NZ waka ama team is a family affair

IN FORM: Paul Roozendaal, left and Ash Roozendaal have been selected for the inaugural World Distance Championship to be held in Tahiti in June. PHOTO: FILE

Two Tauranga paddlers will proudly wear the New Zealand silver fern at the inaugural World Distance Championship to be held in Tahiti in June.

Paul Roozendaal, 35, and his nephew Ash Roozendaal, 20, will contest the challenging event in the men' open team with six other New Zealand selections joining record numbers for the event.

The Roozendaals qualified for Tahiti at the recent 32km James Moore-morial Race run from Pilot Bay to Maketu. Overall winner Tupu King won his third consecutive title at the event and will be number one for the open men's team.

Paul is possibly more excited about his nephew's selection for the first time in the open men's team than regaining his own place in the team.

"Ash is the youngest in the team. He was in the New Zealand development team last year so it is pretty good for him to step up into the open men's team. He is the only one to make that step which is pretty cool," Paul said.

"I actually coached his development team."

The event they are racing in Tahiti is the first time the distance event has been held at world championship level.

"They have run sprinting world championships before but they have never had long distance champs before. The race is 30km so at the moment we are trying to paddle at least 100km a week as training for it," Paul said.

"A lot of people do say the heat is hard to deal with in Tahiti. Myself and Ash have both raced over there before and I haven't had too much trouble but there are times when the heat can hit you."

Experience is certainly something Paul has on his side.

He first represented New Zealand at white water rafting in 2003 and he has been in New Zealand white water and waka ama teams ever since.

Before leaving for Tahiti six New Zealand teams will hold a major training camp off Pilot Bay from June 3-4.

Next Saturday a fundraising race will be held for the Roozendaals from Mount Maunganui to Maketu or in the opposite direction depending on prevailing winds.

Members of the New Zealand junior boys', girls' and open women's teams are starters as well as other top clubs from around the country in six-person canoes.