About Outrigger canoeing

Primitive outrigger canoes were originally used by the Polynesian people for fishing and transport between their island homes, but it was the Hawaiians who began racing in the 1020’s and formalized the sport in the 1950’s which has since thrived globally, especially in Australia. The racing canoes of today are fiberglass streamline boats with a laterally extending rig to a floatation device, known as an ama, which gives the canoe the stability necessary to travel over great distances and in a variety of water conditions.

Outrigger canoeing is a fantastic sport in regards to fitness and the social aspect.
The health benefits from paddling are great for the body and mind. It is low impact endurance activity, meaning no jarring of joints, but requires overall strength and cardiovascular fitness. This make the sport popular to the older people who over developed chronic injuries for other sports. The most important factor for paddling the outrigger canoe is timing and crew coordination. It is, generally, a team sport requiring synchronized team work, strategy, endurance and technical skills that can be as competitive or as social as you chose. The underlying culture of the sport, together with the affinity with the aquatic environment, not only makes this a fun sport but creates a sense of community between teams and clubs.

Outrigger canoeing in Australia

The first outrigger canoe club in Australia was born in 1978 in Queensland and by 1990 there were 11 clubs, primarily still within the state of Queensland. In recent years the sport has become more national and is growing rapidly in Victoria. This year the Victorian zone boasted 213 members to its 9 clubs, doubling its 2005 membership. Over 60% of the Victorian members are over the age of 35. The Victorian clubs compete in regattas within the Southern Zone as well as at national and international events.

Outrigger canoeing in Torquay

The Torquay Outrigger Canoe Club is in its infancy having been formed in 2005. It is affiliated with the national body, Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (AOCRA). The Torquay Club part the Vic Zone along with a Geelong club, four Melbourne clubs, two Tasmanian clubs and an Adelaide club.

We aim to provide two aspects to the sport in Torquay. Firstly to provide a social and fitness outlet for those people who wish to just enjoy the pleasure of paddling on the ocean with like-minded individuals and secondly, to provide an outlet for competitive men and women who might like to challenge themselves and others in the sport of outrigger canoeing.

In its simplest form, outrigging is a cheap sport in which to partake. There is a requirement that all people are insured and this is done through the national body, there is annual fee to provide for the purchase and maintenance of the boats and you are encouraged to purchase your own paddle and life jacket at some time in the future.

The competitive side can take you to competitions from regattas in Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, the National Titles, the Brisbane River race, the Gold Coast Cup and to Hamilton Island for the gruelling 42km Hamilton Island Cup in which more than 70 boats from as far away as Hawaii, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Guam compete.