The first of two Suva Business House Paddling regattas was held Saturday at the USP Mariner in Laucala Bay.

Surprise winners SOPAC took top honours and Fiji Outrigger media liaison Katarina Morris says there has been tremendous improvement amongst the corporate teams. A total of 26 teams participated in the first of four local regattas.

“SOPAC, FIji Gas and European Union in third place. We had around 200 people and the participants handled the rainy weather very well and it was nice to see new teams in the final and it shows that business house is really getting competitive and you'll never know who's going to win. The teams have been training,  Fiji Gas have been quite storng before but EU who didnt do so well in the past before and its nice to see these teams in the final. They've been trianing with the clubs and i think what's brought up the standards is that these participants have taken up paddling so we're looking forward to the next regatta.”

The next Suva regatta is July 16 followed by two more in Nadi later this year.

(Source: Fiji Broadcast Corporation Limited - http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=37804)