Tupu King aiming for six of the best
A showdown between a Far North paddler and a Tahitian rival is setting up to be one of the highlights of the annual waka ama sprint championships on Lake Karapiro this week.
Organisers noted the marquee race of the week-long event will see five-time national champion, Tupuria King from Taipa, going head-to-head with one of Tahiti’s best, Manutea Million, in a W1 race with King aiming to win his sixth national men’s open title.
Registrations for the event confirm waka ama continues to be the fastest growing water sports in New Zealand. A record number of paddlers have signed on to compete at the 30th annual Te Wa¯nanga o Aotearoa National Waka Ama Sprint Championships which began yesterday, and are set to conclude this Saturday, January 19.
The first sprint nationals held in 1990 attracted 17 clubs and 43 teams compared with this year where more than 3577 paddlers and 1700 teams representing 61 clubs will race for prestigious titles in various classes and 10 age divisions.
Paddlers will race over distances including 250m, 500m, 1500m and marathon legs of 30km to 75km while clubs will compete for national honours in single, six and 12-paddler teams over distances of 250m, 500m, 1000m and 1500m. Age grades include midget (under 10), intermediates (11-13), junior U16 and U19, open, master (40 and over) senior master (50), golden master (60) and masters 70 plus.
Waka Ama New Zealand CEO Lara Collins said this year’s event promises to be full of excitement, and notes the field has grown 39.6 per cent in five years, with females now the majority in six of 10 age divisions; while 1370 paddlers were under 13, and 34 over 70 with the youngest being 5 and the oldest 82.
“This year is our biggest yet! We’ve got crews coming from all over the country from as far north as Kaitaia down to Queenstown in the South Island. There is going to be a huge crowd around 10,000 expected during the week,” she said, once again emphasising, “Waka ama may be the only sport where grandmothers, grandfathers, mums, dads and their kids can come together to race competitively.” ■ Last year’s winner of the club points’ trophy for best overall performances throughout the regatta was Horouta Waka Hoe from Gisborne and they will return to defend a title they have won seven times in the trophy’s eight year history.
Also up for grabs is the 2018 Ace Cuthers Memorial for best club spirit.
Holders Te Rau Oranga ¯ o Nga¯ti Kahungunu Waka Ama Club will return the prestigious trophy so it can again be awarded by the volunteers and officials to a club which this year best epitomises the values of waka ama being manaakitanga, ha¯naungatanga, hauora and tu¯ tangata, and the memory of Ace himself.
Notable local winners from last year’s regatta included Tupuria King: premier men’s W1 (5th year in a row), and Noel Clark in the masters men 70+ division.
Among the entries from Northland clubs are, Kaihoe O Ngati Rehia Trust with a total of 11, Mitimataga o le Pasefika Va’a-alo Canoe Club 33, Nga Hoe Horo Outrigger Canoe Club 42, and Tai Tokerau Polynesian Canoe Association with 104.