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Fautasi Flag Day Committee lays out rules for the 2023 Fautasi Regatta

Flag Day fautasi captains meeting
SAR jet skis have been added to the mix…
oey@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Yesterday, Tuesday, Apr 12, 2023, the Fautasi Flag Day Committee held their last meeting to discuss the guidelines and other details for the upcoming Flag Day Fautasi Regatta, set for Saturday, Apr .15, 2023, to enforce the safety of participating auva’a and to ensure a fair tu’uga va'a for all seven competing fautasi.

Laying out the guideline at the meeting was DMWR director and Chair of the Fautasi Race Committee, Taotasi Archie Solia’i.

Guidelines put forth by the committee are as follows:

  • All fautasi boats shall be in Utulei rally point by 6:30a.m.
  • All fautasi will proceed to the starting point together.
  • The Manu’atele and tugboat will be stationed several hundred yards behind the starting line.
  • Each fautasi will be required to turn around in front of the Manu’atele or  tugboat and position themselves in their lanes.
  • The starting line for the race will be designated by the SAR jet skis. They will be for marking purposes only.
  • Each lane/ block will be designated by a SAR jet ski (lanes 1-7)
  • Each fautasi will move forward to their starting block to await the start of the race.
  • All fautasi are required to stay behind the jet ski and NOT be in front of the jet ski that is designating their lane, prior to the start of the race.
  • Once all fautasi are lined up, the jet skis will move away indicating that the race is about to start.
  • The horns from the Manu’atele, tugboat, SAR jet skis, and DMWR vessels (simultaneously) will signal the start of the race.
  • The fautasi race is set for April 15, 2023 at 7:00 AM and it is confirmed to be a 7-mile race, if the weather allows it.
  • Each fautasi has been assigned a lane and is as follows:
  • Lane 1- Taema, Leone next to the airport; Lane 2- Feoalofani, Fagasa; Lane 3- Matasaua, Manu’a; Lane 4- Aeto, Pago Pago; Lane 5- Manulele Tausala, Nu’uuli; Lane 6- Paepaeulupo’o, Aua; and Lane 7- Iseula o le Moana, Fagatogo, closest to Aunu’u island.
  • The prizes are as follows: First place, $20,00; Second place, $17,000; Third place, $15,000; Fourth place, $13,000; 5th place, $10,000; 6th place, $8,000; and 7th place prize will be $6,000.
  • In addition to the monetary prize, the winning fautasi will also receive the Lealaifuaneva Peter Reid Perpetual Cup, named in honor of the late senator, businessman, philanthropist, and one of the most successful Fautasi captains.
  • The Lealaifuaneva Peter Reid family is also donating half of the $20,000 prize to the winning fautasi.