Crews tested in distance races through rough seas

HEAVY GOING: Mixed senior masters’ crew Violet’s Invitation tackle the waters off Buffalo Beach, Whitianga, in the Waka Ama New Zealand Long Distance Nationals last weekend. Teams reported that some of their crew members spent long spells “protecting the ama”, or paddling on the outrigger side of the waka to guard against the craft flipping in the rough conditions. Even so, several waka did flip and some of those crews opted not to continue with their race. Violet’s Invitation, from Horouta Waka Hoe Club, paddled in challenging conditions for one hour 47 minutes 42 seconds and finished sixth of eight crews in the mixed senior masters’ division. The Ruamata Waka Ama Club team who won the race finished about 10½ minutes before them. Violet’s Invitation are (from left) Violet Tuapawa Crawford, Jacquie Furniss, Hadfield Kutia, Dave Crewe, Tom Teneti and Jeni Muir.Waka Ama New Zealand picture

Tairāwhiti waka ama paddlers coped with rough conditions and the possibility of their craft flipping when they contested the long distance nationals off Whitianga last weekend.

Horouta Waka Hoe Club paddlers won gold medals in single, two-seat and six-seat waka, along with generous helpings of silver and bronze medals.

Mareikura Waka Ama Club won silver in the W1 golden master women’s ruddered division through Kat Berntsen, bronze in the W1 golden master women’s rudderless division through Liz Tane, and another bronze in the W6 golden master women’s race through Mareikura Manawa.

Horouta paddler Vesna Radonich won gold racing in the Haeata Ocean Sports W6 master women’s team, and bronze in the W1 master women’s division.

Waka Ama New Zealand long-distance nationals medal winners with a Tairāwhiti link were —

Gold

Tui McCaull (Horouta Waka Hoe): W1 master women (ruddered).

Tama Ki Te Rangi (Horouta): W6 J16 men.

Puhi Kaiariki (Hor): W6 J16 women.

Hine Brooking (Hor): W1 J16 women (rudderless).

Elite Reti (Hor): W1 J16 men (ruddered).

Double Trouble (Hor): W2 J16 men.

Elite Reti (Hor): W1 J16 men (rudderless).

Tama Ki Te Rangi (Hor): W6 J19 men.

Vesna Radonich (paddling for Haeata Ocean Sports): W6 master women.

SILVER

Elite Reti (Hor): W1 J19 men (rudderless).

Mihi and Gordon (Hor): W2 gld master mixed.

Kat Berntsen (Mareikura): W1 gld master women (ruddered).

Keri Ngatoro (Hor): W1 under-23 women (rudderless).

Akayshia Williams (Hor): W1 open women (rudderless).

Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu (Hor): W1 J16 women (rudderless).

Kaiarahi Toa (Hor): W6 master women.

Hinewaiariki (Hor): W6 gld master women.

Bronze

Rebecca Hoani (Hor): W1 master women (ruddered).

Maia Campbell (Hor): W1 J19 men (rudderless).

Liz Tane (Mareikura): W1 gld master women (rudderless).

Mareikura Manawa: W6 gld master women.

Maia Campbell (Hor): W1 J16 men (rudderless).

Woolley Kumara (Hor): W6 master men.

Vesna Radonich (paddling for Haeata Ocean Sports): W1 master women.