Vaka Eiva 2009 links
Build-up
External Links:
Events and results:
Full coverage (day-by-day):
- Sat 21 - Day 1
- Mon 23 - Day 3
- Tue 24 - Day 4
- Wed 25 - Day 5
- Thu 26 - Day 6
- Fri 27 - Day 7
- Sat 28 - Day 8
- Mon 30 - Wrap up LATEST
Photo galleries:
Junior tennis skills on the improve
Women’s cricket heats up
Triathlon and duathlon back in full swing
Seven teams turn out for touch
4 soccer refs in training
Brittany aims to make top 100
Royal Heat on Storm Chasers
Are you in?
Junior tennis tourney a big hit
Top cricket in second Turtles 50-over game
Under 20 soccer squad named for Oceania
Enduro tri for new year’s start
Tupou picked as Oceania ref
New gear for kids
Turangi, Avatiu-Nikao push ahead in women’s comp
Fiji sevens gearing up
Junior tennis skills on the improve
Thu
14 Jan
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Jack Woods winds up for a scorching serve.
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Leandro Vakatini already has great tennis skills.
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Close to 40 junior tennis players have been braving the heat and humidity on court to improve their tennis playing skills.
And with ace Cook Islands player Brittany Teei, who won gold, silver and bronze at last year’s Pacific Mini Games, the up and coming tennis stars are fast improving their skills.
Teei has been assisting local coach Malcolm Kajer run the week-long Tennis Cook Islands workshop which will come to an end this Saturday with a mini tournament.
Teei takes a no-nonsense coaching approach and demands the ears and attention of her aspiring students and in turn shares some valuable skills with the kids. And the young players are keen to show rising Cook Islands tennis star that they have what it takes on the tennis court.
Yesterday the older kids with a good grasp of the sport got a taste of sharing the court in a doubles training session while the babes new to tennis went about learning to put racquet to ball with Kajer.
Teei and Kajer encourages parents to take their kids along to the Tennis Centre in Nikao to learn tennis and of course make new friends over the school holidays.
Sessions are $10 a day with coaching and equipment provided.
Daily tennis sessions run from 9am to 12pm.
Women’s cricket heats up
Thu
14 Jan
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Winners of the western league division of women’s cricket, the Avatiu-Nikao Lady Eels celebrate their win over the tenacious Arorangi Lindaur Ladies. Women’s cricket continues today.
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Women’s cricket got off to a great start last Thursday as many of the players turned on some fantastic performances and with all teams dressed to impress.
In the western league, the Arorangi Lindaur Ladies batted first against Avatiu-Nikao. Avatiu-Nikao’s talented bowlers set the winning foundation for the team who won the first match in the western league.
In the eastern league, Muri women’s cricket club took on the women from Turangi.
Batting first Turangi did well to last out all their overs and
put on a good score which was too much for the Muri wo-
men’s team as they fell short of victory.
Air Raro Matavera was in fine form as they took on their club counterparts the Hoti Matavera women’s team.
Batting first, Hoti got off to a good start however Air Raro Matavera championed at the end of the day.
CICA general manager Alister Stevic was pleased with the success of the inaugural women’s cricket competition.
“I am thrilled with not only the huge enthusiasm the women showed, but they are all really organised, in uniform and very talented, which bodes well for local women’s cricket,” says Stevic.
At the completion of the tournament, CICA will be announcing a women’s high performance squad who will train throughout the off season to prepare for future female international tournaments.
This week’s draw sees Turangi face Air Raro Matavera and Hoti Matavera taking on Muri with both games scheduled to be played at Muri starting at 5pm.
The western league matches will be played at the Avatiu field with two more women’s teams needed for the league.
If you’d like to enter a team into the exciting and fun women’s cricket competition, give Alister a call at the cricket office on 20744 – you don’t have to be affiliated with any club as gear and officials will be supplied.
Triathlon and duathlon back in full swing
Thu
14 Jan
The multisport season is back in full swing after the festive season starting with a duathlon today from Nikao.
