By Staff Writer
The St. Joseph’s College 70th anniversary fautasi race is treating onlookers at the Mulinu’u seawall to seeing some very important people join the preparations as rowers.
The Minister of Justice, Fa’aolesa Katopau Ainuu leads the lineup.
St. Joseph’s College ex-student has taken up oar in the name of his beloved House Dieter as a crew on the champion fautasi racer, Tolotolo o Tama Uli.
The Minister followed onto the boat, Vodafone CEO in Samoa Nofoasaefa Satish who sat behind him during last Thursday’s late afternoon training.
Nofoasaefa turned up in a red Vodafone singlet – the same colours for House Dieter that the telecom giant is putting its money behind as sponsor.
Missing from the evening exercise was the team mentor, MP Salausa Dr. John Ah Ching.
Manu Samoa coach Muliagatele Brian Lima was present as always to call the shots for the team training.
He was joined by another rugby icon, former captain of the Manu Samoa 7s Lolo Lui, as a rower.
Like all the other House teams in the race, rowers are drawn from old school pupils who are prominent in their selected working careers or in the community.
The large turnout of former students from all around the country is turning the fautasi race into a glamour contest for the St. Joseph’s College anniversary celebration.
Four boats are in the race representing the school houses of Dieter, Darnard, Alfred and Marcellin.
An all women’s team is also in the lineup by special invitation with celebrated woman fautasi skipper, Vaimasenu’u Zita Martel, in charge.
Boat crews have been in training for several weeks now in the build up to the race this coming Friday and it has fired up a competitive environment that takes everyone back to their school days.
The race will run on a selected route inside the reef from Mulinu’u to the Apia Harbour.
