SPG Men win two races

In the 2,500-meter sprint, the SPG Men finished the event in 12 minutes and 54.36 seconds, more than a minute ahead of Ohana (14:28). The SPG Men later finished the 500-meter sprint with a time of 1:58:15, a little more than 10 seconds faster than Ohana (2:10:40).

"Like I tell everyone else, I can't say that the men's team is ready nor can I say that the men's team isn't ready," Johnny Terlaje, a 26-year-old member of the SPG men's team, said. "All I can say is that the team has been training really hard and that in Fiji we may even surprise ourselves."

In other OC-6 sprint races, Sopla breezed to a 15:13:55 finish, beating out the SPG Women BMW (15:16:89) and the SPG Women (15:39:59). The SPG Women BMW acquitted themselves in the 500-meter sprint with a time of 2:37:35. The SPG Women (2:39:19) and Sopla (2:39:39) finished in second and third, respectively.

"(Yesterday) we were working on our mental game," SPG women's team coach Michelle Cerizo said. "I didn't stack the two women's teams like I would have in Fiji. They didn't come in first in the 2,500-meter sprint but the women came back in the next race. I think they're ready for Fiji -- absolutely."

Thirteen women make up the women's national team. In yesterday's races, 12 of the 13 were split into two groups of six.

In the mixed team races, Team Metgot (15:29:29) outlasted Animun Tasi (15:35:47) in the 2,500-meter sprint. Animun Tasi (2:27:83) later beat Team Metgot (2:28:47) in the 500-meter sprint.

In the Va'a-1 races, Justin Udovch (2:16) outpaddled SPG teammate Joe Nowell (2:35). In the women's Va'a-1 race, Annie Leon Guerrero continued to dominate the field with a 2:58 performance. SPG teammate Geri Cabrera finished in 3:06.