Today’s duathlon meet from opposite the Social Centre in Nikao will start at 5.15pm and will include a 2km run, 8km bike, 1km bike or for the hardy a 1km run, 16km bike capped off with a final 2km run is also on offer.
This Saturday will see an ‘enduro tri’ course of a 200m swim, 8km bike and a 2km run – completed twice.
You can do the course twice as an individual or you can gather your friends to complete the course as a team – one member doing the swim, the other taking to the road on the bike and the last pounding the road in the run leg.
The Saturday enduro triathlon will start at 3pm sharp.
Seven teams turn out for touch
Fri
15 Jan
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Team Mareko player David Wichman showed that the festive season celebrations hadn’t hampered his touch rugby skills.
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Touch rugby players relished the opportunity to lace up their boots and hit the field in the first touch rugby season muster on Wednesday.
Seven teams fronted for the first day of fun games in the mixed teams category to give organisers an opportunity to gauge interest in the category and to iron out the draw for the coming season.
Families gathered at the Avatiu sports field for the day’s games, which saw national players return to the field along with some new fresh faces to the sport.
Along with teams made up of work colleagues and family members was the Roxx team made up of 12 inmates from the Rarotonga prison in Arorangi.
The team of inmates was welcomed to the touch family and the youngsters put up a valiant effort against a star-studded opposing team made up of national players.
Clem Fortes, who is helping organise the touch rugby season, says that there is more space for mixed teams to join the competition in either the serious or social division.
Monday will see the muster for the open men’s, women’s and under 16 teams.
The Monday muster will again be fun filled day giving teams the opportunity to suss out their opponents and for organisers to put together the season’s draw.
To register a team in any of the four categories, give Daphne a call on 20514.
4 soccer refs in training
Fri
15 Jan
Four local soccer referees are currently in New Zealand attending a refereeing course aimed at improving the all round skills of referees.
Soccer referee committee members Robert Savage (referee development officer), Lai Gukisuva (chairman of the referee committee), Maara Kaukura (referee development officer) and Tutai Taurarii (fitness instructor) have all been selected to take part in the six- day Futuro III seminar at the Millennium Stadium in Auckland from January 14 to 19.
The course focuses on the education of referee technical instructors, referee fitness and heads of refereeing of member associations.
The course will cover three main points including the education of referees and assistant referees, the development of refereeing in a federation and after the course the responsibility of the fitness preparation of the referees and assistant referees.
The Cook Islands Football Association believes that the course will be beneficial for the four soccer referee committee members and for the development of referees in the Cook Islands.
- Matariki Wilson/CIFA
Brittany aims to make top 100
Sat
16 Jan
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Cook Islands tennis prodigy Brittany Teei (left) runs through some skills with junior tennis players at the Tennis Centre in Nikao in between training for her up and coming tennis tournaments with her ultimate aim of achieving a top 100 ranking in the sport.
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Training in the Rarotonga heat and humidity is all part of rising Cook Islands tennis star Brittany Teei’s goal to rank in the top 100 players of the world.
The 20-year-old used last year’s Pacific Mini Games as a springboard to re-launch her tennis career after spending six years recovering from a broken ankle.
Teei broke her ankle while representing New Zealand as a 14-year-old in Germany and while most would have chucked in the towel – she put her coaching hat on and ran her own coaching programme at the Ngatira tennis club in Mt Eden.
“When I broke my ankle I naturally went into coaching to stay in the game I love,” says Teei.
Teei won three medals at the mini games tennis competition – bronze in the women’s singles, silver in the women’s team event and gold in the doubles competition with Kairangi Vano. Now she has her eyes firmly fixed on achieving her first ranking at next month’s ranking competition in South Korea and qualifying for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games by competing in the Australian Amateur Open in September.
“The mini games were a big highlight for me and to reach a top 100 ranking is my ultimate aim in tennis,” says Teei.
