Golden year on the water

PRIDE OF THE CLUB: Mareikura club members paddled for their country, club, even other New Zealand clubs at the Va’a world championships in Australia. Several of their top young paddlers were in the gold medal-winning New Zealand junior elite and club women’s crews coached by Matahi Brightwell. Three generations of the Brightwell family competed at the champs including Raipoia Brightwell, who won three gold medals as a member of a crew from Rotorua club Ruamata. From left are Orohena Brightwell, Kian Donaldson, Keri Mankelow-Ngatoro, Tia Akurangi, Manea Swann, Maia Niwa-Apelu, Raipoia Brightwell and Matahi Brightwell. Picture by Paul Rickard

THEY conquered their country. Then they conquered the world.

Mareikura’s Hinekura junior 16 women’s crew highlighted a pinnacle year of success in the paddlers’ blossoming careers with a Va’a sprint world championships performance that put them into the New Zealand waka ama history books.

Rangi-Riana Williams, Kian Donaldson, Tia Akurangi, Keri Mankelow-Ngatoro, Maia Niwa-Apelu, Manea Swann and Harata Coleman won gold and silver in the W6 events at the world champs.

They set an age-group world record in winning the W6 1000 metres in 5 minutes 14.68 seconds — bettering the previous best by seven seconds — and won silver behind another Gisborne crew Puhi Kaiariki (Horouta) in the 500m final, and won gold in the W12 500m with Otaki crew Te Aumangea.

Tia Akurangi was one of the overall stars of the week-long champs at Lake Kawana on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.

She brought home five gold medals and was a part of four world record-setting performances, including her victory in the W1 junior 16 women’s 500m final.

Hinekura coach Matahi Brightwell said the crew’s success was the result of a two-year relationship that reaped gold at New Zealand championship, national secondary school and now world championship level, and included 11 gold medals and one silver this year alone.

Brightwell said it brought him immense satisfaction as a coach to see his young paddlers develop and succeed.

Mareikura’s commitment to fostering paddlersIt also underlined Mareikura’s commitment to fostering paddlers from childhood to rangatahi and on.

And it showed what could be achieved right here in Gisborne through access to a natural training ground, expert coaching and ongoing club and whanau support.

Mareikura had only a few crews in action at the worlds but some of their paddlers were involved in crews from several other clubs.

The Hinekapuarangi crew of Ariana Ransom, Koha-Aloha Vitolio, Orohena Brightwell, Jolie Mareko, Mania Herewini-Taare and Amiria Salzman were seventh in the final of the W6 open women’s 500m.

Master 50 women’s crew members Caren Fox, Marlene Nikora, Analatu Wolfgramm-McKay, Henrietta Sakey, Hilda Halkyard-Sakey and Wheeti Haenga teamed with a Horouta crew to place seventh in the final of the W12 500m.

A family milestoneThe Brightwells achieved a family milestone, with three generations — Matahi and Raipoia, Orohena Brightwell and Manea Swann — competing at a world championship event.

Raipoia had a huge regatta. Paddling for Rotorua’s Ruamata club crews, she won gold in the master 50 women’s W6 500 and 1000, and the master 40 women’s W12 500. She was sixth in the final of the master 60 women’s W1 500.

Other Mareikura paddlers in action for other crews were Darius Apanui-Nepe (two gold, one silver for Waitakere junior 16 men’s crew Push to the Max), Moelani Tureia-Siataga (two gold for Horouta junior 19 women’s crew Whetumatarau), Violet Tuapawa-Crawford (bronze in master 40 women’s W12 500m with Horouta crew Nga Kopara Toa) and Grant Donaldson (silver in open men’s W6 1500m with Horouta crew T&G Woolley Kumaras).

Coach Brightwell also noted the success of Australian junior 16 paddler Cameron Bartlett (gold in W6 500), who trained in Gisborne with Apanui-Nepe.

Matahi Brightwell said their success would not have been possible without the contribution of many.

He thanked the 14 paddlers he coached; their families and/or partners; his daughter Orohena for her ongoing support; “tireless” managers Mere Elkington and Peni Niwa-Apelu; Kuini Williams for providing training facilities; Jim Kahukoti of Hit Pit Boxing Club; Waka Ama NZ chief executive Lara Collins “for standing by me and my unorthodox methods”; sponsor Conan Herbert, “and last but not least the awesome whanau support”.

“I’d also like to congratulate Kiwi Campbell (New Zealand elite women’s team coach/crew member) for her achievements and cutting-edge approach, as well as all Tairawhiti paddlers involved in the squads.”

Brightwell revealed that he had been approached to coach a Tahitian team for the next world championships in Tahiti in 2018, “but that's another story”.