WITH the Pacific Mini Games 2022 just a month away, the organizing committee executed a successful “dry run” for the va’a or outrigger canoe event on Saturday morning at the 13 Fishermen Memorial beach.
“This is just to run it through and see if there should be any adjustments to be made for the actual games,” Northern Marianas Paddling Sports Federation President Justin Andrew said. “Well, it was really good to have a dry run take place. First, so that our athletes will feel the lanes out there and see the lanes and have an image of the lanes during real competition.”
Andrew said this was a chance for the local men and women who are trying out for the CNMI teams to have a feel for the actual race course, and for the organizers to experience hosting the event.
This includes the registration process, the holding area for the athletes, the volunteers who would usher the athletes down to the canoes and the step-by-step rundown of the start and end of each race, Andrew added.
“This [setup we have] is what we want. It meets the specifications,” he said. “And this dry run is a very important part of our preparations.”
During the dry run, the prospective members of the local men and women’s teams participated in V12, V6 and V1 category events that covered various distances.
The Northern Marianas Paddling Sports Federation is expected to make an announcement about the composition of the CNMI men and women’s teams soon.
Prospective members of the CNMI women’s team make their way to the shore after testing the course in a V12 format during a dry run Saturday for the Pacific Mini Games 2022 at the 13 Fishermen Memorial beach.
Prospective members of the CNMI men’s team complete the 500m distance on a V12 format during a dry run Saturday for the Pacific Mini Games 2022 at the 13 Fishermen Memorial beach.
Prospective members of the CNMI men’s team make their way to the canoes.
Prospective members of the CNMI women’s team head to the canoes.
