Red Bull Wa’a Takes Outrigger Canoe Paddling by Storm

Awesome profile of the Red Bull Wa’a team based out of Hawaii. Their goal is simple beat the best out there: the Tahitians, a question of pride…

Before endurance and water sports existed, there was canoe paddling. Initially a vehicle used to hunt and fight has now become one of the largest growing fitness and endurance sports in the world. The U.S. outrigger canoe paddling team from Kona, the Red Bull Wa’a, have taken the age-old sport by storm and challenged the tenure of the Tahitian paddlers. For the Red Bull Wa’a, paddling isn’t just a means to peak personal strength – it’s spiritual. Team captain, Kainoa Tanoai, says « When you’re paddling for four hours a day, you’re focused on the goal of competing at the highest level, but you’re also focused on being one with the ocean and respecting the canoe, your teammates, and the sport.