COOK ISLANDS' GALEAI RECLAIMS TITLE AS WORLD'S BEST

Junior Fireknife Champion Lesoa Also Returns to Reclaim Title

La'ie, HI (May 18, 2003): David Galeai from the Cook Islands wowed the judges and crowd at the 11th Annual World Fireknife Dance Competition at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) last night with a stunning three-knife performance to re-claim the title of world champion for the third time.

David, a former Laie resident, returned home to reclaim the title he held in both 1999 and 2000 with a spectacular display of speed and skill that kept the crowd entranced throughout the competition.

"I'm so glad to be able to come and be a part of this," said David. "The competition this year was really tough. Alex was strong and Tamaru had moves I've never seen before. I'm looking forward to next year already."

The night was more a sharing of talents and skills than a fierce competition among competitors vying for the title of the world's best. Champion David and second runner-up Alex Galeai of Laie are cousins, and first runner-up Tamaru Colombel of Tahiti learned much of his craft from David and Alex as well as a tape of the PCC's Horizons night show.

After three grueling days of competition, David amazed a combined crowd of more than 5,000 at the PCC's Pacific Theater to once again claim the title. He did not compete in 2001 due to contest rules prohibiting the champion from entering after two wins in a row and came in third to four-time champion Pati Levasa last year after his fireknife broke during the competition.

David, 24, proved why he is a three-time fireknife dance champion of the world with a blindingly fast and fearlessly creative program that ignored the perils of the flaming, razor-sharp knives. The addition of a third knife set him apart from the other competitors by providing a much higher level of difficulty.

Twenty-four contestants began the fireknife competition this week, including entrants from Oahu; Maui; Orlando, Florida; Hanover Park, Illinois; Tahiti; Samoa; and the Cook Islands. After the preliminaries on Thursday, the field was pared to nine semi-finalists. The semi-finals on Friday produced last night's three finalists.

Each competitor was judged according to compulsory and technical moves, along with the creativity, pacing, and dramatic interpretation of their routine. The speed, degree of difficulty, height of the throws, and showmanship were all factored into the scoring.

Along with winning his third world championship title, David received a check for $4,000 and an elaborate trophy fire knife worth more than $1,000. Colombel and Alex also received special trophy knives and $2,000 and $1,000 in prize money respectively.

In addition, the Junior World Fireknife Dance Championships were held this past Friday at the PCC¹s newly renovated Hale Aloha Theater. Of the 11 entrants ages 12-17, last year¹s champion Melenie Lesoa proved why she should hold on to the title she earned last year. The 15-year old from Apia, Western Samoa, showed her stuff and maintained her status as the only female Junior World Fireknife Champion. Second place went to Mikaele Oloa from Orlando, Florida, and Anelu Lakopo of Western Samoa came in third.

The children's category of the junior championships featured seven competitors ages 6-11 and an exhibition by 5-year old Lopaka Umiamaka of Kaneohe, Oahu. The children's champion title went to Jacko Pupualii from Western Samoa. Barry Lesoa, brother of Melenie, came in second, and third place went to Laie's own Julius Tafiti.

The 2003 World Fireknife Dance Competition, sponsored by the PCC, Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, Cirque du Soleil Casting, the Laie Inn, Henry S. Mataalii and Company, and Electric Pencil, was the concluding event of the popular Samoan Arts Festival, which ran from May 15-17 as part of the Polynesian Cultural Center's 40th Anniversary celebration.

Founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization, the PCC has entertained more than 30 million visitors by preserving and portraying the spirit, culture and people of Polynesia to the rest of the world. More important is the mission of the PCC, which supports the educational mission of Brigham Young University-Hawai'i and provides an extension of the classroom in a workplace setting. Since its establishment, the PCC has employed more than 12,000 BYU-Hawai'i students. As a non-profit organization, 100 percent of the PCC's revenue is used for daily operations and to support the students who earn their tuition, room and board, and books. The PCC also provides significant financial support to elementary and secondary schools and to college students attending institutions of their choice besides BYU-Hawai'i.

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