Having qualified for his second Olympic Games in Paris this year, Samoa’s sailing champion Eroni Leilua recalls how it all started for him while growing up in the village of Vaivase Uta in Upolu, Samoa.
“Growing up in Samoa was awesome. I loved living in the village and learning about our roots. It was a really good family environment to have and I learnt how to sail while we were in Samoa.
“I started sailing at a small club when I was just 8 years old. It was a nice club where everyone was very close and very friendly. And not just me, but my siblings [Tane, Bianca and Kirifi] learnt how to sail too,” said Leilua.
“I got my first taste of international competition when I was just 9 years old. We competed in the Oceania Championships against other Oceania countries like New Zealand, Australia, Cooks Islands and Fiji.
“It was an attractive thing for me because I like competition. And to be going against other sailors from Oceania was a cool experience and made me want to do more.” When he was 12, Leilua’s family moved to New Zealand in search of greener pastures. It was also where Leilua was able to gauge the realities of his sport.
“I did high school in west Auckland at Lynfield College. I continued sailing but it was very different compared to the islands. Sailing is very expensive in New Zealand and there’s a lot of different clubs. We quickly found out that sailing is not a popular sport in New Zealand and in most parts around the world, mainly because of how expensive it is.
“Back in the islands, we were lucky that a lot of the sailing clubs are more affordable than the sailing clubs in overseas countries. It’s not cheap, it’s just more affordable than them. For example, you only have to join the club as a member and you get to use any of the boats, whereas in overseas countries you have to join the club and you have to own your own boats, and boats are expensive.”
He owes a lot to his parents.
“My parents had to sacrifice some funding for us to be able to continue our strenuous international competitions. It was hard for them as well because there were four of us. So not just one kid to support but the whole four of us,” says Leilua.
“We all sailed right through school. Travelling all around New Zealand, competing in different competitions. When we reached tertiary and university education, my siblings started picking up different sports like rugby and netball, but Bianca and I kept on sailing. Later on, we competed in the Pacific Games in 2011 in New Caledonia and in Samoa in 2019,” he added.
Leilua won bronze in Noumea and then a silver in Apia. He describes some of the technicalities of racing.
“The idea of sailing is a race around a set of marks all around the course. The marks are positioned in such a way that makes it difficult for us and you can’t just sail straight to it. You have to actively plan how you are going to get to the mark. Once you get there, you plan for the next mark, and so forth and so on. The first one to get around all those marks wins. “There are stages in the courses where you have to plan
your route properly and be very tactical. It’s like a physical game of chess. At the same time that you are physically working on the boat, you have to think and plan about what’s ahead and make the right moves to be the winner.”
Leilua has played different types of sports but sailing is the most challenging of them all.
“The weather is the main variable. We can’t control it. You have to keep adjusting to the situation. In other sports, their biggest variable is their opponent or competitor but for us, it is the weather. “You really have to learn how to read the weather, watching the clouds and understanding the ocean currents, the tides and at the same time keeping an eye on your competitors to see where they are.
“There are a lot of different things happening and it all contributes to making your boat as fast as you can. It’s a very busy sport. It’s very physical and tactical. You have to be both physically and mentally ready for it. And that is why I love it,” says Leilua.
With his Olympic regatta confirmed in December last year, this will be another historical moment for the Samoan as he prepares for his voyage to Paris.
“I’ve learnt a lot from my last campaign to Tokyo 2021 and I’ve worked out a system that works best for me and my situation,” he said.
One of his biggest challenges will be getting financial support.
“It is an encumbrance to the things I should do, especially around my training and preparations. You have to get to the places where the competition is going to be held to familiarise yourself with the elements. It’s very important for me to get to France before the Olympics, so I’m working through that right now.”
Time is also a challenge. “I have a full-time job. It’s a bit hard trying to balance work with training and travelling. Most of the other sailors do this full-time so they definitely have the benefit of having more training and getting to many competitions to become better.
“So, I’ve got to work within my means. My workplace has been really good to me. They always give me some time off to be able to compete. I know it’s not the same as my competitors but you’ve got to give it your all.”
The 30-year-old Leilua underlines that sailing needs more exposure.
“It’s definitely a minority sport in the Pacific. I think the biggest reason for that is the lack of exposure. We don’t have proper programs in place to give exposure to our kids. We don’t have school programs which I’m looking to try and set up.
“My biggest motivation is my family and making them proud. They have supported me in every way possible on my journey since the very beginning and have travelled big distances to be by my side, helping me out. I’m also very motivated to succeed and be a positive role model for young Samoans and Pacific Islanders wanting to pursue the sport of sailing and water sports in general.”
