PCC World Fireknife Championships underway

The Polynesian Cultural Center's 17th annual World Fireknife Championships got underway on May 14 in the Hale Aloha when 16 senior men competed in the preliminary round. They came from as close as Laie, and as far as Hong Kong, Guam, Samoa, Maui, Kona, San Diego, Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida…all hoping for a shot at the $4,000 first prize and the title that will be awarded on May 16.

When the evening was over, a panel of judges selected nine semifinalists who will compete for three top spots tonight, May 15. The nine semifinalists are:

•  Jeurell Lavata'i, Pago Pago, American Samoa
• Dana Teai, Faaa, Tahiti
• Pati Levasa, who previously won the event four times, from Samoa by way of the Hong Kong Disneyland where he's currently performing
• Brandon "Fue" Maneafaiga, Waianae, Oahu
• Joseph Cadousteau, Papeete, Tahiti
• Mikaele Oloa, formerly of Orlando, Florida, and now living in Waialua, Oahu, who several years ago as a 15-year-old junior jumped into the senior division and won the next two world championship titles
• Lopeti Tu'ua, Lahina, Maui
• Viavia "VJ" Tiumalu Jr., from Orlando, Florida, and the 2008 world champion, who followed Oloa's lead by jumping his age group into the senior competition
• Chesrveigh "Jessie" Usiel, a Pohnpeian who lives in Harmon, Guam

Congratulations to all of them. Photos of them can be found on my blog at:
http://nanilaie.info/?p=362

More information on them can be found at:
http://www.polynesia.com/fireknife/competitors.html

Also, check out the PCC's new special events blog, including videos of all the competitors at http://polynesia.com/blog

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