By Staff Writer
House Dieter will win the St. Joseph’s College, Samoa 70th Anniversary Celebration Fautasi Race next month.
Member of Parliament, Salausa Dr. John Ah Ching who was Dieter House captain back in 1969 and current team mentor is certain of the win.
He and Manu Samoa Rugby 7’s coach and rugby legend, Muliaga Brian Lima as team motivator and discipline enforcer have a winning plan.
Both are seen hanging around in the evenings at Mulinu’u whipping up House Dieter’s rowers into shape.
MP Salausa is going all out to make sure his House wins this race after being cheated out of the 60th anniversary triumph by the defending champion House Darnard.
“We were nearing the end of the race and we started hearing drums ahead of us growing louder and louder before they started to fade off again,” the Parliamentarian remembered as a rower on the day.
“ We were told afterwards by our skipper that the House Darnard boat purposely moved into our lane to stop us from overtaking them and winning the race.
“He said we tried four times to row past but they kept blocking us off.”
Four boats representing Houses Darnard, Dieter, Marcellin and Alfred are lined up for the anniversary race in three weeks time on the 6th of November 2020.
There is a 5th boat included this time but with an all female crew made up of ex-pupils of St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s and ‘from all others interested’.
The added boat is serious about pulling off a huge upset with their celebrity captain of fautasi racing in Samoa taking charge.
Segavao champion skipper Vaimasenu’u Zita Martel or the ‘Nafanua’ of fautasi racing is leading the ladies challenge.
Vaimasenu’u has not been idle either. She was seen checking out very closely or ‘spying’ on the rowers from House Dieter in training at Mulinu’u.
She has a rowing secret to beat the other boats but she is not talking about it.
Defending champion, House Darnard, is rowing the sleek racer ‘Little Rina’ and a repeated is all but guaranteed for the men in golden yellow.
