For more than a decade, the Micronesia Cup has been one of the premiere paddling events in the region, offering not only heavy competition, but also a lot of fun.
Sandra Low, president of the Guam Kayak and Canoe Federation, says the Cup has been running for 11 years and the venue rotates between Saipan, Guam and Palau.
This year’s Micronesia Cup is scheduled to take place in Saipan on Oct. 24 and 25.
Saipan’s Micronesia Cup coordinator Richard Sikkel says the events are usually set up the same way each year.
“The 500-meter and 1500-meter sprints will take place on Saturday,” Sikkel says. “The 12-mile-long distance race will be held on Sunday.”
The race will consist of one set of preliminaries, then a repechage and a final, Sikkel says.
He says this year’s Cup promises to be a great time both in and out of the boats.
“We throw the best parties,” Sikkel says. “The Micro Cup is the premier outrigger event in Micronesia.”
Guam teams have always made a strong showing at the Cup and this year should be no exception.
“Guam usually has the largest contingent, teams spread out amongst our three local clubs,” Low says. “Last year, we had 12 local teams competing.”
The cup has been continuing to grow and has been drawing the attention and participation of other countries.
“Besides Guam, Saipan, and Palau, we’ve had teams from Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and Singapore come. One year, a team from Hawaii came,” Low says.
“Not only is the Micronesia Cup earning a good reputation from off-island paddlers, our own local resurgence in our sport has contributed to the growing participation of the Cup.”
A large part of the success of the Micronesia Cup, she says, is the excitement and fun it provides.
“Even though the competition is fierce, the atmosphere is one of a family reunion, as everyone gets reacquainted with old friends, catching up with what’s happening in the other locales,” Low says.
She believes paddling is a sport that really encourages new bonds and relationships.
“Personally, I love paddling because I love the ocean,” Low says. “It is also a sport that epitomizes team concept. Everyone is working together, synchronized, to achieve something — reaching the finish line. There are no stars; the team is as strong as the weakest one. Lastly, it is one of the sports originating from the islands, and to me, that’s pretty cool.”
She encourages newcomers to try out the sport because there is a team for everyone.
“If anyone is interested in paddling, they can check our Web site for the club’s information,” Low says. “If they don’t know anyone already paddling, it generally boils down to checking which team has the schedule most conducive to their personal time. There are teams practicing Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Teams practice in the mornings or evenings. There are teams in (Tumon) and Hagåtña. There will be a club to fit anyone. Each club has a trial membership, and so sometimes people try a few clubs before deciding. It’s a matter of finding a team culture that meshes with you.”
Home 
News