Waka Ama: Tough regime reaps reward

Whakatu's Lesley Lenden with her silver and bronze medals won at the world waka ama championships in Rio. Photo / Paul Taylor

Regular flights to Auckland to compete and train with some of the country's best waka ama crews paid off for Hawke's Bay paddler Lesley Lenden at the world championships in Rio.

"I made the trips twice a month since March. I drove the first one but found I needed too much recovery time," Lenden explained as she reflected on the August 6-28 worlds where she won silver and bronze medals.

The 59-year-old grandmother of 12 and great grandmother of one won silver in the senior masters (50-59 years) W12 500m final and bronze in the masters women (40-49 years) W12 500m final with crews from Auckland club Aroca.

"It was tough competition for me particularly in the grade where I was paddling against competitors 20 years younger than me," Lenden said.

"It was an exciting opportunity to race in two different grades and experience a new regime of coaching," Lenden replied when quizzed on her reasons for not racing with Hawke's Bay-based crews at her second world championships.

A Heretaunga Ararau o Ngati Kahungunu Waka Ama Roopu paddler who first took up the sport in 1998, Lenden competed in seven races over five days in Rio. In addition to the two events she won medals in, she finished 13th in the senior masters 500m single event.

"I improved my heat time by 35 seconds when I clocked 3m10s. It was a good way to leave the senior masters ranks at international level as next year I move into the golden masters ranks," Lenden said.

In the wake of her success Lenden, the mother of former Hawks and Waikato Pistons NBL basketballer Puke Lenden, has already received offers from other provinces for future international regattas but she hopes to represent her home club with a new golden masters crew at the 2016 world championships on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Her partner Trevor Taurima, who competed in the senior grandmasters (70 plus) grade at this year's nationals, is also hoping to qualify for the Gold Coast worlds.

Lenden has played a variety of sports including swimming, netball, tennis and squash so it was no surprise she experienced success in Rio. As part of her cross training for waka ama she has tackled several IronMaori triathlons and in November will start in an IronMaori quarter individual event.

Next month will see Lenden tackle her first waka ama event since Rio at a Nelson regatta.

"It didn't take me long to shake off my niggles from Rio and get back into training."

A keen coach when she isn't training or competing, Lenden mentors a police mixed crew.

The human resources and payroll section worker at Tumu Merchants is grateful for the support she received from her employers as well as Heretaunga and Tainui taiwhenua during her world championship campaign.