Thousands descend on Lake Karāpiro for 2024 Waka Ama National Sprint Championships.
Video / Supplied
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Waka ama runs in Hana Taute’s whānau.
The 5-year-old is the youngest paddler at this year’s Waka Ama Sprint Nationals, being held at Lake Karāpiro, where they have been held since 1990.
With 43 teams and 17 clubs joining inthe first year, Hana (Te Whanau-a-Apauni, Te Arawa), who turned 5 two weeks ago, is in good company.
Her dad Duke Taute (Tainui, Te Arawa) also paddles and says Hana wanted to join after watching her older sister Tiare compete as the youngest paddler last year.
“It’s a bit of a family occasion. We’ve got other family here that paddle for other clubs as well... It’s our family sport”
Duke and Hana paddle for the Mareikura Waka Ama Club and include sister Tiare and cousin Nixon Dewes (Ngāti Porou).
They paddled in the first three days of the leg in the tamariki and rangatahi divisions aged 6-16.
It is 82-year-old Peter Wilson's fourth year being the oldest paddler at the nationals.
The oldest competitor in this year’s competition is 82-year-old Peter Wilson, who claimed second place in the Golden Master Men singles.
Wilson missed first place by just 1.36 seconds, beaten by a fellow contender who he beat last year.
“I gave it everything I had and while I came second that didn’t matter. I gave it my best and I pushed him right to the end.”
Wilson refereed rugby up until he was 75, and decided to take up waka ama after the experience of his first race.
“I was looking for something else and I got invited to go to a Masters game. It was the waka ama W6 and I just loved it.”
In 2019, he competed in his first nationals and took home two gold medals.
He said he owes it to his club Te Whanganui River Outrigger Canoe and the friendly atmosphere at the nationals for one of the reasons he continues to paddle.
