CNMI paddlers eye medal in every event

Some members of the CNMI Paddling Team pose for a photo after the send-off ceremony for CNMI athletes and officials at the Kanoa Resort last July 9. Also in the photo is CNMI canoe association official Gilbert Birnbrich. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“With good talent and plenty of experience, we hope to medal in every event,” said coach/paddler Justin Andrew, who will be joined on the team by his son Joshua, Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel, Jason Tarkong, Benusto Olopai, Darell Gallardo, James Pedro Aldan Jr., Carter Calma, and assistant coach Eric MacDuff.

Tarkong is the only holdover from the team that competed for the CNMI in the 2010 Micronesian Games in Palau, while Calma was in the 2012 squad, which incidentally participated in the races in Pohnpei. The rest of the members of the team are familiar faces in high school races, the Micronesian Cup, and other off-island events. The Commonwealth paddlers will be competing in the 500m sprint, 1,500m, 15K, and 20K events in the canoe races in this year’s Micro Games, which will kick off this Sunday and will run until July 30.

Kabiriel, who is no stranger to the Micro Games having represented the CNMI in athletics competition in the past several years, will be the anchor of the team in the 500m sprint.

“We will have a solid team of raw power and good mix of talent and experience with Ketson in seat 1 setting our pace, Joshua in seat 2 to complement and back seat 1 up, and Justin in seat 3 to give all the power needed to run the canoe. We have Benusto in seat 4 and Carter in seat 5 with Eric steering in seat 6. Darrell, Jason, and James will be standing by to jump in any of the seats if anything happens,” Andrew said.

The leaner Kabiriel will also lead the squad in the 1,500m race and team up with Calma, Olopai, Joshua Andrew, and Aldan.

“We are looking to capitalize on a light and strong crew,” the coach added.

“In the long distance races again we are looking to maximize hull speed with a light and strong crew, it will be again Ketson in seat 1, Joshua in seat 2, Benusto in seat 3, James in seat 4, and Carter in seat 5, and Eric in seat 6 as a solid power and backup steersman,” said the older Andrew, who will be on his second Micro Games stint, having suited up for Guam in the 1994 event.

The team has been practicing for this year’s Micro Games for the past six months, holding training sessions six times a week. According to Andrew, they are alternating sprint, long distance, and mid distance paddling and cardiovascular drills to open up lung capacity with good land based workout and give some muscle mass. As for tournament exposure, majority of the members of the team competed in the last two editions of the Micro Cup.

The Commonwealth paddlers will race in Pohnpei on July 26 and 28 and they will arrive in the host state in two batches with the first group leaving this Monday and the second two days later. In Pohnpei, Andrew picked Palau and Guam as the early favorites.

“We suspect Palau and Guam are the strong teams, but never count the host country out, as they have the homecourt advantage and the crowd to back them up. We may also watch out for Yap,” the coach added.