Photo: PSS Sports and Extracurricular Program.
Every day in Majuro since early April has featured softball, volleyball and basketball games as part of the Constitution Day sports competition.
But this past Saturday belonged to the canoe paddlers. They turned out in large numbers for a series of races that may have left the audience on the lagoon shore by Marshall Islands Resort and Delap Park almost as tired watching the amazing strength of the paddlers as seven atoll teams, with both men and women, competed in multiple heats and then the finals of 250 meter and 500 meter paddling sprints.
Teams representing Majuro, Aelonlaplap, Ebon, Wotje, Mejit, Lae, and Ailuk competed in the day-long paddling competition.
Over $8,000 in prize money was won by five of the teams.
The biggest winners were Team Majuro.
The men, captained by Isaiah Kramer, won $2,400 for winning the 250 meter and 500 meter men’s sprints and the 500 meter mixed race.
Team Majuro women, captained by Tatiana Shoniber, won $2,200 for winning the 250 meter race, coming in second in the 500 meter women’s final, and winning the 250 meter mixed race.
Mejit women, captained by Chloe Abraham, won the 500 meter race and came in second in the 250 meter, pocketing $1,400 for their efforts.
Ailuk men, captained by Lennin Jokray, took second place in both the 250 and 500 meter races, to win $1,200.
Aelonlaplap’s mixed men/women’s team, captained by Shamanda Hanerg, came in second place in both the 250 and 500 meter races to win $1,200.
The event was made possible with the help of Majol Canoe Paddling Club, Public School System’s sports program SEP, Constitution Day Committee/MoCIA, MALGov, Red Cross, and Marshall Islands Resort.
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