The Whanganui River Queens need money for their world championship attempt and they will get it the hard way, coach Howard Hyland says.
"We aren't just going to do a barbecue and sell sausages. We are going to get out there and they're going to sweat for it."
The team of seven young women aim to paddle from Pipiriki to Whanganui on September 30, to raise funds for a world championship attempt next year.
They're aged 14 to 17 and were only formed this year, but Mr Hyland said they were very committed.
"The girls train seven days a week. They're awesome kids."
He saw they wanted to be challenged.
"They want to be elite athletes in this sport. My role is to clear the path and provide the opportunity."
He reckons the seven can make the 80km river trip in a day, and said the Wairua riverboat would chug upriver and accompany them for the last two hours.
A waka ama/outrigger canoe usually has six paddlers. The team of seven will rotate at two hour intervals.
They will have two support boats, carrying food, drink and a photographer.
The group is looking for sponsorship, either as individuals or as a group, and either per kilometre or across the whole trip. Sponsors can ring Mr Hyland on 021 944 778.
He was brought up at Kaiwhaiki Pa but has been living in Whakatane. He returned to Whanganui in July last year.
He's coached New Zealand waka ama and dragon boating teams at international events in New Caledonia, Sacramento and China.
On his return to Whanganui he found five or six waka ama groups. He started a new one, Whanganui River Outrigger Canoe Club.
It's affiliated to the national body, Nga Kaihoe o Aotearoa/Waka Ama New Zealand. Anyone can join and he's hoping it will bring the groups together. There are 80 members so far.
"It worked, and it's still working, but we need to continue to challenge and inspire people to be involved with us," he said.