Nearly 3,000 paddlers from around the world will gather in Hilo this week for the Va’a World Sprint Championships.
The event normally takes place every two years and this year, participation is at a record-setting number. Nearly 30 counties will be represented at the races.
“Hawaiʻi is an ancestral home of the sport of Va’a outrigger canoe and the whole va’a world is excited and happy to be here,” said Lara Collins, International Va’a Federation President.
The Hilo event was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID pandemic.
The championships in Hilo were the vision of the late Uncle Bo Campos, a board member of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association and the International Va’a Federation, which are co-hosting this year’s races. Campos passed away in 2018, but organizers say his love of outrigger canoe paddling and perpetuation of its culture continues to inspire them.
“We are excited to host so many paddlers from around the world here in Hilo. We look at this as a good cultural exchange and an opportunity to share our aloha with the world,” said HCRA Race Commissioner Samantha Moikeha.
This year, more junior paddlers are participating in the world championships than ever before — with nearly 700 young athletes competing. Event organizers say it’s a positive sign for the future of the sport.
Races are scheduled to take place Aug. 16 to 23.
