On November 20, 2009, the Cities of Nice and Papeete sealed their friendship with a twin-town pact through which Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of Nice, President of Nice Côte d’Azur, and Michel Buillard, Deputy Mayor of Papeete, demonstrated their mutual willingness to bring their two communities closer together.
In this spirit, the two cities organized several events last year in Nice as part of the Tahitian Week, with the sports aspect marked by the Va’a race (Polynesian canoe).
For this 2nd year, the Bay of Angels will host a canoe race between the cities of Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer, this Saturday, August 6, starting at 9 am.
This edition, organized by the Regional Canoe and Kayak Committee Provence Alpes and Côte d’Azur, with the support of the City of Nice, will also bear the name “Lou Giro Niro 2011,” in memory of the former president, Bernard NIRO. This Physical Education teacher was passionate about canoeing and kayaking; he notably participated in the creation of the National Sea Kayak Center at the CREPS of Antibes.
About fifteen canoes (V6 – 6 crew members on board) will be at the start, easily identifiable by their outrigger to the left, which ensures their stability on the water. About thirty kayaks (single and double) will complement the group of competitors contesting the race, on a roundtrip between Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer, passing by the shores of Saint-Laurent-du-Var.
From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, the general public can try kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding at the Plage du Centenaire.
