The Takitimu Outrigger Canoe Club contingent will be in action at the 2024 World Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Hawaii.
The Takitimu Outrigger Canoe Club contingent will be in action at the 2024 World Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Hawaii.
Hawke’s Bay sporting and cultural identity Pat Benson was always one to shun the limelight.
But a few of his close mates reckon Benson, who died suddenly in February aged 66, would be “tickled pink” when looking down on a new Takitimu Outrigger Canoe Club W6 waka named after him.
“Pat always supported so many clubs, schools and organisations we thought it would be a nice gesture,” club chairman Louie Papuni said.
“It’s one way of making sure Pat’s name will not be forgotten.
“While the waka is yellow and black, which are our club colours, the name tags are pink, the same colour of the Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Lifesaving Club in which Pat was such an influential member.
“We have the Pat Benson name on the bow and his nickname Bobo on the stern. It’s 13m long and a great club boat which has been built for longevity. All of our club crews can use it in fresh water and on the sea.”
The new Takitimu Outrigger Canoe Club W6 waka is named after the late Pat "Bobo" Benson.
His club was successful with a Pub Charity application for funding for the boat, along with crewmate and long-serving Magpies physio Mark Nicol and former Hawke’s Bay Magpies rugby captain Neil Murphy who had a long association with Benson on the Hastings Boys’ High School Board of Trustees.
Papuni played club rugby for Havelock North against Benson when he turned out for the old Napier Marist club. Benson went on to become a Junior All Black and also played 42 first class games for the Magpies between 1978 and 1990.
A national marathon swimming champion, Benson completed a north to south crossing of Cook Strait on February 24, 1979.
“Mark and I consulted Pat’s family and they were thrilled with the gesture. We are hoping they might get involved with paddling with us when they have time. We have no doubt Willy will make an excellent paddler,” Papuni said, referring to one of Benson’s four sons who represented New Zealand in swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Takitimu club will boast Hawke’s Bay’s biggest contingent at next month’s World Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Hawaii.
It will have two golden masters W6 crews comprising Mark Nicol, Chris Brownlie, Chris Devine, Louie Papuni, Karl Schroder, Paul Gurran, Bayden Wilson, Rob Eagle, David Sutherland, Martin Lawrence, Phil Evans, Shane Hiha, Alan Daly, Greg Macklow and Ian Matehe (qualified but unable to travel). There will be one senior masters W6 crew of Kevin Carswell, Dave Couchman, Anthony Lee, Tama Tawhara, Murray Linnell, Andrew McIntosh (Shane Kerrisk and Greg Ross qualified but not available).
The four-year-old club, which is based near the Coastguard headquarters in Ahuriri, will also have crews at the Labour Weekend Long Distance Nationals in Gisborne and January’s National Sprint Championships on Lake Karapiro.
“Our club caters for paddlers aged from five to 70-plus and are always looking for new club members,” Papuni said.
“The sport is so beneficial and is family orientated, as well as mentally and physically challenging if you want it to be.”
