Author: Peggy Coulombe

Pacific Paddler magazine features Arizona Outrigger

/ Peggy Coulombe

Wondering who our members are? Find out direct from our outrigger paddlers, who were interviewed for Pacific Paddler Magazine‘s 19th anniversary issue. Come join the fun and be part of our outrigger community in the desert. Cheehu!

Our next club event coming up is on May 2 . Na Leo O Ke Kai will host a Mandatory Huli Drill and Hawaiian BBQ at Butcher Jones Beach Park at Saguaro Lake. You don’t have to huli a canoe to join in starting at 9 a.m. Bring your SUP and small boats and enjoy the day with us. Don’t forget your Tonto Pass!

We are always recruiting new outrigger canoe members. You don’t have to have any experience, just come out to a practice and meet us – but check our practice page first, as we travel some weekends during the race season, or follow us on Facebook!

Have a great week, Arizona outrigger Ohana!

Outrigger and dragon boat paddlers unite!

/ Peggy Coulombe

This weekend is the Arizona Dragon Boat Festival on Tempe Town Lake! Teams from the U.S. and Canada will be there, with their best. Come to opening ceremonies and then root for the home teams (AZ Gilas, AZ Mutineers, SunGi), corporate teams and breast cancer survivor crews as our outrigger canoe and dragon boat paddlers sprint to the finish line.

Other fun events coming up: April 4 – mixed plate fun scrimmage with all the Arizona outrigger crews. May 2 – Na Leo O Ke Kai Mandatory Huli Drill and Hawaiian BBQ. Remember if you need to order a race jersey ($30) or place an order for a paddle, contact carolducosin@rocketmail.com. Have a great week, Arizona outrigger Ohana!

 

Arizona Keiki paddlers working toward ShakaFest

/ Peggy Coulombe

What a great practice on Sunday with our keiki outrigger paddlers! A big welcome to our newest 14 and under paddlers, Jordan, Jerome and Zoie, and their parents. Everyone with our 14 and under and 19 and under crews, shared lots of time on the water with our coaches, including guest men’s coach, Rich Gorrill, and lots of learning from our Ohana. We have only three practices until our first race at ShakaFest – Apr. 25. Remember that Kaimi will be directing hula presentations for all who would like to participate.

Coming up this weekend is Saturday practice for adults at 8 a.m., followed by a club equipment day. Come help with our club spring cleaning.  Keep up with all our events and practices on Facebook.

 

Join outrigger at Aloha Festival

/ Peggy Coulombe

Aloha! Looking for adventure and Ohana? Come join the top crew in Arizona and explore outrigger canoe, from Arizona to California, Hawaii to IVF World Sprints. We are recruiting this weekend at the Arizona Aloha Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Look for our Na Leo ‘O Ke Kai flag and come see our new Pure unlimited outrigger canoe, We will also be volunteering at the Paradise Hawaiian BBQ tent. Come help support us.

If you can’t make it this weekend, come to Tempe Town Lake on Saturday, March 14 at 8 a.m. to join with our adult crews or Sunday, March 15 to meet our winning keiki crew, coached by a great coaching staff from Hawaii. Lot’s of fun for the family! Find out all the details about events and practices on FaceBook or just come out on Mondays (men), Tuesdays (women), Thursday and Saturdays and Sunday (kids team). We meet us under the white umbrellas to the left of the boat ramp.

Kicking off Arizona Outrigger Canoe in 2015

/ Peggy Coulombe

Come join the top crew in Arizona, winning medals and forging new challenges from Alcatraz to Napali and IVF World Sprints. We are recruiting and have crews forming up at all levels, novice to expert, keiki to adult. We would also like to invite you to meet the newest member to our family – a Pure unlimited outrigger canoe. A beauty in Na Leo green!

unlimited canoe

Thanks to everyone who joined our Ohana, our new board of directors and officers for our canoe blessing on Sunday, February 22nd at Tempe Town Lake. We will also host a workshop by club member and Olympian Kamini Jain in March.

Check us out on FaceBook or just come out on Mondays (men), Tuesdays (women), Thursday and Saturdays (everybody) and Sunday (kids team). We meet us under the white umbrellas to the left of the boat ramp. Good luck to all our canoe paddlers competing in the Socal Winter Series in OC1, OC2 and SUP!