Waka Ama: King hopes to rule champs

Tupuria King says the 250m is an intense race, over within a minute so no mistakes can be made if someone wants to win. Photo / Supplied

Northland's Tupuria King is the paddler to beat at the Waka Ama Sprint National Championships on Lake Karapiro next week.

The 21-year-old shot to national prominence after winning the men's W1 500m event at last year's championships and combining that win with a second successive win in the rough-and-tumble 250m dash.

Both events are regarded as the toughest to win, making King the country's top male paddler - an accomplishment the former Kaitaia College student backed up by winning a bronze medal at the men's 500m sprint at the world sprint championships in Brazil in August.

"I'm looking forward to the 250m and the 500m event, but there'll be some pretty hard competition for those races from around the country," he said.

Unlike the 500m event with heats and finals, the 250m event is a straight-out drag race with just two competitors from each region selected to compete, and each competitor sharing a lane.

"It is an intense race, it's over within a minute so you can't make any mistakes and expect to win, but I'm looking to defending my title again so hopefully all goes well," he said.

King and Sean Herbert will represent Te Tai Tokerau in the premier men's event, while King's sister, Rose, and Ngaire Pehi will start in the premier women's event.

King comes from a paddling family. His mother, Ngaire, will defend her own masters singles title, while five out of the six family members will compete next week.

The paddler said that, while the two shorter sprint events would be his biggest focus, he was also looking forward to the team races with the Nga Hoe Horo Outrigger Canoe Club.

"I'm looking forward to competing with my new team, I think we've got a pretty good chance this year but you never really know until you race," he said. He will compete in the six-man 500m sprint and a 1500m race with the more technical turns.

A host of Northland competitors will make the trip down to the Waikato venue. Teams from seven Northland clubs, Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia Trust, Mitamitaga o le Pasefika Vaa' Alo, Nga Hoe Horo Outrigger Canoe Club, Parihaka Waka Ama Inc, Rangaunu Sports Club and Te Puu Ao, Tirohanga Waka Ama, will enter competitors.

The sport continues to ride a wave of popularity, with a record number of paddlers signing up to compete. Crews from 61 clubs will race for the national sprint title in their waka ama, or outrigger canoes. And paddlers from throughout the country and overseas will line up in various waka classes, competing in 10 age divisions at the event, from January 12-17. The junior age groups start the week off with the singles finals on Thursday and the senior teams events are on Friday and Saturday.