The Polynesian Va’a-alo Outrigger Canoe Club is set to host the highly anticipated Pier to Pier Race as part of the OC6 Marathon Series in Bramble Bay this month.
The race will begin from Shorncliffe on Saturday, 14 September, drawing clubs across southeast Queensland.
Estelle Carnes, a coach at the club, said the course included four legs covering 35 kilometres. Paddlers will start at Shorncliffe, paddle to Scarborough and then back down the coast, stopping at Suttons Beach and Bells Beach for crew changes before finishing at Shorncliffe.
“The race will include interstate and overseas paddlers and will be a great physical challenge as well as a lot of fun, not to mention the after-party where we get to tell great stories about the race that get better as the night goes on,” Estelle said.
Cultural Significance and Club Milestones
The Pier to Pier race is a recent addition to the outrigger racing calendar. Last year, Poly Va’a hosted the race with other Peninsula and Bribie Island clubs, featuring a one-way course starting from Bribie Island.
Estelle said the stretch from Bribie to Scarborough had been quite harrowing, especially with the southerly August winds and some paddlers experiencing hypothermia.
“Holding the race in September, our odds of better paddling weather are better,” she said.
“In September, our club is also sponsoring a two-week paddle camp for a group of young paddlers from the Solomon Islands and they will also be participating in this race. I am particularly proud of how our club members have dug deep to give generously of their time and resources to make this happen.”
As the club enters its ninth year, it continues to embrace Polynesian cultural values. Estelle said the canoe was as significant to the cultures of Oceania as the invention of the wheel to Western culture.
“The outrigger canoe has been recognised as the mode of transport enabling the migration of Oceania over thousands of years and millions of square kilometres,” she said. “Recognising the cultural and historical significance of the outrigger canoe gives our sport a deeper meaning.”
Spectators can view the race from Shorncliffe Pier and the surrounding foreshores from Scarborough to Shorncliffe, including the Ferris Wheel at Woody Point.
For more details, follow Polynesian Va’a-alo Outrigger Canoe Club Inc on Facebook.
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Photo courtesy of Bruce Redman
