Northland and Far North schools proved the pool of talent ran deep in the region when they scooped up a swag of medals at the 2010 Scholastic Waka Ama Championships, at Rotorua's Lake Tikitapu.
Despite blustery conditions on the lake, the northern students held their own across the grades against the
country's top young paddlers.
For the past three years, Opononi Area School have run a waka ama Programme, which deputy principal Aaron Thomas described as an extensive training schedule to promote healthy lifestyles abstaining from drugs and alcohol, using waka ama as the vehicle.
The extra training and guidance has paid dividends, with the under-19 boys winning gold in the W6 250m final, pipping Rotorua Boys' High and Manurewa High School.
The under-16 boys also won gold in the W6 250m, and under-19 paddler Herangi Mitchel was second in his W1 250m plate final, while the under-16 mixed W12 waka haurua (double hulled canoes) crew took bronze in the 250m sprint.
Kaitaia College's under-19 contingent looked tight as they charged home for gold in the W6 250m sprint, one second ahead of Te Rangi Aniwaniwa's Niwa Girls crew. Kaitaia's Riana King backed up to race in the W1 250m plate final and cross the finish line in first place.
The 20 Te Rangi Aniwaniwa students, who travelled south had further success at the championships - their under-19 mixed W12 crew narrowly missed out on gold, when they were beaten by the mixed Rotorua Boys' High and Girls' High crew in the final.
Tamara Ma claimed third place in his under-19 W6 250m plate final, while the under-16 Niwa Boyz were second in the W6 250m, behind Te Kura Maori o Porirua, who were promoted to first after Gisborne Boys' High School were disqualified.
The newly honoured wharekura Te Tonga o Hokianga also made some finals, ending a highly successful championships campaign for the northern region paddlers.
