500m races.
The open women’s V1 race was ruled by Maneran Galaide’s Nahokuheleiakeahuolu Keala with an impressive time of 2:59.00 to claim gold. Coming in second was Kia Quichocho of Guam’s Napu at 3:03.06 while SPC’s Jenisha Dubrall finished third at 3:18.22.
Maneran Galaide clinched another gold medal after Kaihe Chong finished first with a time of 2:26.05 while teammate Aiden Artero was second at 2:36.05. MOC’s Maverick Itibus came in third at 2:37.90.
Guam’s Taotao Galaide also earned podium finishes as they placed first in the masters men’s and women’s V1 races.
The men’s division gold medal was won by Taotao Galaide’s Jason Park with a time of 2:48.40 followed by MOC’s Richard Sikkel at 2:57.14, and SPC’s Joseph Weaver at 2:57.24.
The women’s division gold medal was claimed by Toatao Galaide’s Masako Sablan with a time of 3:23.00 while Napu’s Lori Wong came in second at 3:41.50, and MPP’s Maria Ornes finished third at 3:51.06.
As for the junior men’s V1, SPC’s Tyler Andrew came out victorious to claim gold with a time of 2:45.18. Teammate Phillip Aldan earned the silver at 2:46.52 while another teammate, Yu Ling Chai, won the bronze at 2:46.55.
The junior women’s V1’s gold medalist was Puti’on Tasi’s Dina Soriano with a time of 3:06.70. Her teammate Kayla Rivera was second at 3:12.81 while SPC’s Emma Chong finished third at 3:15.21.
