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Outrigger Canoe RacingOutrigger Canoe Racing is also known as Va'a Racing in some parts of the pacific, which is a team paddling sport on water. The length of the race can be 500 meters to 44 miles and the normal crew number is 6 - 9 depending on the type of race. Roles During the outrigger race the paddlers sit in line, facing forward unlike in rowing. The steerer, also called a steersmen, sits at the back of the boat. A stroker sits at the front of the boat, and sets the pace of the paddle strokes. Teams can be single-sex (typically all male) or mixed. Steersman Good steersmen keep a straight course during the race, and also keep the boat and the crew safe. During the race, a steering paddle is used which is larger than the rest of the paddles, and by poking on the left or right of the canoe, the boat will then go left, and vice versa. Besides that, a steersmen may also instruct the paddlers to take specific actions. In order to overcome all kinds of noises, instructions need to be spoken loudly and clearly so that the entire team could hear them. To ensure safety, he also needs to familiarize himself with the rules and other safety considerations such as the use of personal floatation devices, the weight distribution of paddlers, and the local water and weather conditions, etc. The steersmen is often the leader of the crew. Paddler Paddlers sit facing forwards and paddles are used in a canoe fashion (rather than the kayak style typical of crew). Because each individual handles only one oar, paddlers will become specialized in right and left-handed paddleing. Stronger paddlers are typically placed in the middle of the canoe, with the more endurance paddlers at the front. The lead paddler sets the pace for the crew. All other paddlers synchronize their strokes to the paddler in front of them (whom they can directly see). In sharp maneuvers, paddlers at the front of the boat may be instructed uni or huki their paddles to maneuver the canoe. History Becoming an International Sport
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