Teei is currently training daily with the local junior elite squad and mini games squad member Brett Baudinet to prepare for her up and coming events.
Teei says that while she has a number of people that help coach her, she mostly trains herself through self-discipline and motivation.
Teei is a fulltime tennis player and wants to see how far her hard work and commitment to the sport will take her.
While she admits making money while doing what she loves is great, making money is not why she got into tennis.
“I just really enjoy the game and making money doing what I love is a bonus,” says the proud Cook Islander.
While born and raised in Auckland, Teei says she is one hundred percent proud to be a Cook Islander.
The daughter of Tereapii Teei and partner Alex Sword, who run an English language school in South Korea, credits her staunch pride as a Cook Islander to her grandmother Tereapii.
“My nana brought me up to be a strong Cook Islander right throughout my life,” says Teei.
“That’s why when I was asked to play in the mini games just two months before the event, I grabbed the opportunity because this is where my heart is.”
Teei is currently helping run a junior tennis programme at the Tennis Centre in Nikao and encourages parents to get their children into the sport.
“Tennis opens up a lot of opportunities including travelling and making good money,” says Teei. “And it’s a great lifestyle.”
Royal Heat on Storm Chasers
Sat
16 Jan
The second clash of the Turtles Domestic Cricket League will be played out today at the Takitumu Primary School grounds in Matavera starting at 12pm.
It will be a confident Royal Heat squad that will face the Storm Chasers today after their first win last weekend against the Superkings.
Royal Heat captain Vane Tangimetua will want a repeat performance from his talented side but the Storm Chasers are looking to cause some havoc on the pitch.
Led by Ronnie Forbes, the well-organised Storm Chasers will look to their gun bowlers Steven Kavana and Moni Uini
to do some damage and to Avatiu-Nikao’s Bobby Hansen to lead the way in the batting stakes.
It’s going to be another great game of cricket with sponsors and supporters of cricket invited to join the cricket association in the VIP tent with parents encouraged to bring along your mini cricketers.
Prizes for kids will be up for grabs in what will be a fun family day out with plenty of cricket action.
Are you in?
Mon
18 Jan
The Diplomats Golden Oldies rugby team held their first cabinet meeting this year at the Fishing Club in Tupapa last Tuesday evening.
The members were updated on their travel arrangements to Sydney in September by Shirley.
Tom explained the importance of the first game against the ex-Wallabies that will be broadcast live on four television channels.
The television exposure roped in two new Sydney locals, George ‘Buscar’ and Ken Matapo, to join the team on “local packages”.
The package is available if your septic tank is in Sydney.
Most talked about that meeting revolved around getting into shape.
Buscar told the meeting about his morning chores – getting up at 4am, catching his train which takes one hour, cycling the last leg to the office to clock-in at 6am. No wonder the bloke looked undernourished.
Coach Papa Cowan remarked that it was just “commitment” like him who spends eight days in the garden.
If you haven’t decided yet, call Tom or Shirley on 21033 or email tswills@ oyster.net.ck I’m in!
Junior tennis tourney a big hit
Mon
18 Jan
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Mini tennis players gathered on Saturday for their presentation of certificates and prizes after a successful week of tennis at the Nikao tennis centre.
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The junior tennis programme wrapped on Saturday with a mini tennis tournament for the 40-plus kids that took part in the week-long programme.
The under five year olds showed off their improved tennis skills with a mini ‘prisoner’ competition.
Tennis coach Malcolm Kajer explained that the prisoner game is a skills developing task which promotes proper hitting techniques.
The littlies, about 10 on each side of the net, had to volley the ball back and forth until they could hit the ball back over the net after just one bounce.
Little Zyaleya Tua felt her tennis skills were already good and decided to take on a coaching role much to the delight of Kajer who gave the youngsters some coaching tips.
For kids with advanced tennis skills, it was all about winning on Saturday.
The tennis players were split into two divisions based on their skills level.
In division one, Andrew Terupu was the eventual winner with Tamati Marsh coming in a close second.
