"In the opening 10 minutes of the race I took a little risk. I had seen a little reef and I went over it and it just clipped my rudder enough to angle it a little bit so I had a bit of a hard time steering my canoe smoothly throughout the race," King said.
"That playeda little bit on my mind but I managed to get through. It wasn't good but it could have been worse. There were some pretty good paddlers here from Australia, including their [open champion] who wasn't far behind me and was clipping on my tail in the last 10ks.
"I really had to give it my all but am pretty happy with the result. First distance race of the season so to get a win fresh off our sprint season is a good way to start it."
This year, due to a change in wind direction, the race was run from Pilot Bay to Maketu rather than in the opposite direction as per normal. Competitors took on the course in single outrigger canoes, double outriggers and ocean skis.
The race was also the trial for Waka NZ's team to go to the first long-distance world champs to be held in Tahiti.
The memory of James Moore was with every competitor in the race.
He was a core member of the Goodyear Outrigger Canoe Crew and New Zealand men's white-water rafting team. He drowned after coming off his canoe in stormy weather after almost completing the race journey in 2008.
"You know being a memorial race gives it so much more depth. We are just following in the tradition and it is always a pleasure to race with him looking down on us," King said.
Moore's paddling friend and race organiser Paul Roozendaal, who finished eighth, was delighted with the success of the event.
"The conditions ended up being really, really good and so many smiles on so many faces," he said.
"Everyone knows the main thing is they are remembering James and some people mentioned they felt James out there and it was quite emotional for them.
"It was awesome."
■Results: www.facebook.com/JamesMooreMorialRace/
