Horouta Waka Ama paddlers Simmy Taitapanui (front) and Penny Scragg, competing under the name Simpenny, on their way to victory in the W2 senior master women's race at the long-distance nationals off Porirua last week. Photo / Waka Ama New Zealand
Horouta Waka Ama paddlers Simmy Taitapanui (front) and Penny Scragg, competing under the name Simpenny, on their way to victory in the W2 senior master women's race at the long-distance nationals off Porirua last week. Photo / Waka Ama New Zealand
Tairāwhiti waka ama paddlers showed they could stay the course in open water as well as dominate in sprint competition when they took part in the long-distance nationals off Porirua.
Sprint champions Hine Brooking, in the J19 women, and Akayshia Williams, in the open women’s division, led home the field in their respective events.
Self Storage Gisborne Horouta Waka Hoe Club member Brooking finished the 8km J19 course for rudderless waka in 48m 39.2s, 38.1s ahead of runner-up Abigail Liufalani of the Pineula club.
Horouta paddler Hine Brooking completed a sprint/long-distance double when she won the W1 J19 women's race over 8km at the Waka Ama New Zealand long-distance nationals at Porirua. In January, she won the 250m/500m double at the sprint nationals on Lake Karāpiro. Photo / Waka Ama New Zealand
Liufalani was also runner-up to Brooking in the 250m and 500m races at the national sprint champs at Lake Karāpiro in January.
Horouta had a strong presence in the 8km J19 race, accounting for six of the 15 starters and four of the top six placings.
Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu, Cheidan Moetara and Marnie Toloa were third, fourth and sixth respectively. Moetara was the only starter in her class in the race for ruddered craft.
Akayshia Williams, of Horouta Waka Hoe Club, won the W1 open women's 16km race at the Waka Ama New Zealand long-distance nationals at Porirua. In January, she won the 250m/500m double at the sprint nationals on Lake Karāpiro. Photo / Waka Ama New Zealand
Williams won the 16km open women’s race for rudderless waka in one hour 26m 55.2s, 3m 6.2s ahead of runner-up Te Rina Leubert of Taupō Waka Ama Club.
In January, Williams completed the open women’s 250m/500m double at the sprint champs.
Horouta chairman Walton Walker said he was particularly impressed with the number of J16 entries from the club.
Many of these paddlers had not experienced long-distance racing or sea conditions before they started training for these championships.
Long-distance racing gave them another option, alongside the sprint champs in January. Apart from the long-distance nationals, opportunities to race in open water came up throughout the year and it would be good to prepare young paddlers for them.
Tairāwhiti two- and six-person teams also tasted success at Porirua.
For Horouta, Simmy Taitapanui and Penny Scragg continued their good form with a win in the W2 senior master women’s race, while Keri Ngatoro and Gaibreill Wainohu, in the open women, Greg Ross and Kaye Ross in the senior master mixed, Riria Ata and Tutemakoha Kemp in the J16 women and Kyan Ayton and Kane Soto in the J19 men all won their W2 classes.
In W6 competition, master mixed crew Wainui won their class.
Riann Tawhai (front) and Cornelis Du Preez, competing as Waimata for Mareikura Waka Ama Club, tackle the W2 J16 mixed race over eight kilometres in the Waka Ama NZ long-distance nationals at Porirua. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
For Mareikura Waka Ama Club, W6 J16 mixed crew Puna Ariki won their class, as did Cornelius Du Preez and Jacobus Du Preez in the W2 J16 men and Jacobus Du Preez and Mereana Maxwell in the W2 J16 mixed.
Both clubs had strong performances in the minor placings and some paddlers performed creditably as guest competitors for other clubs.
Taiau Waka Ama paddlers also contested the W6 open men’s and open women’s events.
Waka Ama New Zealand long-distance national championship results from Porirua, with Tairāwhiti connections (W6 crew members named for top-three finishes) were:
W2, master mixed, 16km: John & Ves (John Marks and Vesna Radonich, Horouta) 1h 26m 28.6s, second of four; Kare (Rebecca Hoani and Jason Hulena, Horouta) 1h 26m 36.6s, third.
W2, open women, 16km: Kerry & Keri (Keri Ngatoro and Gaibreill Wainohu, Horouta) 1h 28m 19.5s, first of three.
W2, senior master mixed, 16km: Ross & Ross (Greg Ross and Kaye Ross, Horouta) 1h 22m 28.9s, first of five.
W2, senior master women, 16km: Simpenny (Penny Scragg and Simmy Taitapanui, Horouta) 1h 29m 16.3s, first of five.
W2, J19 women, 8km: Hine & Marnie (Hine Brooking and Marnie Toloa, Horouta) 46m 6.1s, second of three.
W2, J16 men, 8km: Mareikura (Cornelis Du Preez and Jacobus Du Preez, Mareikura) 46m 55.2s, first of three; Shacky Brae (Brae Birch-Tuapawa and Jackson Robin-Smith, Horouta) 48m 37.8s, third.
W6, golden master mixed, 16km: Ikahoea (Horouta: Mihi Aston, David Crewe, Ken Henry, Whetumarama Mita, Sonia Stewart, Whitu Turipa) 1h 23m 56.5s, second of six.
W6, master mixed, 24km: Wainui (Horouta: Rebecca Hoani, Jason Hulena, Katerina Ngarimu, Steve Ransby, Liz Tupuhi, Aden Waikari) 1h 57m 58.8s, first of nine.
W6, open mixed, 24km: Malolo Magic (Horouta: Atareta Kemp, John Marks, John Moetara, Vesna Radonich, Jason Tuapawa, Sieda Tureia) 1h 58m 53.8s, second of eight.
W2, J16 mixed, 8km: Taruheru (Jacobus Du Preez and Mereana Maxwell, Mareikura) 50m 36.6s, first of three; The MKs (Ngawhakahonore Matakatea and Jackson Robin-Smith, Horouta) 54m 6.3s, second; Waimata (Cornelis Du Preez and Riann Tawhai, Mareikura) 54m 23.7s, third.
W2, J16 women, 8km: Te Ata Tu (Riria Ata and Tutemakoha Kemp, Horouta) 51m 0.6s, first of four; Cm & Bm (Christibel Mackenzie and Bentley Morice-Munro, Horouta) 56m 42.6s, second.
W6, golden master women, 16km: Hine-o-Te-Moana (Mareikura: Raipoia Brightwell, Carolyn Hodgkinson, Beverley Murray, Bridgitte Pitkethley, Christina Stockman, Denise Tapp) 1h 35m 19.3s, third of 11; Hinewaiariki (Horouta) 1h 41m, sixth; Hinewaiora (Horouta) 1h 52m 1.1s, 10th.
W6, J19 women, 16km: Manawahine (Horouta: Ella August, Hine Brooking, Cheidan Moetara, Melrose Morete, Taylynn Morete, Aislinn Tahiwi, Marnie Toloa) 1h 31m 48.7s, second of five.
