The annual event recognizes and pays tribute to the close cultural ties and official twinning alliance between the town of Gros Islet in Saint Lucia and Saint Luce in Martinique.

Organized by the Saint Lucia/Martinique Association and the Gros-Islet Town Council, this year’s race will take place from December 16-18. It will see 8 – 10 Gommier racing canoes participating with each canoe carrying 12-14 crew members.

Participants will leave the town of Saint Luce, Martinique on Friday December 16 and will converge on the Gros Islet waterfront at approximately 1:00 pm on Saturday December 17, where they will be greeted by government representatives, yachting and tourism officials among others.

President of the Saint Lucia/Martinique Association Evestus Augustin says a local three-member delegation will travel to Martinique to witness the start of the race and will accompany the canoes en route to Saint Lucia.

Augustin says the Gommier boat race holds tremendous cultural significance, but also presents a myriad of economic benefits. “With an average of 250 people arriving on island during the 3-day event and immersing themselves into the fabric of Gros Islet, you can easily recognize the economic spinoff effects to not only the town but to all of Saint Lucia as these visitors integrate into Saint Lucian society,” says Augustin.

Undoubtedly the oldest boating material in the Caribbean and particularly in Saint Lucia and Martinique, the Gommier, dug out from the tree which gives it its name, has a long and rich history.  The canoes were already being used by traditional Arawaks and Caribs centuries ago, when they traveled from the Amazonia plains to inhabit the Eastern Antilles, before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

Until the 1950’s the Gommier canoes were quite evident in Martinique’s and Saint Lucia’s economic, social and cultural life. It was prevalent for fishing, transporting goods, mail and even corpses. It was while returning from fishing that crews often challenged each other, resulting in the first sailing canoe race.

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