Six city schools have been taking part in Waka Ama New Zealand championships at Rotorua's Blue Lake.
They are Fairfield College, Hamilton Girls' and Hamilton Boys' high schools, Fraser High, Hillcrest High and Sacred Heart Girls' College.
The championships, which ended today, played host to 482 teams from 90 schoolsas they paddled for the national titles in outrigger canoes. More than 1500 lined up in various boat classes in the under-19 and under-16 divisions.
Lara Collins, chief executive of Waka Ama New Zealand, said that despite only being around for 12 years, the championships had grown into one of the largest secondary school sports events in New Zealand.
Schools were chasing national honours in one, six or 12 paddler teams over of 250m and 500m.
