Waka Ama: Kingfisher continue tradition of success

Bay of Plenty waka ama crew Kingfisher Boats have added a ninth Tauranga Harbour Challenge to their long list of achievements.

The 26km race has been running for 16 years and has been dominated by the crew made up of Rotorua and Tauranga paddlers.

Kingfisher Boats crew member Paul Roozendaal said home town experience played a major part in the former national title holders' win.

"It was our toughest race to date. We battled side by side with [Auckland crew] Pineula for the first 6km before we edged out a small lead.

"Experience was the difference as we chose a better line to cross the channel which gave us a 300m lead at around the 12km mark."

Roozendaal, the crew's steerer, said Turangawaewae also followed the same line as them to take advantage of Pineula's mistake. The Auckland crew were unable to recover from the mistake and had to settle for third behind Turangawaewae.

Kingfisher Boats crossed the start/finish line just off shore from the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club in a time of 1:55:18 followed by Turangawaewae 1:55:48 and Pineula 1:56:10. Aotearoa Natives 2:00:25 and Te Kopae 2:02:00 rounded off the top five.

Roozendaal said the crew will now prepare for a race in Raglan on April 13, then train for the marathon nationals a week later in Auckland.

The first women's W6 crew home was Aniwaniwa at 2:11:58, then Taniwha Wahinez who crossed the line in a time of 2:12:11, with open women's crews Manawa Kaha 2:16:24 third, TMOCCachinos 2:16:58 and Manukau Red 2:17:09 fifth.

Laugh out Loud were the fastest mixed crew to cross the line finishing in 2:13:24, followed by Team Whenu 2:13:38, Bahaha 2:13:56, LTD Edition 2:14:16 and Pakuranga Pioneers 2:16:57.

The open men's single 15km race was won by Tupuria King 1:13:20 followed by Anthony Tapp 1:15:22, Daniel Firth 1:15:44, Iritana Eparaima 1:15:44 and Nathan Rennie 1:16:49.

Ngaire King was the first woman home in the W1, crossing the line in a time of 1:34:22 followed by Yvonne Rogers 1:34:52, Violet Tuapawa-Crawford 1:36:08, Heeni Hope 1:38:17 and Katrina Finlay 1:42:06.

Event organiser Naomi Kerapa said this year's Tauranga Harbour Challenge had one of the best turnouts in the 16-year history with more than 400 paddlers both junior and seniors taking part.