Day one saw the W1 races held with every paddler given the choice of racing in a ruddered or non-ruddered event. The finish line was marked by flags representing Cook Islands, Australia, Aboriginal, Maori and New Zealand; and several of the Far North paddlers made finals. Day two saw the team events held. Both teams paddled in J16 and J19 team races with the Niwa Lakers winning two silvers in the under-16s, and a silver and bronze in the under-19 division. Day three saw the W2 events held which, for some paddlers, was the first time they'd raced two person canoes. After two canoes had overturned, Hilda overheard the commentator noting "Them Kiwi girls like our water but they need to watch out for them bullsharks".
During their stay, the paddlers visited an Aboriginal radio station in Brisbane where station manager Tiga Bales gave a short history of the Aboriginal struggle for rights and the meaning of the Aboriginal flag (from which, Hilda noted, the idea of the Tino flag had been borrowed from "our Aboriginal brothers and sisters" in 1985).
"Tiga's read two poems by his mum, the late Maureen Watson, a famous writer, one of which was named Why are you beating the love out of me? Our group performed a few of our local waiata and a haka for the staff present while the Aboriginal people cried, I think, for the loss of their reo," said Hilda, adding the Far North crews also performed items at a cultural evening for the paddlers, they met Pili Ma'ulu, one of the founders of Mitamataga waka ama and now the kaumatua for a new Brisbane club, Terobila. Some also took the opportunity to busk for a few hours in the nearby mall where they "taught a few Mozzies how to twirl a poi".
Hilda congratulated Kiwi teams Mareikura and Huntly College, for cleaning up in their divisions; and thanked the large group of support people behind the Far North club's campaign. Looking ahead to next year's Gubbi Gubbi, she said it was definitely a good regatta to be considered by young developing paddlers as it did not interfere with the NCEA exam timetable in November.
"It would be nice to see the same type of event being held here in Aotearoa, focused mainly on juniors. This would mean getting a small fleet of W1 and W2 canoes and that's another story."
The Rangaunu teams who competed in Australia were, Niwa Lakers: Ariana Smith, Shavaun Wawatai, Caroline Popata-Boynton, Te Reinga Patuwairua, Jesarna Murray and Fetuao Fa, avae; Niwa Girls: Zane Heta, Edwina Popata-Boynton, Kalaia Heta, Hine-Mihiata Kingi-Waiaua, Ripeka Parangi and Pani Trent. Also, 13-year-old Te Haerenga Mai Walker paddled for the Mooloolaba Two J14 team, and Redcliffe under-18 league player, Kahi Harawira, formerly of the Muriwhenua Falcons, paddled for Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngati Kahungungu ki Waiora.