In the advanced second division, Jack Woods was the man to beat but his skills were just too good and he took out the division with Mahonri Heather placing second.
This week the elite junior squad will take to the courts for more coaching with local tennis star Brittany Teei, who also helped coordinate the mini tennis programme.
Kajer would like to thank Teei for her commitment and help in organising the tennis programme.
Kajer also invites adult players to head to the Nikao Tennis Centre for tennis lessons. To organise a lesson with Kajer, you can call him on 75614.
Top cricket in second Turtles 50-over game
Mon
18 Jan
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Davis Teinaki (left) was all smiles and laughs on Saturday as the highest scorer of the day with 77 runs. More cricket action, page 11.
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Royal Heat cricketers continued their winning streak at the weekend by beating the valiant Storm Chasers.
The match was the second of the Turtles Domestic League Cricket Tournament played at the Takitumu School field.
The 50-over match was well attended by cricket fans who were treated to what has been described as one of the best cricket games seen on the island in recent years.
Royal Heat batted first with team captain Vane Tangimetua and Davis Teinaki opening up.
But Tangimetua’s time at the crease was
short lived when he was bowled out by Moni Uini.
Teinaki anchored the Royal Heat to post an outstanding 77 runs – the highest score of the day.
Vengi Hagai picked up 24 runs for the Royal Heat.
Bobby Hansen was the stand out bowler for the Storm Chasers with three wickets from 5 overs.
Ben Cummings was also outstanding in the field taking 2 wickets from 6 overs.
The Storm Chasers were all out for 179 after 26 overs.
The Storm Chasers sent out Sepa Tangimetua and Cameron Thorp to open up their batting innings but after just one ball, Thorp was back in the tent with a golden duck thanks to Davis Teinaki’s bowling prowess.
Captain Ronnie Forbes didn’t have much luck with the bat collecting 5 runs before being bowled out by Teinaki.
Tangimetua looked in good form but underestimated a very fast improving Tom Wicks who bowled him out for 35 runs.
Ben Cummings did well to get the Storm Chasers back on track with 21 runs before falling to Thomas Teinaki.
Bobby Hansen then proved he was just as good with bat as with the ball posting 38 runs before an LBW (leg before wicket) from a ball bowled by Avatiu-Nikao teammate Wicks.
When Hansen marched off the field, so did the Storm Chasers’ hopes of reaching the 180 target.
The team had to send in the injured Shane Thompson but a quick four from Thompson wasn’t enough to win the game for the team as they fell short of the target by 27 runs scoring a total of 151 runs.
It was a great day of cricket with both captains and team managers extending congratulations for a challenging game.
Under 20 soccer squad named for Oceania
Mon
18 Jan
A Cook Islands under 20 women’s soccer squad has been named to take part in this month’s Oceania Football Confederation qualifiers in Auckland.
Teams from American Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga and the Cook Islands squad will battle it out at the North Harbour Stadium for a place in the July FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup in Germany.
The Cook Islands squad members have been in training since August 2009 and despite a number of injury changes within the squad – the team is confident and determined to showcase their skills honed by team coach Jimmy Katoa.
The OFC qualifier was originally scheduled for October last year however the event was postponed due to the earthquake and tsunami disaster that devastated Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga at the time.
The qualifying tournament will run from January 21 to 25 and will be played in a round robin format.
Six matches in total will be played on artificial turf.
The Cook Islands under 20 women’s squad includes 12 players from Rarotonga, three from Aitutaki and three players from New Zealand.
The squad members are: Majorie Toru, Jennifer Akavi, Tasha Dean, Kim Tare, Marii Kaukura, Marisa Iroa, Teriivahine Henry, Louisa Manico, Elizabeth Harmon, Regina Mustonen, Danielle Trego, Tepaeru Trego, Leiana Temata, Linade Unuka, Stephanie Lineen, Apii Nichols, Elva Mamia Upu and Raivaru Nganu.
