The New York Times, August 2010

Staying Ashore, or Wading In … Canoeing | Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, Brooklyn

Paddlers of six-oared outrigger canoes, met by loud cheers of supporters, crashed onto the rocky shores of Dumbo on Saturday afternoon after completing the 2010 Liberty World Outrigger Competition, a 15-mile race around New York Harbor.

“The reason why people travel all over the world to come here for this race,” said Ed Acker, a race organizer, “is for the chance to paddle in an outrigger canoe in front of the Statue of Liberty.” Racers came from as far off as England and Hawaii.

Outrigger canoes originated in Polynesia as fishing and transportation vessels, but racing them became most popular in Hawaii and Tahiti.

“This is a really cool sport”, said Mr. Acker, 49, a Brooklyn native. “It’s all about fun and aloha, and it’s a pure thing.

“There is nothing commercial involved, “ he added. “It’s all about people hanging out and racing hard and then we go party hard.”

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