Hope Autele, who was named the Manu’a winner for the Hokule’a trip has pulled out and she will be replaced by Patricia Penitito, who will join Tutuila winner O’Riley Siona Le’au as VIP guests when the Hokule’a arrives in the territory next month.

Earlier this year, the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS) gave the opportunity to students of Tutuila and Manu’a to ‘earn’ a seat on the Hokule’a.

However, during the third media coffee chat held at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center in Utulei on Monday, NMSAS outreach, community and education coordinator Apulu Veronika Molio’o Mortensen announced that Autele will be replaced by first runner up Penitito and she, along with Le’au, will only be VIP guests during the Hokule’a visit to the territory. The two were initially supposed to hop on board the Hokule’a for one leg of the journey but Apulu said “because of liability issues, it has been decided that the two students will not be sailing with the Hokule’a crew.”

However, they will be traveling to Hawai’i on July 18 to take part in a week-long list of activities that include visits to the marine science lab, sailing, and other maritime activities.