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Napu names Palau-bound youth teams
Napu youth paddlers head back to shore after a warm-up race earlier this month at Kilili Beach. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Napu Outrigger Canoe Club has named the members of its girls and boys U19 teams that will compete in the Micro Cup 2016 in Palau this weekend.
Napu president Ponce Rasa, in an email to Saipan Tribune last Monday, said the club’s boys junior squad is made of eight paddlers. The list includes Ryan Aguon, Brandon Cabrera, Kyle Reyes, Sammy Litulumar, Leon Laniyo, Hekido Helgen, Daven Hocog, and Raven Igisaiar. Their girls crew, on the other hand, has 10 members with Daydra Hocog leading the roster. Completing the team are Isabel Ito, Julianna Hanson, Rika Diaz, Jewel Cubangbang, Dhalian Salas, Camille Muna, Rachel Tudela, Leisha Guerrero Mendiola, and Mayiah Duenas. Jason Tarkong is the teams’ coach.
The Napu delegation will leave Saipan for Palau this morning, as the tournament will run from Oct. 21 to 23 in the waters off Meyuns Ramp in Koror.
The Napu youth paddlers had their last training session for sprints yesterday and the long-distance practice race last weekend. They also scheduled an afternoon training session in Palau tomorrow to get the feel of the course. Both of its junior girls and boys squads will compete in the 500m, 1,500m, and long distance races.
The club’s 18 paddlers are among the more than 70 CNMI delegates to the Micro Cup—the biggest that the Commonwealth is sending to the off-island tournament. Saipan Paddling Club, Marianas Outrigger Club, Marianas Pacific Paddler, and Hoe Lokahi are the other CNMI squads that will participate in the competition and will be up against the host, Guam, Federated States of Micronesian, Japan, and Hong Kong.
SPC is fielding its men’s, women’s, and youth co-ed teams in the three-day event, while MPP and MOC will only have a women’s and men’s crew, respectively. Hoe Lokahi has two teams (men’s and women’s).
The Micro Cup 2016 will feature open, mixed masters, and mixed juniors in the 500m and 1,500m sprints (with turns). In the long distance races, the juniors will cover 10K, while the women’s and men’s will negotiate 15K and 20K courses, respectively. There is also a one-man canoe 500m race.
