Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Waka Ama: All eyes on waka ama prize

By Daniel O'Mahoney
Rotorua Daily Post·
24 Mar, 2015 07:50 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Te Kura Kaupapa o Ruamata under-16 mixed competing yesterday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Te Kura Kaupapa o Ruamata under-16 mixed competing yesterday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua schools are hoping for a successful few days out on Tikitapu (Blue Lake) at the 2015 ActivePost Waka Ama Secondary School Championships.

Sunshine broke through early morning rain clouds just in time for the start of the tournament's opening heats yesterday.

Organisers expect more than 1450 paddlers from 97 schools to take part over four days, in what they claim to be one of the largest secondary school sports events in New Zealand.

As the first races took place, Rotorua Boys' High School coach Wairangi Jones said local fans could be in for a treat.

"Waka ama is very popular, particularly in this area because the older boys get into it so I'm expecting good results from Rotorua teams.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our own chances? We're quietly confident, but respectful of all the other teams. A lot of our boys have already medalled at nationals."

Teams at the championships will compete for national honours in one, six or 12 paddler teams over distances of 250 and 500m.

The tournament is a milestone for John Paul College - students are competing for the first time in a decade, after starting training only six weeks ago.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Teacher Cecelia Pakinga praised the ethos of waka ama and the tournament.

"It's about leadership, broadening the scope of our school and giving opportunities to participate," she said.

John Paul College students Anahera and Claudia, both 13, said they were "nervous" but excited to be be taking part for the first time.

Waka Ama NZ boss Lara Collins said she was pleased the weather had picked up after such a drizzly morning.

Discover more

Schools eye up waka ama titles

17 Mar 10:28 PM

More than 2000 ready for Te Arawa Games

20 Mar 07:00 PM

More teachers tripping up

29 Mar 10:16 PM

For her, holding the championships at Tikitapu was a no-brainer.

"Look at it - it's beautiful."

She said waka ama was a great sport that everyone could get involved in.

"It's fun, anybody can do it. It caters to all kids, and people like getting out on the water and being with their friends."

The other Rotorua schools taking part are Rotorua Girls' High School, Rotorua Lakes High School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Koutu, Te Kura Kaupapa o Ruamata, TKKM o Hurungaterangi, and Western Heights High School.

Now in its 14th year, the championships are on at Tikitapu until Friday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The first day of racing saw gold medals for students from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Koutu, Te Kura Kaupapa o Ruamata and John Paul College in individual events, and podium finishes for teams from Rotorua Lakes High, Western Heights High, Rotorua Boys' and Rotorua Girls' High schools.

-Full results from each days races can be viewed at the Waka Ama NZ website.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

09 Jun 11:07 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

09 Jun 12:57 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

08 Jun 09:03 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

09 Jun 11:07 PM

Round 10 of the Jordan Cup was won by Te Puke Sports over Greerton at Murray Salt Stadium.

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

09 Jun 12:57 AM
'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

08 Jun 09:03 AM
'Maybe they could do the same': Chiefs hopeful of Blues favour

'Maybe they could do the same': Chiefs hopeful of Blues favour

08 Jun 06:00 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP