Waka Ama: Young paddlers in gold rush

Matangireia Yates-Francis, 16, (front left) and RBHS teammates practising on Tikitapu for the waka ama champs. Photo/Stephen Parker

Rotorua Boys' High School is on the hunt for medals this week at the secondary schools' waka ama champs on Tikitapu (Blue Lake).

Racing started yesterday in Rotorua and will heat up today during day two of four.

Boys' High student Rawiri Manley, 15, picked up a bronze medal at the event last year, in the under-16 W6 250m event, and hopes to medal again this week.

Rawiri has been competing in waka ama since primary school and said he liked it for a number of reasons.

"It is a competitive sport and I am quite a competitive person," he said. "And it is good fitness, good for your health."

The secondary school champs will feature more than 1500 young paddlers this week, with big crowds watching each race at Blue Lake.

"It brings people from all over the country together to congregate and do the sport you love," he said.

"It is a great place to meet new people."

He said it would mean a lot to win a gold medal for his school at the event this week.

Boys' High will be represented by 28 paddlers at the event racing in the W1, W6 and W12 boats.

The school has recorded some good form leading into the nationals. Last weekend, the school brought home plenty of medals from the Turangawaewae Regatta, a national hoe waka competition in Ngaruawahia.

Other local schools taking part this week include Rotorua Girls' High School, Rotorua Lakes High School, Western Heights High School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Koutu and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata.

Taupo-nui-a-Tia College and Whakatane's Trident High School will also compete.

The 2014 ActivePost National Secondary Schools Waka Ama Championships include two age-group divisions for paddlers: under-19 and under-16.