Anyone, here or off-island, that watched Le Faigamea i le Tai 2017 Flag Day Fautasi heats, yesterday, has to admit that maybe, just maybe, the Fautasi Committee has hit on the best way to run the most highly anticipated race in the territory each year.

Yesterday’s heats can be said to be a start to leaving behind the Flag Day fautasi’s contentious history of false starts, jumping-the-gun starts and rules not enforced by the committee, and the list could go on.

How did this happen? First, the Committee enforced its rule that only one fautasi per village could race for the championship title.

This basically reduced the field of 14 fautasi to 9. Those are the nine you saw in the 2 heats yesterday: Fealofani Samoa II, Fetu O Le Afiafi, Iseula O Le Moana III, Manulele Tausala I and Matasaua in the first heat; and, Aeto, Fuao, Paepaeulupoo, and Taema II in the second heat.

Second, the Committee decided that each fautasi’s ‘race time’ in their heat — there were two heats — would set who would race in the final championship race, which they said would have only 7 fautasi racing.

The time results of the heats are as follows, according to the paperwork from the Committee:

1. Paepaeulupoo     35:19.13        2. Fuao          35:19. 35

3. Manulele Tausala I          35:24.78        4. Matasaua 36:35.09

5. Taema       36:37.25        6. Iseula O Le Moana          37:55.12

7. Fetu O Le Afiafi    39:12.23        8. Aeto           39:27.44

9. Fealofani Samoa            41:02.23

However, Samoa News should point out that there’s a problem with the listing on the results form:

 The Aeto’s 37:27.44 is a better time than the Iseula O Le Moana’s 37:55.12, which means Aeto should be at the #6 spot, with Iseula moving over to #7, and Fetu O Le Afiafi and Fealofani eliminated, with Fetu’s 39:12.23 at #8, and Fealofani’s at #9.

Samoa News was able to contact the captain of the Aeto, Va’amua Henry Sesepasara, who said that they are aware of the ‘error’ and have contacted the Fautasi Committee about it. He said the Committee said they would get back to them and they have not heard anything as of 5p.m. yesterday.

Third, the Committee has stuck to their decision for the final 7 in the championship race, and the fautasi with the two slowest times will not be participants.

However, the two fautasi will be a part of a ‘special’ race comprising the 5 fautasi fielded by their villages as ‘second’ boats.

While not mentioned by the announcers during the heats, Samoa News was told that the special race is scheduled to happen before the championship final of le faigamea i le tai.

Participants are: the second fautasi from the villages of Nu’uuli, Fagatogo, Manu’a, Aua, Pago Pago and will include the two fautasi that didn’t make it to the championship finals.

The special race is scheduled for early morning, with the championship race to follow. However, the ocean tides and the weather will have the final say on whether or not any of the races will be run today, as it did yesterday.

Samoa News wishes all captains and crew the best of luck — may the strength of your oars guide your flight.