Newport Aquatic Center (NAC) will launch its 4th annual Va’a California race this Sunday, January 4, the first of three V1 rudderless outrigger contests. This first race features a Long Course (11 Miles) plus Short Course (3 miles), ideal for newer paddlers. Va’a California celebrates the adoption of rudderless paddling in Southern California. It was created to give V1 rudderless paddlers a dedicated space to race, with everyone racing the same craft.
The NAC Va’a California series is one of Southern California’s most exciting and competitive outrigger races. It brings together paddlers of varying skill levels and backgrounds from all over, fostering a sense of ‘ohana (family), community, and a growing passion for the pure sport of rudderless racing. It also brings the tradition of rudderless racing that began in Tahiti 4,000-plus miles to the Southland.
No one is more thrilled about the growth of rudderless paddling than ARE Tahiti, a premier producer of the V1 Marara and V1 Mako rudderless canoes. The growth of rudderless paddling has spawned the growth of the outrigger community!
Enjoy some great competition and friendly people at this exciting NAC-hosted event. The first race in the Va’a California series takes place at NAC, 1 Whitecliffs Drive, Newport Beach, CA. Race 2, also hosted by NAC, will be February 1, at Marina Del Rey’s Mother’s Beach. And the final race, March 1, is a grueling, one-way course from Long Beach to Newport Aquatic Center (21 miles).
For more information, check out PaddleGuru. And if you are interested in testing the waters of rudderless paddling, or want to find any other paddling gear you might need, visit https://shopoutrigger.com.
