Ocean Paddler World Series moves to French Polynesia

Race 12 of the 2012 Ocean Paddler World Series kicks off in just under 2 weeks time. Named after the southeasterly trade-wind that blows persistently over July/Aug/Sept dry season, the Mara’amu is a downwind course, designed to maximize the open ocean swell of the Pacific. This Mara’amu is promised to blast (or at any rate, blow) paddlers from the sheltered reefs of Tahaa island 38.1 km’s to the finish on Bora-Bora, easily the most famous and supposedly the most photographed island in the world.

Logistics, Logistics, Logistics!

For most of us ‘Big City’ boys and girls, this one is not easy to get your head around, but now that only my bags remain to be packed, it goes something like this:

Flights into Tahiti (Pape’ete International) are predominantly ex-New Zealand (Auckland International), one way legs costing somewhere around $450 AUD. Most international competitors are flying in on Friday 7th September.

Transfer flights from Tahiti (Pape’ete International) to the island of Raiatea (about 220km’s to the north east of Tahiti) and back to Tahiti at the end of the race can be arranged through Air Tahiti, but race organizer Sebastien Mosole has organized some good deals here. Expect to pay around $400 AUD again.

Following the welcome ceremony by the Te Ava Pita Surfski Club, competitors and craft will travel via catamaran to the island of Tahaa, 6km’s to the north of Raiatea, where the ‘setting in accommodations’ as promised on the website sounds as exciting as a boyscout camp, only less innocent. The local Hinano beer is bound to ease linguistic challenges at the dinner provided for the whole delegation (although I am told there is absolutely no connection with Hinano and the surname of legendary local paddlers Bill and Roland Barff!).

The Race!

Starting at 9:00AM on Saturday 8^th of September 2012, paddlers will exit the shelter of the reefs at Tiva Pass, and head for Bora-Bora. Winners are expected anytime after 11:30AM if regular previous winner Lewis Laughlin’s 2:43 in 2011 and 3:11 in 2010 times are anything to go by. (Mind you, there was that 4:03 time that Lewis clocked in 2009 which has me questioning my own preparation for anything significantly over 3 hours!)

Lunch is provided at the finish location at Motu Tapu, before retreating to the luxury of the Maitai Polynesia Hotel on Bora Bora for the awards dinner and ‘soiree’ (translation according to http://en.wiktionary.org: ‘a formal evening party’) at local watering hole Bloody Mary’s.

Most competitors will be departing the next morning at 11:30, with or without their Hinano-fueled hangovers.

Entry Fee

The 13500CFP (about $133 AUD on today’s exchange rate) buys you:

• Transportation from the island of Raiatea to the island of Tahaa via catamaran on the Friday 7th September
• Dinner and accommodation at Tahaa on the Friday night 7th September
• Breakfast at Tahaa on the morning of Saturday 8th September
• Race entry fee, race jersey/hat/safety-flare for the event on Saturday 8th September
• Post-race lunch at Motu-Tapu on Bora-Bora island on Saturday 8th September
• Dinner and awards ceremony at Bloody Mary’s at Maitai Polynesia Hotel on Bora Bora on Saturday 8th September
• Accommodation and breakfast at Maitai Polynesia Hotel on Bora Bora on Saturday 8th September

Not included are surfski’s for visiting competitors, but Sebastien was quick to hook me up with a competitive boat. Also talk to Sebastien before booking local or international flights, as he had some good deals.

Hard to beat

It’s easy to see why Dean Gardner raves about racing in Tahiti.

It will be very difficult to beat this race in terms of value for money. If you haven’t entered but think you may have the arms for this, I suggest you contact Sebastien quickly to get your entry in.

Or if, like me, you are sick of battling the frigid waters of the winter-struck southern oceans, questioning your mental health regarding the km’s you have found yourself doing under the cover of dark, and have been fantasizing about the turquoise oceans of Bora-Bora and a warm following tradewind, this could be just the event for you!

Entry List 2012