DIGGING DEEP: Local crew (from left) Reina Bennett, Kelly Harrison, Hohepa Taiaroa, Vicki Flight-Foxley, Sheryl Brightwell and Kerehama McLeod carve through the water in the open mixed W6 250-metre heat at the weekend. Photo/Devyn Staines
DIGGING DEEP: Local crew (from left) Reina Bennett, Kelly Harrison, Hohepa Taiaroa, Vicki Flight-Foxley, Sheryl Brightwell and Kerehama McLeod carve through the water in the open mixed W6 250-metre heat at the weekend. Photo/Devyn Staines
WHIRIKOKA (Gisborne) paddlers again proved too strong when retaining their Wananga National Waka Ama Spring Championship title on the Whanganui River at the weekend.
The third annual in-house regatta is open to current students enrolled in the Certificate of Waka Ama Level 4 at tertiary giant Te Wananga o Aotearoaand attracted more than 200 paddlers in Wanganui at the weekend. Paddlers from the Whirikoka campus, representing the Tai Rawhiti region (rohe) have a strong grip on the national title competed for by six rohe, after winning last year's regatta in Porirua.
Papaioea (Whanganui and Heretaunga-Hastings) finished second for the third year on end despite the home water advantage.
Co-race director Charmaine Matiaha said Papaioea, which included many paddlers from Wanganui, had also finished runner-up at the inaugural regatta in Huntly won by Tainui and again last year to Whikikoka in Porirua.
"It was very interesting see the visiting crews handle conditions on the Whanganui River which was running very swiftly at the weekend. The Whanganui is a unique river and the blustery conditions at the weekend raised a few white caps - unfortunately the Papaioea crews couldn't haul in the guys from Gisborne," she said yesterday.
Other regions competing included Rahui Pokeke and Roroera (both Tainui) and Te Tai Tonga (Porirua). "On Friday night they each competed in the coastguard boating education challenge - which is how they get their day skipper certificates - and the marine radio challenge. Points from those challenges carried over to the waka ama racing on Saturday and the combined scores are tallied to reveal the over all winner," Matiaha said.
Water safety is also a large focus of the course and regatta alike. "We've done well to be runner-up for the third year in a row, but we will be going hard out to win next year's event in Gisborne."
Meanwhile, Matiaha said enrolments were open for next year's courses and anyone interested should contact Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
