Manulele & Aeto
The results of the 2023 Flag Day fautasi race were made official by the Fautasi Committee on Saturday morning.
1st Place-Manulele Tausala, 2nd-Paepaeulupoo, 3rd-Fealofani, 4th-Aeto and 5th-Iseula.
Committee Chairman Archie Taotasi Soliai said the two fautasi, Taema and Matasaua, that were unable to race, because they took on water at the start, will be awarded cash prizes of $8,000 each.
The Captain of Matasaua Motusa Tuileama Nua, not Senator Malaepule Saite Moliga as we reported earlier, said there were large swells hitting them even when they were rowing to the starting line. The Committee decided early Saturday morning to shorten the race to 4 miles.
Paepaeulupoo & Manulele Tausala
Motusa estimates that it was in the opening minutes of the race that their boat was half filled with water.
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Motusa thinks the same wave that struck Matasaua was the one that caused Leone’s Taema to go down. He said his crew remained on the Matasaua, no one wanted to get off.
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Taema of Leone
The Matasaua captain thanks all the Manu’a supporters worldwide, who were praying for their safety, and thanks the Search and Rescue Department, as well as the Fautasi Race Committee, for ensuring all of their crew were safe and sound.
Efforts to obtain an interview with Senator Faiivae Alex Iuli, Captain of Leone’s Taema, were unsuccessful.
