New Whanganui water sport club launched

RIVER CALLING: Howard Hyland has returned home to launch a new waka ama club, the Whanganui Outrigger Canoe Club.

Howard Hyland has returned home and the call of the Whanganui River is again a powerful force.

Hyland has strong family connections to the river and in particular with Kaiwhaiki Marae. He also has a strong connection with waka ama, so it was a natural decision to combined his two loves on his return home.

Hyland has founded the new Whanganui Outrigger Canoe Club and will be based at the former Calliope sea cadet building on Somme Pde.

His association and experience with outrigger canoe racing, more commonly known as waka ama in New Zealand, dates back more than 25 years. Hyland is no stranger to launching canoe clubs and established the Tuatara Waka Ama Club is Whakatane which had a membership of 140 paddlers, many of whom were young members under the age of 16.

Hyland is a regular competitor at waka ama nationals and has been to 11 world championship regattas held every two years. And over the years Hyland has been appointed New Zealand senior waka ama coach and has held a number of administrative roles within the Te Puke O te Ika region. His role included leading the region as president.

He said he was enthusiastic about the new venture and was confident the Whanganui Outrigger Canoe Club would be a success because it was being promoted to cater for all peoples regardless of gender, age or ethnicity. He said the club was also keen to attract Super Gold cardholders and para athletes.

"I have spent the past three weeks cleaning out the Calliope building which was a mess after last year's floods and it an ideal base for the new club," Hyland said.

"It is on a very historic part of the where there is a lot of Maori and Pakeha culture developed over many years. My intention is to develop a culture within the club that encompasses all that history and culture from the past."

He has large fleet of 18 outrigger canoes that he plans to bring to the club and will organise a number of Have-a -go days over the next four weekends provided the weather and river conditions are suitable.

The first is planned for this Saturday and Sunday in the area in front of the Union Rowing Club adjacent to the Calliope building with registrations at 10am each day. The cost will be a gold coin donation.