Outrigger canoeing back in business

After reports of concern over the possibility that canoeing may not be featured in the 6th Micronesian Games, sport enthusiasts met with the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association Thursday night in hopes of brining things in line.

Ed Johnson and Wyman Rechucher, who are veteran paddlers and regional medallists in the sport, expressed interest in organizing the competition during the Games, which will be held form June 23 to July 3.

“As you know, outrigger canoeing is not organized,” Rechucher said. We have clubs left and right and Eddie [Johnson] has been trying to set up a racing committee to represent the whole.”

Rechucher added that he is confident a successful event will be put on, but said his biggest concern is getting assistance from other individuals.

“As far as Micronesian Games, we have some people that are experienced in organizing the race,” he said. “I have numbers to look at from the 2003 Micro Cup and a draft list of things that need to be taken cared off…it will be too much for myself and Eddie to do.”

Many NMASA members were pleased at Johnson and Rechucher’s commitment to organize the event, and NMASA president Michael White, who also chairs the Micronesian Games Organizing Committee, referred the two to Sports Committee chair Tony Rogolifoi for information and assistance they would need.

Meanwhile, Johnson will serve as the sports director for the event. He disclosed that the outrigger canoeing competition will feature 500m and 2,500m sprints for men and women.

The distance race for men will be a long 15-mile challenge, while the women will have their work cut out for them in a 12-mile test.

Rechucher and Johnson both explained that they are interested in adding the one-man contest into the competition.

As for a team to represent the CNMI, Johnson and Rechucher assured NMASA that there are paddlers who are continuously training and that all that is needed for the selection of members are time trials.

Johnson said trials will be held in the coming months and will conclude in May. From the trials, the best performers will be selected to represent the CNMI against teams from Palau, Guam, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands.

About 1,200 to 1,500 athletes, coaches, and officials are expected to take part in the Micro Games, which was last held in the CNMI in 1990. Since then, Guam hosted the 1994 Games, Palau hosted in 1998, and Pohnpei had the honors in 2002.