Shell retains title in Hawaiki Nui Va’a

The team of David Tepava, known as Shell, won the 33rd edition of the Hawaiki Nui Va’a, a traditional Polynesian canoe race, on Friday. Despite facing strong competition from Team OPT, which won the final stage between Taha'a and Bora Bora, Shell maintained a one-minute lead in the general classification to secure its victory.

Shell's cautious approach pays off

Shell's team expressed satisfaction with their win, noting that the final stage was a tense 4-hour race where anything could have happened. They chose to start slowly, avoiding risks that could have jeopardized their lead. This strategy helped them maintain their position despite the challenge from Team OPT.

Team OPT closes the gap but falls short

Team OPT managed to win the third and final stage with a time of 4 hours, 8 minutes, and 43 seconds. However, they finished only one minute behind Shell, who completed the stage in 4 hours, 9 minutes, and 38 seconds. This performance allowed Shell to keep its overall lead and secure its 11th victory in the Hawaiki Nui Va’a.

Team OPT reflects on near-miss

Despite their stage victory, Team OPT acknowledged that they were unable to erase their deficit from earlier in the race. They lost nearly 3 minutes in the first stage due to a poor navigational choice. While they were proud of their stage win, they admitted that Shell's lead was too strong to overcome.

Podium finishes and minor changes

The Bora Bora team, Po Pora Te Hoe Mamu, took third place in the overall standings with a cumulative time of 9 hours, 36 minutes, and 54 seconds. The final stage did not significantly alter the rankings, with only one change in the Top 10 as Team Hawaii was overtaken by Taha'a Northshore Kids.

Veteran teams shine in age categories

Among the veteran competitors, the EDT team dominated the over-40 category with three stage victories. Bora Bora and Nunue va'a also secured podium finishes. In the over-50 category, Toa Tai narrowly beat Fara Ara, with CMIT Moana va'a completing the podium.