Organisers of Samoa's international Alo Paopao paddling festival are hoping the government will get behind the event which is helping to boost Samoa's tourism and economy.
The open men's teams on the water getting ready for sprints Photo: Supplied/Alo Paopao Festival
Nearly two hundred local and international paddlers are in the country taking part in the fourth Alo Paopao festival which features some of the top Samoan world champion paddlers from overseas teams.
Nafanua paddlers team on opening day. Photo: Supplied/Alo Paopao Festival
The festival celebrates Samoa's rich culture of canoe paddling and will this year hold the country's first international single man paddling competition with over 50 local and international participants.
Paddlers on opening day. Photo: Supplied/Alo Paopao Festival
It was inspired by the World Sprints which was hosted by Samoa in 1994 and attracted more than 2000 paddlers to the country.
Founder Jay Ah Fook-Schuster said support for the event had grown fast.
"We feel that this is one of the only sports that can actually bring in that number of people on an annual basis, not on sort of a one off. An example - it was great to have the All Blacks here but that's like a one-off event. Paddling can become something like an annual event and can generate great opportunities for our economy," said Jay Ah Fook-Schuser
The Open Womens ladies after their V1/ OC1 race. Photo: Supplied/Alo Paopao Festival
