MOC golden in Micro Cup’s 1,500m sprint

The Marianas Outrigger Club, led by president and team captain Tim Asaivao, displays all six trophies they won in the 22nd Micronesia Cup Canoe Race at the closing ceremony at the Peleliu Club. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The Marianas Outrigger Club took home one gold, four silver, and one bronze medal in the recently concluded 22nd Micronesia Cup Canoe Race in Koror, Palau held from Oct. 21 to Oct. 23.

The club’s women paddlers sprinted into gold in the 1,500m sprint with a time of 8:50:66, followed by Guam’s Napu OCC with a time of 8:57:72, then Palau’s FaebDori Club with time of 8:59:55, and Guam’s Team Haggan with a time of 9:13:83. 

The women then claimed silver in the 500m sprint with a time of 2:37:67. FaebDori won gold with a time of 2:37:00; third place went to Napu OCC with a time 2:44:77; and fourth place went to Guam’s Tatao Gailade with a time of 2:48:23.

The MOC women then completed their collection of medals with a bronze in the eight-mile distance race.

The MOC men paddlers racked up three silvers with one from the 500m sprint with a time of 2:09:16, one from the 1,500m sprint with a time of 7:46:30, and one in the 10-mile distance race with a time of 1:19:34. First place in the 500m, 1,500m, and 10-mile distance was swept by Palau’s BMC team.

The men’s team consisted of team captain and club president Tim Asaivao, Jose Quan, Billy Grow, Steve Beyer, Richard Sikkel, Jason Tarkong, and Dan Taitano.

The women’s team included Elaine Sablan, Bonny Grow, Olive Tenorio, Ayessa Tereyama, Ashuri Pangelinan, Valentina Haberman, Vicky Takai, Shar Sablan, Pip Ball, and team manager Lori Rabe.

Of the 17-person team, Asaivao, Billy Grow, Quan, Tarkong, Elaine and Shar Sablan, and Takai were part of the CNMI national men’s and women’s va’a team during the 2022 Pacific Mini Games.

Asaivo told Saipan Tribune that “it was an overall great experience for the team. This was the first ever MOC women’s team and their first time paddling together. Usually, the successful teams are the ones who have been paddling together for a while, it’s a very technical sport and requires good chemistry on the canoe, so for the women to go there and take gold in the 500m sprint, silver in the 1500m sprint, and bronze in the 8-mile long-distance was a great accomplishment.” 

For the men’s team’s performance, he said “the men’s team has more seasoned paddlers but only trained together for three months and changed our style of paddling and technique, so the main goal was to apply the new techniques during the competition, and to win silver in all three races was a bonus.” 

MOC would like to thank their families for their support as they practice three to five times a week and “our family’s support and understanding of our passion for the sport has been unwavering.” 

Women’s coach Tarkong said, “congratulations to the women’s team for the first time to compete internationally and with three months of training, pulls off an incredible feat of hard work and discipline! Successfully medaling in all three events of the 500m, 1,500m, and long distance. Awesome job ladies all around! Way to represent the CNMI, we are proud of you!”

MOC thanked the following sponsors: Ace Hardware, All Star Sporting Goods, Green Flash Dive, Boarderline, Joeten Superstore, Latte Cafe, Saipan Apparel, Chokechain Athletics, Pualani Crown, Turnkey Solutions, The Athletes Foot, Safety Management Systems, The Shack, WC & Co, Tropical Instant Press, Saipan Select, Taboo, Moylan’s Insurance, TSL Foundation, Pacifica Insurance, and the Office of the Governor. 

“As a competitive team we understand there are things we can control such as practice, weight training and dieting but you will never make it without the support of our community and for that we are very thankful,” said Asaivo.