Walker said “upholding the mana of waka ama in this district” was important to clubs like Horouta and fellow Gisborne club Mareikura.
“We make big sacrifices in terms of distance (travelled) and cost. We have to spend several thousands of dollars to get there, so we need to go there with a purpose.”
Walker said their strengths were quality and depth throughout the age groups, as well as a desire to maintain the high level year after year.
“We’ve had that shield for six out of the seven years,” he said.
“It’s a matter of being able to come up to scratch again the following year.”
To do that requires teams that perform consistently well in most if not all grades.
But it’s not just about the medal-winning teams. The crews who make finals also add points to the club’s coffers, and while they might not get the glory, Walker pointed out they play a vital role in keeping the tally ticking over.
Among the stars of Horouta’s performance were the Kaiarahi Toa premier women’s crew, who whitewashed their division — winning gold in all of their races in a dominant display.
That included two gold medals on the climactic final day.
The crew of Akayshia Williams, Florrie Brooking, paddler/coach Kiwi Campbell, Rangi-Riana Williams, Sieda Tureia and Vesna Radonich won the W6 500 metres earlier in the day, then followed it up with 12.5-second victory in the W6 1500.
Nineteen-year-old Akayshia Williams, having earlier in the week won a maiden premier W1 500 crown, fell just short of completing the double in the 250m dash races that end the nationals.
Williams was pipped by former Mareikura club member Marama Elkington (now with Hawaiki Nui Tuarua) by 0.22secs, with the ever-present Kiwi Campbell third.
Rangi-Riana attempted to emulate older sister Akayshia’s previous success in the junior 19 dash. She settled for third while Horouta’s Pharyn Calles was sixth.
Horouta did, however, rack up gold in the junior 19 men’s dash won by Keanu Wainohu-Kemp, with clubmate and junior 16 men’s W1 500 title winner Darius Apanui-Nepe sixth.
Campbell’s husband Bruce was fourth and Glen Donaldson ninth in the premier men’s dash won by powerhouse W1 500 champion Tupu King.
Horouta boosted its points tally on the last day although by that time the overall trophy was in the bag.
As well as the Kaiarahi Toa performance, it picked up medals in the junior 19 women’s, master women’s and premier men’s age groups.
The T & G Woolley Kumaras premier men’s crew were third in the W6 1000m and fourth in the W6 1500, missing out on a medal by 0.15secs.
The Whetumatarau crew won silver and Pipitaiari bronze in the junior 19 women’s W6 500 and 1000 finals.
Nga Kopara Toa were third in the master women’s W6 500.
Walker said Horouta’s “stand-out” performers were their junior 16 boys.
‘They were exceptional . . . superior in terms of margins (of their wins), technically and physically, and the way they raced.”
Kaiarahi Toa’s dominance spoke for itself while the Woolley Kumaras were “a solid unit” who did well to medal in the pressure-cooker premier division.
A personal highlight for Walker was seeing the expressions on the faces of the midgets girls’ crew after winning gold in the W12. It was the last year in that age group for some of them “so to get up and win was exceptional”.
“It does a lot for their confidence and augurs well for them continuing on.”
He also made special mention of the masters men’s crew’s silver medal-win in the double hull. They were a mish-mash of paddlers, including a couple of coaches who filled in the numbers, and did brilliantly to medal with next to no preparation as a crew.
Gisborne’s Mareikura club had a quiet nationals medal-wise, highlighted by an excellent golden double (W6 and W12 500m) in the intermediate boys’ division.
However, club stalwart Raipoia Brightwell said for many of their young paddlers, it was a learning and development experience, where making semis or finals was the goal.
The club also had a number of new managers and coaches who thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Brightwell herself won three gold medals — two in the senior master women’s division and one in the masters — competing for Ruamata crews. She was also fifth in the golden master women’s W1 500 final.
The waka ama nationals were the biggest in its history. Around 3300 paddlers took part and management, whanau and other supporters boosted that number by thousands over the week.
More to follow on the nationals
