Six outrigger clubs went head to head on Saturday morning to see who would claim the first leg of the Nafanua V6 Regatta. 

The boys in green from the Laumei Outrigger Canoe Club are this year’s first race champions, after a convincing performance in the men’s open division to secure the regatta’s first race.

All six teams had to cover a distance of 11 kilometers from Mulinu’u to the Matautu wharf in two laps.

The captain of the winning Laumei team, Al Petersen was ecstatic, saying in an interview with the Samoa Observer that he is thankful his team came first after a grueling two weeks of preparing for the Nafanua Regatta.

“First off I’d like to thank our heavenly Father above for giving us the strength to complete the race and claim first place," he said.

“It was a tough race today because all teams that competed were really competitive, especially the new team on the block Alo Paopao Outrigger Canoe Club from who were trailing us closely in the first few kilometers and the last lap of the race. 

"I didn’t expect that us winning would be today’s result due to our team not having its usual members.

“There are four of us seniors and two junior members representing Laumei in today’s race, the two juniors are new to our team because our other two usual senior members couldn’t make the team because they were sick."

Laumei Club clinched top spot in the men’s open division, Alo Paopao took second place with Nafanua coming third.

Nafanua team captain and host of the Nafanua Regatta, Moevanu Aiomanu Tupu said today's event had the highest number of participants, unlike last year's regatta.

"It is nice to see that a lot more teams are joining the competition since the sport of outrigger paddling is still growing and is still developing here in Samoa," she said.

"The second leg of the Nafanua Regatta is set to be held on the 7th of next month, with the men's division set to cover 34 kilometers from the starting point of the race from Mulifanua to the finish line here at Sheraton in Apia."