More than 1000 paddlers descended on Whitianga last weekend for the 2023 Waka Ama Long Distance National Championships.
Taitōkerau paddlers made the 500km-plus journey through multiple detours to test themselves against the best in the country.
This year’s event was also the qualifying event for the World Long Distance event to be held in Samoa. The first place in each of the qualifying events earned the right to represent New Zealand in August.
The conditions were extra challenging this year with 15-plus knot winds and 1.5-metre swells seeing the J16 8km qualifier postponed by two days.
Northlanders who qualified to represent New Zealand in the individual events were Elite Reti in the J16 Men, Nyree King in the Golden Master Women, and Kura Heke in the M70 Women.
The team event qualifiers were spread evenly across Northland with Whangārei-based Parihaka Hiwa-i-te-rangi making it in the Senior Master Women division, Kaitāia-based #Horo for the Golden Master Women’s W6 and Kerikeri-based Team Manuwai winning the Golden Master Men’s.
While there were many notable triumphs, one thing that stood out for junior coach Chev Reti was the strength of several waka families.
Team Tiare win the J19 women's event.
The Kings were back on form this year with Tupuria earning second place in back-to-back W1 rudderless and ruddered 16km races, his father David picking up third in the Golden Master Mens W1, and his mother Nyree taking out the Golden Master Women’s W1 event. Both Dave and Nyree’s teams also qualified to represent New Zealand.
The Reti whānau also stood out with Elite winning first place in back-to-back W1 rudderless and ruddered 8km races, Chelsea picking up third in her individual effort and Romaine winning the J19 men’s ruddered division. Elite steered the Gisborne-based Horouta club which won the J16 men’s division, joined by his brother Romaine in winning the J19 men’s division, while Chelsea’s Team Tiare won the J19 women’s and placed second in the J16 women, with her father Jason’s team finishing second in the open men’s 24km race.
The Heta whānau were also impressive with Matahi claiming third in the J16 men’s ruddered - despite being in the intermediate age division - older brother Tama taking second in the J16 men’s rudderless and their sister Āria winning the J19 women’s ruddered division. Tama and Āria’s teams also earned second in the J19 men’s and women’s 16km categories.
#Horo NZ GMW reps.
Chev Reti also noted that while the results are great, there is so much value in what is going on behind the scenes.
“There are teams trying to win, to rebuild, to have their first go together or just trying to finish. The magic about long-distance racing compared to sprints is that in theory, anyone can finish a 500m sprint,” Reti said.
“When it comes to long-distance racing, however, regardless of where you place, you earn a level of respect from everyone else out there battling in those same conditions.”
