About

Mission Statement

The mission of Seattle Va’a Association is to perpetuate the sport of Polynesian canoe paddling in Seattle and the Pacific North West through training, canoe building and by organizing competitions in the urban waters of Seattle and open waters of the Sound and the Pacific Ocean. We strive to provide our athletes with the opportunity to participate in national and international competitions and live their full potential in paddle sports.

Goals

Our current goal at SVA is to own at least six V1 canoes so that we can train together and hold races to develop our skills for competing in the international arena (World Sprints, Hawaii, Tahiti).

We will hold clinics and train paddlers in the PNW to improve and hopefully encourage the overall paddling community to reach new levels. We see this as a critical part of growing the sport and culture generously given to us.

The children are the future. We recognize that our time is limited, we have discovered the meaning of the culture and sport and understand the responsibility to perpetuate. We will hold camps and mentor programs to share canoe paddling and culture programs with the next generation of paddlers.

Who is the SVA?

Started by Joe Ferguson,  Alan Goto,  Vance Hashimoto and Jasen Kaya. We are passionate about paddling and wish to further our understanding,  share knowledge and train hard.  SVA is not for everyone, and we do not look to replace your current club or program, our purpose is to work together to elevate the competitiveness and opportunity of canoe paddling in Seattle and surrounding areas. We are interested in driven athletes and those who can contribute to the mission. There are a number of ways to get involved as a member,  supporting member or sponsor.

Why Va’a?

Most of us come from outrigger canoe clubs or stand up paddling groups, so we would like to honor the existing clubs and organizations while at the same time differentiating ourselves from them. Rudderless canoe are closer to V6/OC6, obvious with the cockpit and lack of assisted steering while it also incorporates similarities to stand up paddling, which we are planning to have programs for as well.

What’s in the works for SVA?

Check our our Events Calendar to see a list of up-coming races, workouts, and adventures. This year we have a team assembled for the Queen Liliuokalani race in Kona, Hawaii. This will be the first time we paddle together as a team, so it will be a learning experience and a fun adventure. Here are some other projects in the works:

  • We are working on building a V6 (6 man unlimited). This boat will be built by our hands, giving us the opportunity to further understand the va’a.
  • Bringing in more V1 to Seattle/Puget Sound area.
  • Sponsors and fundraising; we are currently working on our first event, which will be open to all vessels.
  • V6 races we would like to enter: E’ono, Pailolo, Molokai Hoe, Hawaiki Nui, World Sprints 2012
  • V1/OC1 races we would like to enter: Molo Solo, Molo Relay, Maui-Molokai, Te Aito,  World Sprints 2012