Gold to Gisborne crews at nationals

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

GISBORNE paddlers claimed their first gold medal of the 2016 waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karapiro yesterday.

Mareikura crew Hinekura won the junior 16 women’s W6 500 metres final, then followed it up with gold in the W6 1000 to end the day.

The 1000 final was a thriller, with Hinekura beating a Whangarei crew by just 0.31 of a second.

Horouta Waka Hoe crew Tama Ki Uta also completed a golden double in the intermediate men’s W6 500 and 1000 finals.

Mareikura’s YMP was second in both finals, 0.48sec separating the crews in the 500 final.

Horouta’s Hinepukohurangi collected three medals in the intermediate women’s division — gold in the W6 1000 and silver in the W6 500 and W12 500.

Horouta’s Puhi Manawahine won Gisborne’s first medal of the day — bronze in the J16 women’s W12 500.

Another Horouta crew, Tama Kokiri, were second in the intermediate men’s W12 500.

More medals were expected today in the W1 races. The champs end on Saturday.