Waka Ama Championships a tightly contested affair   7 Apr 2015

2015 ActivePost National Long Distance Waka Ama Championships a tightly contested affair

Record turnout at New Zealand Post-backed Waka Ama Championships shows promise for the future of the sport.

Fabulous weather and stunning Northland coastline made for a superb weekend of racing at the 2015 ActivePost National Long Distance Waka Ama Championships. More than 600 paddlers from 35 clubs throughout New Zealand competed in front of hundreds of passionate spectators at Marsden Cove in Northland.

Tupuria King achieved a first for waka ama racing winning the Open men’s ruddered and rudderless W1 divisions. Racing the two 18km events almost back to back, Tupu claimed line honors and national titles in both. This was no easy feat, especially after racing 32km with his team the day before to a second place in the Open men’s W6 event.

Tupu’s sister Rose King claimed the Open Womens W1 rudderless title and their mother Nyree King won the Senior Master Womens rudderless championship.

The 2015 ActivePost National Long Distance Waka Ama Championships were supported by New Zealand Post’s ActivePost initiative, which encourages communities to participate in sports and physical activity.

Lara Collins, Chief Executive of Waka Ama New Zealand, said that this year’s Championships raised the bar with incredible grit and endurance on display.

“We’re really stoked with how the championship went this weekend. We’ve made a big push to grow Waka Ama throughout New Zealand and it’s great to see crowds and clubs turn up in such big numbers. Over the past few years clubs have been popping up all over the place and they’ve progressed hugely in such a short amount of time”

For the championships, clubs competed for national honours in one, two or six twelve paddler teams over distances of 12km, 18km, and 30km.

Championship results included:

· Open Men W1 18km Championship (Rudderless): Tupuria King – Nga Hoe Horo

· Open Men W1 18km Championship (Ruddered): Tupuria King - Nga Hoe Horo

· Open Women W1 18km Championship (Rudderless): Rose King - Horouta Waka Hoe

· Junior 19 Men W1 18km Championship (Rudderless): Ash Roozendaal – Hei Matau

· Junior 19 Men W1 18km Championship (Rudderless): Koha-Alofa Vitolio - Taniwha

· Open Men W6 30km Championship: Bhutty Boys – Hei Matau

· Open Women W6 30km Championship: Kaiarahi Toa – Horouta Waka Hoe

· Open Mixed W6 30km Championship: Ariki Whakauru – Hei Matau

New Zealand Post’s Community Sponsorship Manager, Charles Ropitini, said Waka Ama appealed to people of all ages and abilities.

“Through ActivePost we want all Kiwi’s to have a lifelong love of sports and a passion for living active healthy lifestyles.

“It’s about grassroots participation and supporting Waka Ama is a perfect vehicle for doing this – it’s exciting, community driven and people of all ages love it. We’re thrilled with how much the sport has taken hold in New Zealand,” he said.

In just twenty five years Waka Ama racing has grown in popularity to become the fastest growing water sport in New Zealand. Each year, more than 8,000 paddlers from 85 Clubs turn out to race Waka Ama at events around the country in a show of brute strength, endurance, and team work. Many thousands more attend to watch the racing as spectators.

This year’s full list of results can be found here: http://wakaama.co.nz/racecalendar/lookup/1042.

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