Tahiti make clean sweep of va’a, clinch four gold

 By ISAIAH IGISH

WORLD canoeing champions Tahiti proved they were the top class in the Pacific by snatching all four gold medals on offer for V6 va’a sprint events yesterday at the Lancron Naval base in Port Moresby.

The Tahitians outclassed strong contenders New Caledonia, Cook Islands, Guam and Papua New Guinea to bag gold in the 500m and 1500m in both the men’s and women’s six paddler competitions.

Papua New Guinea women, who were the second fastest on the water, settled for silver in the 500m women’s sprints.

New Caledonia bagged two silver and a bronze, Cook Islands a silver while Fiji, Wallis and Futuna and Guam settled for bronze in both sprint events.    

In the 500m women’s sprints, Tahiti bagged gold with a time of 2.33.02, PNG crossed over six seconds later in 2.38.03 and New Caledonia settled for bronze in 2.38.59 for bronze.

In the men’s 500m sprints, Tahiti fielded a young team in the Games who ensured to continue their dominance in the water event.  The race went down to the wire with New Caledonia forcing the Tahitians to their limit.

Tahiti bagged gold in a time of 2.04.93, six seconds over New Caledonia (2.04.99) with Wallis and Futuna coming third (2.05.40).

In the 1500m, the Tahiti women continued the onslaught, beating New Caledonia and Fiji for the gold while their men beat the Cook Islands and Guam to complete a clean sweep on the gold medals on offer. 

Commenting on the 500m men’s gold, Tahiti coach Milton Laughlin said: “It was a close race. The boys didn’t get a good start but they made up in the middle.

“They didn’t give up. It was a very close finish,” Laughlin said. “We told them, ‘You know what to do, now is the moment, give everything.’” Laughlin said.

“The rest they know because they have practiced so many times, now maybe they have some stress because of the competition.

“When you concentrate on what you do, logically its better.

He said the coaching staff trained the team for just three weeks before coming over to Port Moresby.

“They all practise in different teams in Tahiti because they have races to do so we could not get them (out) every time because their coaches won’t release them.

“Only three weeks before the trip we started training as a team, two times a week. The other days, they train in the local clubs.

He said every three weeks they have races back home so their paddlers were in top form heading into the Games. Results: 500m: Men’s – Tahiti (2:04:93), New Caledonia (2:04:99), Wallis and Futuna (2:05:40), Cook Islands (2:11:02) Fiji (2:19:69); Women’s – Tahiti (2:33:02), PNG (2:38;03), New Caledonia (2:38:59), Wallis and Futuna (2:45:10), Cook Islands (2:48:13); 1500m: Women’s – Tahiti (9:44:47), New Caledonia (9:50:29), Fiji (10:46:28), Cook Islands (11:16:95), Guam (12:31:53 – disqualified) Men’s – Tahiti (8:29:04), Cook Islands (8:52:57), Guam (9:06:86), Fiji (9:33:06), PNG (10:03:37 – disqualified).