Waka Ama: Long distance champs

Northland crews give strong showing at nationals Northland crews have again excelled in a nationwide waka ama contest, coming home from the Long Distance Nationals weighed down with medals.

The Waka Ama NZ event was held on Friday and Saturday on the Orakei waterfront in Auckland with teams and individuals racing distances up to 25km.

The relatively new club Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia, based at Te Tii in the Bay of Islands, won gold in three events. The Bagtown Boys J16 crew (16 and under) - many of whom took part in an epic four-day paddle from Maitai Bay to Whangarei last year - won the W6 (six-seater) 12km race; while the club's senior masters men (50 and over) bagged gold in the W2 15km and the gruelling W6 25km events.

The W2 team comprised Peter Reaburn and Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia coach Danny Kaiawe; the W6 teams was made up of Mr Kaiawe, Kerikeri youth officer Rob Cameron, Peter Reaburn, Richard Waldegrave, Anthony Cribb and Dave King.

The other standout Northland club was the Whangarei-based Parihaka Waka Ama Club, which won two gold medals in women's individual 15km events - Ngaire Pehi in the masters and Nyree King in the senior masters division.

Kaitaia's Tupu King, of Te Puu Ao, continued his recent strong form by winning the solo 15km J23 event.

Elizabeth "Tuppy" Kaiawe, of Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia, said the long distance champs continued a good run for the club.

Its chief targets were the long-distance nationals and the sprint nationals, which were held in January at Lake Karapiro. Club members are training for Vaka Eiva championships in Rarotonga in November and planning another multi-day paddle.

Fundraising was also under way. One project would involve painting a mural on a graffitied Landcorp shed on the road to Te Tii.

Northland medal results:

Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia (Te Tii)

Gold: Bagtown Boys W6 12km/J16M; Te Tii Rangi W2 15km/SMM; Wai Tokerau W6 25km/SMM.

Silver: Anthony Cribb W1 15km/SMM(R); Te Pou Taurua W1 12km J16M(R).

Bronze: Elizabeth ''Tuppy'' Kaiawe W1 15km/SMW(R); Kingi Herewini W1 12km/J19M(R).

Parihaka (Whangarei)

Gold: Ngaire Pehi W1 15km/MW(R); Nyree King W1 15km/SMW(R).

Silver: Cindy Cornwall W1 15km/SMW; Richard Pehi W1 15km MM(R); Seven Sistaz W6 25km/OW.

Te Puu Ao (Whangarei)

Gold: Tupu King W1 15km/J23M(R).

Bronze: Jamille Ruka W1 15km/J23M(R).

Mitamitaga (Tutukaka)

Bronze: Steve Tinopai Roulston W1 15km/OM(R).