Coach Jimmy Katoa is assisted by Michelle Paiti with the team to be managed by John Taripo.
Team management and CIFA would like to thank the parents and guardians for their continuous support of the team.
Enduro tri for new year’s start
Tue
19 Jan
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Vanessa Palmer and Justin Rous take the lead after the swim in Saturday’s first triathlon of the year.
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New and familiar faces were seen at the weekend’s Enduro triathlon in Tikioki with a total of 21 athletes turning out to compete in a number of course distances.
Athletes were greeted by a choppy lagoon in the swim leg and overcast and windy conditions in the run and cycle.
The main race of the day was a double challenge for athletes who tackled the 300m swim, 8km bike and 2km run twice.
The top four athletes of the day all crossed the line under the hour mark with Roland Neururer leading the pack home after completing the course twice in 57:58.
But it was Justin Rous who emerged from the water first in 5:14 – though he was content just to finish one circuit of the course in 33:16 along with Apii Napa (36:36), Pauline Beddoes (36:49), Jeff Cook (37:39), and Daniel Pae (41:02).
A minute behind Rous out of the water was Vanessa ‘Nemo’ Palmer who went on to complete her first round of the course in 28:31 and with another second time of 30:48 placed third overall and the first female home in a great time of 59:19.
Phil Washbourn came second overall behind Neururer in a time of 59:16.
Excellent times were seen right across the board as the triathlon season kicks into gear.
Weekly duathlon mid-week meets continue as well as Saturday triathlons as local athletes prepare for the annual Business House and Women’s Tri in March followed by the big one – the International Triathlon in May.
Tupou picked as Oceania ref
Tue
19 Jan
Local soccer player and referee Tupou Patia has been selected to officiate at the under 20 women’s soccer tournament in New Zealand this month – the first Cook Islands woman to officiate at an international tournament.
Excellent fitness levels were a major factor in her selection as an official at the Oceania Football Confederation under 20 women’s championships scheduled to be held between January 21 and 25.
Tupou will be Cook Islands’ lone official representative at the event which will be held at Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium and involves teams from the Cook Islands, American Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand as hosts and favorites to win.
The teams from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga and New Zealand will be competing for a place at the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup in Germany this July.
“This is an exciting opportunity and experience for me to be selected to officiate at this under 20 qualifying tournament,” said Tupou.
Tupou left for New Zealand with the Cooks under 20 women’s team on Sunday.
CIFA believes that this tournament will be great exposure and development for up and coming referees such as Tupou.
This is an achievement by Tupou due to her commitment to the sport of football. She has also represented the country in international tournaments as a player.
New gear for kids
Tue
19 Jan
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Junior cricket coach Ray Raumanu (left) with ANZ Bank’s Chris Wicks and the huge pile of cricket gear ready for the ANZ in schools cricket programme starting up next month.
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Rarotonga primary school students are going to get another healthy dose of cricket this year with $7000 worth of gear now on the island ready for the start of the school year and the ANZ in schools cricket programme.
The gear, sponsored by the ANZ Bank, includes 60 plastic bats, 80 rubber balls, 80 sets of wickets and 40 new technology protective pads.
The Cook Islands Cricket Association is grateful to ANZ Bank for its generosity.
CICA general manager Alister Stevic says while the gear will be mainly for the junior focused cricket programme, it will also be shared with the women’s cricket clubs and teams.
ANZ’s Chris Wicks says that the bank has always made a point of supporting sports in the community and after a year of visible change and improvement in the cricket association in 2009, ANZ were only too happy to support the code.
In fact, the bank also sponsors junior sports development in tennis and rugby.
The ANZ in schools cricket programme will re-launch in mid February with another six schools signed on to take part.
Stevic is also proud to announce that the junior cricket development programme will expand to outer islands schools this year.
“We really would like to acknowledge the efforts that the Cook Islands Cricket Association put into promoting the game of cricket and development at the junior level,” says Wicks.
