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coral gardens and motus ( small islets ), offering pristine beaches and clear waters ideal for swimming and relaxing . Taha ’ a is the finish of the sprint race from Raiatea ; the sprint section leaves Raiatea Harbour and follows the land , then the edge of the lagoon but always staying within the confines of the lagoon and not having to deal with the bigger swell patterns of open ocean , the more professional team will have a specific lighter crew for this sprint leg of the race .
Although there is no defined swell within the lagoon , the refracted swell of hundreds of support boats within the confines of the lagoon , which is sometimes only 100m wide , can cause paddling chaos .
THE FINISH – BORA BORA : THE PEARL OF THE PACIFIC
Bora Bora is often hailed as the most beautiful island in the world . Known for its shallow turquoise lagoon surrounded by a ring of coral reefs , Bora Bora ’ s dramatic backdrop of Mount Otemanu offers breathtaking views . As the competitors race from Taha ’ a to Bora Bora , the ever-looming mountain Otemanu seems so close but still so far . Even as the va ’ a get close to Bora Bora , they approach the lagoon from the wrong end and spend at least another hour skimming the other edge of the lagoon to fish in the shallow waters of Povai Harbour . The shallow waters of the Bora Bora Lagoon are world-renowned . When you look at the horizon , it is often hard to tell where the water stops and the sky begins , and that is how clear the water is . At the finish , the harbour is full of boats anchored in the shallow water , music is playing , girls are dancing , it is a party !
THE FINISH LINE
The finish crossing line is a unique spectacle . For hundreds of metres , crowds line the sides of the lagoon , yelling , singing , and banging drums as each va ’ a passes by , first or last . The crowd is only feet away , splashing them with water , throwing flowers , and cheering . As the boats gather at the finish , there is a cultural comradery and appreciation ; first or last , simply finishing is an achievement , crews have flowers placed around their necks and loved ones push them through the shallow waters to the shore .
The race has now turned into a celebration .
THIS YEAR ’ S RACE
In the 2024 Hawaiki Nui , the 31st edition of this prestigious event , the number of Va ’ a teams was noticeably smaller . Nevertheless , the competition was fierce , with three teams in contention for the title heading into the final day of races .
After two stages , Huahine goes to Raiatea , and then the sprint section goes from Raiatea to Taha ’ a . Team OPT held a slim eight-second lead over Shell Va ’ a . Shell Va ’ a , which had sparked some doubts after a third-place finish the previous day , silenced its critics with a robust performance in the second stage , the sprint . Air Tahiti Nui ( last year ’ s runner-up ) was still in the hunt , trailing Team OPT by 97 seconds and with a chance to make a late push for the win .
As the race began on the final day , from Taha ’ a to Bora Bora , a leading pack soon formed in the open ocean , featuring Team Huahine , Shell Va ’ a , and Air Tahiti . One aspect of this section of the race is location . Teams can be kilometres apart , looking for swell and wind assistance , and it is almost impossible for spectators and teams to decide who is in front .
A THRILLING SPECTACLE
After hours of relentless paddling in the open ocean , seconds only separated the leaders ; the final forty minutes of the race delivered a thrilling spectacle . Team OPT and Air Tahiti engaged in a fierce head-tohead battle , paddle for paddle and wave for wave . A big part of this type of racing is catching a swell . This gives a moment respite and jacks the va ’ a forward , as one team would catch a swell and move forward so the opposition would find a follow-up swell and catch up , providing fans with a gripping display of longdistance racing .