The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

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 / The Country

NZ's best - Whanganui team take out kina eating competition

By Logan Tutty
Multimedia journalist·Whanganui Chronicle·
26 Jan, 2020 04:00 PM2 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

Kina eating champions.

Kina eating champions.

A team of four from Whanganui have been crowned New Zealand's best.

The Last Kina Karvers were crowned champions of the Kina Eating Competition at the Whakatane Seafood Festival.

Jay Rerekura, Titarakaahu Hika, Chrystal Hika and Marilyn Tamakehu ventured up Whakatane for one sole reason - eating free kina.

"We didn't know anything about the comp until we got up there. All we knew is we love kina. We're going up there to eat free kina," Rerekura said.

He heard about the competition last August. "Basically we had to submit a video and they selected five teams."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The competition worked like a relay; once one person had finished, the next person could go, and the team that finished there bucket first would be crowned the winners.

Each team had to feature a "virgin", someone who hadn't eaten kina before.

That was Chrystal Hika, who said she wasn't the biggest fan of the food but that wouldn't stop her.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I wouldn't say its my cup of tea... but we weren't gonna lose the competition."

Titarakaahu Hika added, "It's one of those things that you love or you don't, there is no in between".

Seafood, particularly kina, is revered by Titarakaahu Hika and Rerekura.

"Its in our bloodline. My dad was a diver, I dive all the time for them," Rerekura said.

Discover more

Travel

A 2500km journey was 'no normal fishing trip'

24 Jan 04:00 PM

A perfect day for all who like 'farm stuff'

26 Jan 09:15 PM

Permits needed for open air fires as restrictions kick in

27 Jan 04:00 PM

Rerekura and Hika were raring to go for the competition, so much so they warmed up appropriately.

"We had already eaten a bucket each before hand."

The team admitted they weren't serious heading into the competition, but shortly realised they were in for a shot to win.

The team finished 10 kina each in approximately "six to eight minutes" according to Titarakaahu Hika and were crowned champions.

"It honestly wasn't alot of kina, it was difficult to eat them quickly. Especially when you are trying to enjoy them, because they were good quality kina."

Rerekura enjoyed the food so much, they had an extra bucket and the leftovers of the remaining teams.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"When else am I going to get free kina?"

Rerekura was frank in victory.

"In hindsight, [the others] didn't have a s**tshow."

Premium gold
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Premium
Opinion

Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

04 Jul 05:00 PM
The Country

‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

04 Jul 05:00 PM
The Country

'Sassy' success: Climate-resilient apple's exports set to double

04 Jul 05:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Premium
Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

04 Jul 05:00 PM

News of merging ministries was just the tip of the iceberg.

‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

04 Jul 05:00 PM
'Sassy' success: Climate-resilient apple's exports set to double

'Sassy' success: Climate-resilient apple's exports set to double

04 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Ex-TV host Matt Chisholm's bold new career; 'Hugely unpopular' - battle royale brews inside Stuff

Ex-TV host Matt Chisholm's bold new career; 'Hugely unpopular' - battle royale brews inside Stuff

04 Jul 10:13 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

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
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • 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