Police have released the name of the kayaker whose body was found in the Kaituna River.
She was Louise Jull of Rotorua and was a teacher at Western Heights High School.
The 26-year-old was discovered at approximately 10am today by rafters and police who were searching for her in thevicinity of where she was last seen yesterday evening.
Police said Ms Jull was also a committed sportswoman who had competed at an international level in white water kayaking.
In a statement, her parents, Adrian and Liz Jull, and her older siblings Malcolm, Heather and Isobelle paid tribute.
Friends and family of the missing kayaker gather at Trout Pool Road Photo/Ben Fraser
"Louise was a white water and extreme kayaker of international reputation. The 2015 Kaituna and Wairoa extreme kayaking women's section was won by Louise and a second place was gained in the Citroen race in Otago just recently," they said.
"She lived at Okere Falls and enjoyed the opportunities for kayaking that Lake Rotoiti and the Kaituna River provided."
She was well respected integral part of the Okere Falls, and indeed New Zealand, kayak community, her family said.
"Early kayaking days were focused on white water slalom kayaking in which Louise represented New Zealand internationally.
"A positive role model for women in sport and a strong advocate for women in kayaking. Louise had started on a career in secondary teaching at a local Rotorua high school this year."
Her family said teaching young paddlers was an extra activity that Ms Jull took great pleasure in.
"This will be one of her legacies to kayaking. Yesterday, Louise was paddling a lower section of the Kaituna River that she had paddled a number of times without mishap."
They said the incident was a chance accident involving a highly skilled paddler practicing her sport.
"The two paddlers with her were very experienced, but despite their efforts they were unable to retrieve the situation.
"The family acknowledges a deep gratitude to the two other paddlers and to the wider community who turned out to assist in the search and rescue this morning."
Ms Jull's death has been referred to the Coroner.
Police, professional rafters, police rafters, LandSAR volunteers, local residents and friends of the missing woman were assisted in the search.
