JUST ASKING...

By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The difference between the two fautasi race water courses that are used for our iconic long boat regattas — the Taema Bank start happens outside the harbor, the other, the Aua green buoy, is located inside the harbor. Decision to use one or the other is all about the ‘weather’. In terms of distance, many fautasi aficianados say a ’true’ longboat race uses the Taema Bank starting point, which traditionally covers a 5 to 7-mile course. The shorter course, the Aua buoy, is about 2 miles and is believed to favor the high tech fautasi built for speed — skimming and gliding across the water surface as it gains speed. According to race pundits, the final 2026 ASTCA- Reid Family Fautasi Race that used the Aua buoy as a starting point was started in some of the worst weather — high winds, rough seas, and poor visibility — in which a fautasi race can take place. They question as why the final race was not postponed or at least delayed until better weather conditions, remains on the table. In addition, they point to “the month of July being part of our ‘Winter’ months —we’re located in the Southern Hemisphere. We only identify it as part of our Summer months due to the US school system that we use. As such, the organizing committee should have allowed for weather delays in the scheduling.” Section: Local News Tags: Taema Bank
2026-07-10 17:45:10