Hard work pays off for Te Rangihuia Henare at waka ama world championships

Te Rangihuia Henare excelled at the World Elite and Club Waka Ama Sprint Championships. Photo / David Haxton

An intense heatwave and racing in a different type of boat were two of the extra challenges for Te Rangihuia Henare at the World Elite and Club Waka Ama Sprint Championships.

But the 18-year-old from Ōtaki and the rest of the Kiwi paddlers overcame them and dominated at the championships held on Dorney Lake, Windsor, London.

Henare's haul was five gold medals and two bronze medals.

It was an impressive performance and a credit to all the hard mahi that went beforehand including training and fundraising.

Her medal performances, in the 500m and 1000m distances, were in the J19 elite women category, and she was part of Gisborne's Horouta Waka Hoe Club too.

Henare said the team went to London just over a week before the championships, which were held from August 8-16, so they could settle in and acclimatise.

Preparation was important before racing started.

"It meant that when we hit the water on race day it wouldn't be so much of a stress on the body."

Within a few days the heatwave arrived and temperatures soared to about 30 degrees.

And the Kiwi paddlers had to adapt to a lighter and different build of waka than they were used to.

"But when we were racing it felt like everyone else had the same problem so it was a level playing field.

"Racing was good but it was a struggle in the hot weather and having to wait around before races because there wasn't much shelter to keep us cool."

Teamwork was an important factor for success.

Henare was rapt with the results.

"It was great.

"In the last world championships I came away with only a sixth in the 500m but this time I came away with a neck full of medals.

"It was pretty unreal and really cool to stand up on the podium with pretty much the same girls every time."

On the podium for gold medal time.

She was thankful for everyone who helped her, especially her mother Noti who spearheaded the fundraising side so that she could focus solely on training.

Getting to world championship level involved a lot of time and dedication.

Henare practises on a manmade lake in Ōtaki, is a regular in the gym, goes running, and does a bit of boxing and some yoga too.

"It's just a whole variety of training but mostly gym work and water training.

"It does take up a lot of time but the positives outweigh the negatives.

"I'd definitely do it all over again because it has given me so many opportunities to travel nationally and overseas."

Te Rangihuia Henare with her five gold and two bronze medals. Photo / David Haxton

Henare has been involved in the sport for about 10 years.

"I started when I was very young.

"My aunty Ngahuia Henare and uncle Pare Taiapa had been paddling for heaps of years.

"As we came of age to paddle they decided to get us involved."

Her aunty decided to create Te Rau o Te Rangi which is now called Ōtaki Waka Hoe.

"From there it took off and became my second life."

She's having a well-earned break before committing to her next challenge.

"My main focus has been to smash out these world championships and see how it goes and then deal with life when I got back."

The location of the next world championships, in two years time, isn't locked in but there are whispers it could be in Hawaii.

No doubt it will be fiercely competitive, especially considering some teams, especially New Zealand's main rival Tahiti, couldn't attend this month's event because of costs and Covid.