One of the highlights of the Independent Celebration (June 02) each year is the Fautasi Race (long boat). The harbor is always crowded with people waiting to see the boats with 52 crew members crossing the finish line in front of “Aggie Grays Hotel”. 

Some ninety six men of Lepea village are wasting no time in getting themselves prepared for the upcoming Independence Day fautasi race next Monday.

Lepea is one of the villages who have submitted two longboats for the upcoming race, namely Fetu Afiafi and La o Samoa II and are not taking this competition lightly. Captain of Fetu Afiafi, Siu Aoelua says 90 percent of his team are new rowers with last year’s rowers allocated to their newly built boat La O Samoa II.

The rowers of both boats have been in camp for two weeks and have had a busy training schedule with a 3am road run followed by  rowing practices before breakfast. They have been doing weights mainly concentrating on upper body strength.

Let’s hope that they are all doing well.