World champs honoured: Māori Sports Awards recognise Tairāwhiti paddlers

Honoured at the New Zealand Māori Sports Awards in Mt Maunganui at the weekend were members of the world champion Aotearoa New Zealand Junior 16 women's waka ama team, who won their division of the world long-distance championships in Samoa in August. They qualified for the world champs by winning the national championship at Whitianga in April, when they raced as Horouta Waka Hoe crew Puhi Kaiariki. One of the team, Hine Brooking, was also honoured as an individual world champion, for winning the J16 (16 years and under) women's individual long-distance title. At the awards function were team members (from left) Marnie Toloa, Riria Ata, Nueva Te Whata, Ella August, Hine Brooking and Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu. Pictures supplied

Tairāwhiti waka ama paddlers have been honoured at the 2023 Māori Sports Awards held in the Bay of Plenty at the weekend.

Hine Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) was honoured as an individual Māori world champion, and the Junior 16 crew to whom she belonged were honoured as a Māori world champion team.

Brooking and the J16 (16 years and under) women’s team representing Aotearoa New Zealand won gold medals at the International Va’a Federation World Distance Championships in Samoa in August.

The seven-member crew (only six paddled) were Hine Brooking, Marnie Toloa, Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu, Riria Ata, Ella August, Chelsea Reti and Nueva Te Whata.

They had qualified for the championships as a Horouta Waka Hoe J16 women’s crew, Puhi Kaiariki, who won their division at the long-distance nationals at Whitianga in April. Chelsea Reti was from Nga Hoe Horo Outrigger Canoe Club, Kaitaia, but qualified as part of the Horouta team at the long-distance nationals.

In the world championship race, they had beaten the runners-up, from Samoa, by seven minutes 49.7 seconds. Their winning time for the 16-kilometre course was one hour 31 minutes 59.2 seconds.

Brooking won the J16 women’s individual race, over 12 kilometres, in a time of 1:13:58.9.

Another paddler with strong Tairāwhiti family links — North Harbour-based canoeist Lisa Carrington (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) — was named senior Māori sportswoman of the year.

Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather was named Māori Sportsperson of the Year. Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu) has smashed the World Cup Series record for the women’s 400-metre freestyle by more than three seconds and is only the fifth woman to go under four minutes for the 400m freestyle at the world championships.

For the first time in its 33-year history, the national awards organiser — Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust — hosted the event at the Mercury Arena in Mt Maunganui.

Winners in 10 categories were announced. The categories included para-athlete; administrator; umpire/referee; coach; team; junior and senior sportsman and woman; and world champions.

All finalists were in contention for the supreme award — the Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sportsperson of the Year, Rongomaraeroa.

The 2023 Māori Sports Awards scholarship recipients and winners were —

MĀORI EDUCATION TRUST SCHOLARSHIP: Jayda Maniapoto (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto), Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University, Manawatū (rugby, rugby sevens, rugby league, touch).

SKILLS ACTIVE MĀORI SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP: Reece Cobb (Waikato, Tainui), Tauranga (gymnastics).

TE TOI HUAREWA, MĀORI PARA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Cameron Leslie (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei (para-swimming).

MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA, MĀORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR: Titia Graham (Ngāi Tūhoe), Hamilton (rugby league).

TE ARATIATIA, MĀORI SPORTS UMPIRE/REFEREE OF THE YEAR: Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland (rugby).

TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA, MĀORI SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR: Clayton McMillan (Ngāti Rangi), Kirikiriroa, Hamilton (rugby).

NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO, MĀORI SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR: Aotearoa Māori Women’s Fours team (lawn bowls).

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI , MĀORI WORLD CHAMPION TEAM: Aotearoa Wāhine Junior 16 team (V6), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, Gisborne (waka ama).

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI, INDIVIDUAL MĀORI WORLD CHAMPIONS: Marea Mea Motu (Te Rarawa), Whangārei (boxing).

Te Arani Moana (Lani) Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland (boxing).

Sam Gaze (Te Atiawa), Kemureti, Cambridge (mountain bike cross-country).

Laquiesha Clifford (Ngāpuhi), Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland (8-ball pool).

Tuhoto Ariki Pene (Te Arawa), Rotorua (mountain biking).

Hinekahukura Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, Gisborne (waka ama).

TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU, JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR: Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti, Dunedin (swimming).

TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI, JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR: David (Davey) Motu (Te Rarawa), Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland (lawn bowls).

HINEAHUONE, SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR: Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), North Harbour (canoe racing).

TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI, SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR: James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui), Ahitereiria, Australia (rugby league).

RONGOMARAEROA, ALBIE PRYOR MEMORIAL MĀORI SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR: Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti, Dunedin (swimming).