Club's young paddlers excel

MAKING A SPLASH: A local waka ama team has returned home with a handful of medals after a successful trip to Rarotonga. Members include Tehautorua Pukepuke (left), 15, Manaaki Te Kowhai, 16, and Te Moana Nui a Kiwa Ryan, 16. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

To say the Te Au Rere Waka Ama Club has a bright future would be an understatement.

A young team from the Lake Okareka-based club recently attended the popular Vaka Eiva competition in Rarotonga, coming home with six medals, including three gold.

The local club sent their young paddlers to Rarotonga with the plan of developing them for the 2016 World Sprint Championships in Australia.

"It was always going to be a build-up for the worlds," Tipene James, 15, said.

"It was really helpful because it helped us out on the open water and gave us a taste of what international paddling is like."

The Te Au Rere Waka Ama team won three events, while in Rarotonga, including the under-16 V6 6km, V6 4km and V6 500m events.

Rotorua Boys' High School student Te Maiora Rurehe, 15, also picked up a silver medal in the under-16 V1 event and the team added two more bronze medals in V6 (six-man) and V3 (three-man) races.

James said the boys had excellent communication in the six-man boat that helped them take home three gold medals.

The full team was made up of James, Rurehe, Manaaki Te Kowhai, 16, Tihema Ned, 16, Tehautorua Pukepuke, 15, Te Moana Nui a kiwa Ryan, 16, Callum McCaull, 15, and Rehua Selwyn, 14.

James said one of the highlights of the week-long event was a chance to race on open water during the open men's V6 10km event off the shores of Rarotonga.

"It was my first race on open water. I was steering and it was a bit harder and a bit more challenging. I had to do a lot more work," James said. "At the start we did a bit poorly but we got used to the water and started catching everyone."

The six-man team finished a respectable fourth.

James said most of the team would now turn their attention to the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals on Lake Karapiro in January.

Their goal was to develop as a team and as individuals next year and work towards the 2016 World Sprint Championships, to race in the under-19 category.

"We want to be known New Zealandwide and worldwide," James said.