“Matahi then formed Mareikura Waka Ama, the first club to start in Aotearoa, in Gisborne.
“It was from here that he organised a roadshow to promote the rebirth of waka ama in New Zealand, and it is our clubs in Tairawhiti that all other clubs in the country look up to in terms of performance and know-how.
“Mareikura going back to Tahiti is taking the mauri back to where it all started — a very special trip indeed.”
Qualification for the 2018 world sprint champs — called the IVF Va’a World Championships — was a major incentive for the club’s teams as they trained for the sprint nationals, held at Lake Karapiro last month.
Mareikura team qualifiers for the world sprint champs in July were the Junior 16 men for the V12 500 metres, the V6 1000 (with turns) and V6 500; the J19 men for the V12 500, V6 1000 and V6 500; the J19 women for the V12 500, V6 1000 and V6 500; the open women for the V12 500, V6 1500 and V6 500; and the master 50 women in the V6 1000 and V6 500.
A priority for the club was to make a stand in the W1 (single waka) area.
A highlight was the performance of Akayshia Williams in retaining the open women’s W1 500m title she won last year.
She did it with a personal-best time that set a national record.
Williams is the J19 women’s world titleholder and hopes to add the world open women’s title to her résumé.
Coach knew it would be toughLong-time coach Matahi Brightwell said he knew that it would be tough and that open women’s world No.2 Marama Elkington would be challenging.
“I also knew that a change in weather allowed for a smoother run in the middle lanes,” he said.
“We opted for a slower time in the heat to allow Akayshia to gain the middle lane.”
It was risky but he was confident it would pay off: “With Akayshia’s level of fitness, strength and skill we were able to fine-tune the when and where.”
He had used a similar tactic himself in the 2002 Tahiti World Sprints, gaining bronze in the master men’s V1 500m.
Of the other individual paddlers, Jarrod Hill and Troy Hewson impressed in making the intermediate boys’ W1 final, and Hill won silver.
New W1 paddlers Maraea Coleman (intermediate girl), Alyssa Herbert (J16 girl) and Rangituia Potaka (under-23 women) made their finals. Harata Coleman also made the J16 final.
Premier women’s division paddlers Te Whaeoranga Smallman and Hiria Rolleston made their final.
Master woman Kara Te Whata-Maynard, a first timer in the W1 category, blitzed the field to win her heat, then finished seventh in the final. Her fast progress augurs well for a medal-winning performance next year.
Senior master woman Denise Tapp celebrated a return to competition with a place in the final of her division.
Raipoia Brightwell raced under the banner of Rotorua’s Ruamata club and came seventh in the golden master women’s final. She won gold steering for the Ruamata senior master women’s team in the W6 500m and 1000m, and in the W12 master women’s race.
Team highlightsTeam highlights were numerous.
The Tupaea J16 boys, Hei Tiare J16 girls, Hiva J19 boys, Poemoana J19 girls, Tairawhiti senior master women and Hinamanu premier women all qualified for the worlds in all or some of the events targeted.
Tupaea and Hiva, Poemoana and Hei Tiare, and Hinamanu all gave top performances in their W12 events, with Tupaea/Hiva and Poemoana/Hei Tiare both winning bronze.
The Tairawhiti senior master women’s team won silver in the 1000m and bronze in the 500m.
Hinamanu, the club’s new open women’s team, performed well, finishing fourth in all three of their finals.
New master men’s teams Tai Resistance and Executive B also performed well, with Tai Resistance making the final of the W6 500.
Mareikura’s Kalegalega midget girls’ team (under-10) made the final in their first nationals together and finished fourth, just missing out on a medal.
Intermediate girls’ crew Mareikura Kotiro Intys made the top three spots in their heats and semifinals and paddled their hearts out in the final.
The hard work of intermediate boys’ team Hiro got them on the podium. They were third in the W6 500 and fifth in the W6 500 (with turns).
New coaches also came to the fore.Sharon Pihema-Brown and James Brown made it a family affair, co-coaching the J16 girls’ team Who stole my Nikes, for whom their two daughters paddled.
“It’s about doing the basics well, and that’s exactly what the team did,” Raipoia Brightwell said.
In the J19 women’s division, Hinetu made the final.
A great performance by J16 boys’ crew Nga Tama Taniwha brought them bronze in the W12 500.
Club members Beverley Murray, Marlene Nikora and Caren Fox paddled for a Ngati Rehia golden master women’s team, winning gold in the W12 500, and silver in the W6 500 and W6 1000.
“We are very proud of all our paddlers, and would like to thank whanau, coaches and managers for their input in making our summer waka season a success,” Raipoia Brightwell said.
The club also acknowledged the contribution of paddlers from Uawa Tiaki Tai and Horouta Waka Hoe clubs in the junior girls’ category, and the support of sponsors and trusts in the provision of equipment for the club.
Junior paddlers would have a short break from training before resuming training towards the world sprints.
Seniors were focusing on Takapuna Cup changeover and iron races before the onset of world sprint champs training.
