Dozens of Northland paddlers competing at 33rd annual Waka Ama Sprint National Championships

Nga Hoe Horo (Pawarenga) paddler Tupuria King, a multiple national and world champion, is one to keep an eye on at the Waka Ama Sprint National Championships this week.

Dozens of Northland paddlers and supporters are at Lake Karāpiro this week for the 33rd annual Waka Ama Sprint National Championships.

Cambridge and Karāpiro are abuzz, as paddlers and their whānau and supporters from around Aotearoa are in the Waipā District for the Waka Ama Sprint National Championships.

And lining up against teams from around the country are eight clubs from Northland - Kaikohe o Ngāti Rēhia Trust, from Te Tii; Mitamitaga o le Pasefika Va’a-alo Canoe Club, from Tūtūkākā; Nga Hoe Horo Outrigger Canoe Club, from Pawarenga; Omātai Waka Ama Club, from Taipa; Parihaka Waka Ama Inc, from Whangārei; Tai Kotuku Inc, from Waitangi; Te Puu Ao, from Tūtūkākā; and Tirohana Waka Ama, from Tirohanga, Bay of Islands.

Racing will be electric throughout the week, with a a number of notable teams and individual paddlers to keep an eye on.

They include W1 Paddlers Tupuria King (from Northland’s Nga Hoe Horo), Kacey Ngataki (Manukau Outriggers), and Akayshia Williams (Horouta Waka Hoe) - a number of whom are reigning world champions from the IVF Va’a World Sprint Championships held in London in August 2022. King won the premier men’s one-person 500-metre race at the National Waka Ama Sprint Championships on Lake Karāpiro in 2020.

Vaka Manu (Premier Men Manukau Outriggers), Kaiarahi Toa (Premier Women Horouta Waka Hoe), Aoraki Matatū (Master Men Te Waka Pounamu) and Taniwha Wahinez (Master Women Taniwha OCC) are also ones to watch.

But with the last National Championships held in January 2021, national titles are definitely up for grabs this week.

The whānau atmosphere produces the special vibe at the lake during the week. The oldest paddler taking to the water is Arthur Wilson, 81, from Whanganui, and the youngest paddler is Ava Keane-Tulepu, five, from Porirua.

The intermediate women’s division (11-14 years) is the biggest division, with 47 teams taking to the water in the W6 500m race.

Our adaptive (para) paddlers will be competing on Wednesday and Saturday in team and individual racing.

This year will be the first time that Omātai Waka Ama Club, from Taipa, in the Far North, take part in the event. The club has travelled to Karāpiro with two Taitamariki teams.

Waka Ama NZ board chairwoman Zalene Douglas was excited to see new and returning waka ama whānau heading to Lake Karāpiro over the next few days.

“This event cannot happen without the support and hard mahi from the many volunteers from around the country, and we can’t wait to see the event come together, starting with our pōwhiri [on Sunday] - the first time since 2021,” Douglas said.

Whakaata Māori are the official broadcaster of the Waka Ama Sprint National Championships, with races broadcast live this week.

For further event information, go to wakaama.co.nz/racecalendar/lookup/1534.