In the golden master women's V6 500-metre final at Dorney Lake, less than four seconds separated first and last in the eight-strong field. Hinewaiariki were fifth in 2 minutes 34.4 seconds and their New Zealand rivals, under the banner of Aratika Water Sports, were second in 2:32.26.
Maria Collier was a key member of both the Ngati Rehia and Aratika crews, and the day before the long-distance W6 teams race for golden master women, she and James Sadler had won the golden master mixed W2 race over about nine kilometres in a time of 45 minutes 57 seconds. Finishing 28 seconds later, in 46:25, were Team Aston (husband and wife Gordon and Mihi). They were 29 seconds ahead of the third and last-placed pair in the division, Sonia Stewart and Ivan Hindmarsh, of Whakatane.
The Self Storage Gisborne Horouta Waka Hoe golden master women's W6 crew for the long-distance champs grew out of the world sprint champs campaign.
At the W1 qualifying races, Mihi Aston finished second in the golden master women. Sonia Stewart, of Whakatane, was third and Sarah Thorpe, of Heretaunga, was fourth.
“They had qualified for the W1 race at the world sprint champs; I asked if they were part of a crew,” Aston said.
“They weren't, and they were keen to be in ours.”
Sue Wood, of Heretaunga, was recruited — “We had paddled together at previous nationals” — and Tracey Kingi, of Motueka, was also known through competition at nationals.
Marlene Nikora, from Gisborne's Mareikura Waka Ama Club, completed the world sprints crew. She had indicated she was keen to compete and, as she was known to be a strong paddler and Mareikura were not travelling to the UK world champs, she was added to the team.
They performed well at the world sprint champs without making the podium, and were keen to stay together as a competitive unit. Sarah Thorpe was staying on in the UK longer than the others, so the Horouta club's Marianne Gillingham was recruited. She won the golden master women's W1 (rudderless) 10km race at the long-distance nationals at Picton in April last year.
Training a team where half the members lived away from the base called for special measures.
Mihi Aston served as coach, and the outside paddlers sent her their GPS (global positioning system) readings from training for distance covered and maximum speed. She was grateful for the local women who filled the seats of absent outside paddlers in training sessions.
With less than two months between the world sprint champs and the long-distance nationals, it was a case of “do what you can under the circumstances and then let's just guts this out”, Aston said.
“I knew everyone's skill set. They all had determination, they'd all put in the hard yards in their own home town. We had a quick team briefing. We'd put it all out there; it was a chance to redeem ourselves (after missing out on a medal at the world sprints).”
They got a good start, avoiding a tangle of waka and getting in behind a young crew who cleared the way for them. They picked up places by keeping their turns at the buoys tight and maintaining their lead on the long stretches.
“Once we got the ‘runners' on the home straight it was just a matter of maintaining pressure, keeping the stroke long and strong, and keeping the breathing relaxed.”
With the nationals behind them, the paddlers are looking ahead to the world long-distance champs in Samoa in August next year, and a qualification race in May. But first they tackle January's national sprint champs at Lake Karapiro.
Aston says the door is open for others to join the team, from inside and outside the Horouta club.
“We'll have a meeting at the weekend and set some short- and long-term goals, and see what training will look like. It's an opportunity for people to give feedback.
“We might get to the point where we have to do some trials.
“I'm really proud of our women. It's a privilege to coach them.”
More coverage from the long-distance nationals to follow.
