Horouta crew Nga Kopara Mai Tawhiti celebrate after winning the master women's W12 500m final at the waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karāpiro. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Horouta crew Nga Kopara Mai Tawhiti celebrate after winning the master women's W12 500m final at the waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karāpiro. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Horouta paddlers Akayshia Williams and Hine Brooking completed sprint doubles at the Waka Ama NZ sprint nationals at Lake Karāpiro on Thursday.
Williams won the premier women’s W1 250-metre dash in 1 minute 15.17 seconds, and Brooking won the J19 women’s division in 1:21.15 to go with their W1500m victories the day before.
Both performed the same double at last year’s sprint champs.
Horouta paddlers filled the runner-up spots in both 250m races yesterday.
In the premier women’s event, Gaibreill Wainohu improved from ninth place in the 500m final to second in the dash in 1:18.23.
In the J19 race, Marnie Toloa – with a time of 1:22.52 – repeated the second-place finish she had in the 500m.
Waka ama superstar Akayshia Williams added another title to her lengthy list at the sprint nationals ... the W1 premier women's 250m dash. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Williams and Brooking later won their third gold medals when they were part of the winning Te Uranga o Te Ra team in the premier women’s regional W12 500m race.
With Amber Walter, Annie Cairns, Briar McLeely, Gaibreill Wainohu, Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu, Keri Ngatoro, Marnie Toloa, Puhiwahine Nepe Apatu, Taylynn Morete and Te Rina Leubert, they covered the distance in 2:05.95.
The men’s Te Uranga o Te Ra team crossed the finish line fourth in the men’s regional W12 race but were disqualified for being over the line at the start.
Horouta paddler Maia Campbell, who won the J19 W1 500m on Wednesday, moved up to the premier men’s field for the 250m dash and finished third in 1:08.20.
Gisborne's Hine Brooking plays a winning tune following victory in the J19 women's W1 250m dash at the waka ama sprint nationals. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club paddlers Jake Suitauloa (1:05.71) and Kacey Ngataki (1:06.91) were first and second.
Also in the dash was Caleb Akroyd (Horouta), who finished 11th in 1:14.07.
Horouta crew Nga Kopara Mai Tawhiti won the master women’s W12 500m final in a time of 2:20.32. The team of Angela Rasmussen, Debra Rasmussen, Katerina Ngarimu, Kaye Ross, Kerry Johnston, Lillian Hodgson, Lisa Grace, Lynora Hati, Naomi Whitewood, Penny Scragg, Rebecca Hoani and Simmy Taitapanui finished 5.22 seconds ahead of the runners-up from Taranaki.
Also in the final were Hiwa I Te Rangi, of Mareikura Waka Ama Club, who finished eighth in 2:41.94.
In the J19 men’s 250m dash, Kane Soto (Horouta) was fourth in 1:09.88, less than two seconds behind the winner, Marlin Toloa, of Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club. Jack Gifford (Horouta) was seventh in 1:11.78.