“Junior development programmes are, and always have been, the feeder for senior teams and CICA has done a fantastic job of lifting the profile of both junior and senior players.”
Turangi, Avatiu-Nikao push ahead in women’s comp
Wed
20 Jan
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The ANZ bank women’s cricket team brought a lot of enthusiasm and skill to last week’s women’s cricket matches in Avatiu and despite a narrow loss, the girls still thoroughly enjoyed themselves. v
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The Avatiu-Nikao women’s cricket club and the Turangi women’s team are currently leading in the women’s cricket competition.
Coming off a win against Muri last week, Turangi again showed promise against their match up with Air Raro Matavera.
Batting first, Air Raro Matavera got off to a good start through the mother-daughter combination of Patsy and Rachel Hockin.
However, once Rachel went, the Turangi team applied real pressure.
A late fight back from Selina and Anna got Air Raro through to a respectable score of 56. With confidence high Turangi were able to get the score in just eight overs as Neke scored 24 and Grace 27.
The second of the women’s league games was a match up between Hot III’s Matavera and Muri Women’s Cricket Club.
After winning the toss, Hot III’s Matavera captain Trainee Uka decided to bowl first in hope of putting pressure on the Muri team, but Muri openers Toru and Las had different ideas as they got off to a great start.
Some tight bowling from Hot III’s steadied the ship and they were able to pick up two quick wickets, but not before Muri were able to post an impressive 90 runs, with help from Matina and Elaine.
Hot III’s Matavera batting side came out strong and despite 15 runs from Ana, Hot III’s were only able to manage 35 runs.
Going into next week’s round, the Eastern League points table stands at Turangi with eight points, Muri and Air Raro each with four points and Hot III Matavera yet to register a point.
With two new teams entering the western league, round two promised lots of excitement and didn’t disappoint.
Avatiu-Nikao took on ANZ Chickadees in the first game. ANZ won the toss and bowled first.
Two quick wickets in the first over had Avatiu on the back foot and they struggled under the relentless pressure that this new team put on them with wickets falling at regular intervals.
Avatiu were bowled out for 32 runs setting an exciting run chase for the ANZ Chickadees.
ANZ were able to carry their momentum early on scoring early runs, however some tight bowling from Luciana Matenga, Kara Matenga and Curly George put the pressure back on the ANZ team who were bowled out for 30 runs giving Avatiu the win by two runs, to give them two wins from two games.
In the other game Arorangi Lindeau Ladies took on Muri.
Muri batted first and in their match scored an impressive 55 runs showing hard training pays off.
Arorangi bounced back strong from their first round loss to Avatiu and were able to pace the run chase perfectly and achieve victory over Muri with Diane Fletcher batting well.
Fiji sevens gearing up
Wed
20 Jan
Fiji is gearing up for the biggest sevens tournament the rugby-mad country has seen in over 10 years.
Starting today (Fiji time), 16 teams will battle it out in the Digicel Suva International Sevens tournament with teams from Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Samoa and even a team from Malaysia.
While there’s no sign of a Cook Islands team in the tournament, the country’s most well-known sevens player, Koiatu Koiatu, will be at the tournament at part of the Western Force squad from Australia.
Koiatu is by far the most experienced player in the Aussie side who are tipped to be one of the movers and shakers of the competition.
Kiwi team Manawatu are lucky to make the Fiji competition after New Zealand national sevens coach Gordon Tietjens passed up the opportunity to send his team to Fiji.
His New Zealand team was invited to the tournament but they did not accept as the team is preparing for the Wellington Sevens on February 5-7.
The Auckland team also declined the invitation to attend the Fiji sevens before Tietjens asked Manawatu to take part.
Fiji has been drawn in pool A along with Waimanu and the Northern Sharks.
In pool B, Western Force, led by Koiatu, will face a team from the USA, and Army and Police teams.
Pool C includes Manawatu, Papua New Guinea, Suva and the Wardens, while pool D consists of Samoa, Canada, Ratu Filise and the Veyasana Malaysian Baabaas.
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