A message from Geelong Outriggers!

Geelong 2011 Regatta

Audi Victoria Week

Aloha everyone!

The Geelong Outrigger Canoe Club will proudly host its 16th Annual Regatta on Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23, 2011 as part of Audi Victoria Week.

Outrigger canoeing is traditionally a Polynesian style of boating, featuring very long narrow canoes with an ama (outrigger) off the side of the boat which gives the canoe stability in all types of weather conditions.

We anticipate interstate competitors from South Australia and Tasmania will make the trek to compete alongside Victorian teams (comprising both men and women).

Our regatta boasts two full days of racing, incorporating the grueling 13km marathon which will test the strength and endurance of each crew member to get their canoe around the course in Corio Bay.

There'll be short course sprints for OC6 (6-person crew), OC2 (2-person crew) and OC1 (1-person crew). The sprints will showcase the off-the-line explosiveness required to get theses canoes up and racing, as well as the sheer strength and determination of each crew's need for speed.

There'll be racing in front of the dive tower off the Eastern Beach promenade, highlighting the skill and precision of steerer and crew maneuvering their canoe around turning buoys.

Also, for the first time in our regatta, there’ll be the opportunity to witness one of our exciting “challenge” events that demonstrates the unique water change. This event will showcase paddlers rolling out of their canoe into the water whilst team mates wait in the water for their approaching canoe. They need to time their climb into the moving canoe in order to continue racing. Multiple change-overs will form part of this demonstration.

Most of our weekend of racing will be off Eastern Beach, out past the promenade and up to Limeburners Point.

So why not take advantage of this excellent opportunity to witness, first hand, a truly unique water sport.

We love our sport. You will too!