Akayshia Williams sends her love after winning the premier women's W1 500m final at the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals on Lake Karāpiro for the third year running and seventh time in all. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Akayshia Williams sends her love after winning the premier women's W1 500m final at the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals on Lake Karāpiro for the third year running and seventh time in all. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Akayshia Williams has won her seventh premier women’s 500m title at the Waka Ama NZ sprint nationals at Lake Karāpiro.
In other Tairāwhiti highlights on Wednesday, Maia Campbell had a poignant J19 victory, Hine Brooking successfully stepped up a grade, Gaibreill Wainohu dominated the women’s Under-23 race and Mareikura paddler Losiane Toupili won the first gold medal of this regatta for the nation’s oldest waka ama club.
Horouta Waka Hoe paddler Williams led the premier women’s blue-ribbon event from the start and finished over five seconds clear of her nearest rival, as she did last year, recording a time of two minutes 27.41 seconds.
She had previously won the race in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024.
Two other Tairāwhiti paddlers were in the final – Keri Ngatoro of Horouta was seventh in 2:38.37 and Shontelle McLean of Mareikura Waka Ama Club was eighth in 2:40.93.
Tarawera Outrigger Canoe Club paddlers Ngatuire Hapi and Te Whaeoranga Smallman were second and third respectively. Hapi finished 5.16s behind Williams and 0.06s ahead of her clubmate.
It was a successful day for Self Storage Gisborne Horouta Waka Hoe Club, and it had its poignant moments.
This one's for mum ... Maia Campbell, inspired by mother Kiwi who passed away in November 2024, won the J19 men's W1 500 final at the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals. Kiwi twice won the premier women's W1 title.
Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Maia Campbell – son of elite coach and paddler Kiwi Campbell, who died in November – won the J19 men’s W1 500m final.
His time of 2m 15.38s was 2.54s faster than that of runner-up Marlin Toloa of Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club.
Campbell’s Horouta clubmate Frazor Wainohu was 11th in 2m 26.29s.
Frazor’s elder sister, Gaibreill Wainohu, also of Horouta, won the U23 women’s W1 500m in 2m 42.95s, 4.76s ahead of clubmate and runner-up Ella August.
Hine Brooking, the Horouta club’s world champion J16 sprinter last year, stepped up a grade to win the J19 women’s W1 500m. She covered the distance in 2m 39.58s, 1.11s faster than runner-up Abigail Liufalani of Pineula.
Also in the final were Horouta paddlers Marnie Toloa (fourth in 2m 42.23s, 0.2s off third place), Taylynn Morete (sixth in 2m 44.19s) and Cheidan Moetara (eighth in 2m 46.09s).
Losiane Toupili looks to the heavens after her victory in the J16 women's W1 final. It was Gisborne's Mareikura club's first gold of the 2025 Waka Ama Nationals. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Losiane Toupili won Mareikura Waka Ama Club’s first gold medal of the championships, crossing the J16 women’s W1 500m finish line in 2m 39.68s and beating the runner-up by 2.62s.
Riria Ata, of Horouta, was third in 2m 44.51s.
Four other Horouta paddlers were also in the final – Tiwai Apiata, fifth in 2:50.84; Tutemakoha Kemp, eighth in 2m 54.70s; Christibel Mackenzie, 11th in 2m 57.14s; and Nalani Tuhoe, 12th in 3m 12s.
Only one Tairāwhiti paddler made the J16 men’s W1 500m final. Te Maumahara Hape, of YMP Waka Ama, finished 12th in 2m 35.56s.
Grant Donaldson (Horouta) was the only Tairāwhiti paddler in the master men’s final. He finished ninth in 2m 28.01s, 8.16s behind the winner.
An elated Hine Brooking after winning the J19 women's W1 500m final at the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals on Lake Karapiro.
Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Tairāwhiti paddler and coach Vesna Radonich, competing for Taupō Waka Ama Club at this regatta, was third in the master women’s W1 500m final in 2m 44.76s. She was 6.99s behind the winner and beat the fourth-placed competitor by just 0.01s.
Peter Cowan, of Te Uranga o Te Ra (the place of the rising sun), won a straight final of the W1 200m for adaptive men (VL3). His time of 1m 06.71s was 1.62s faster than that of runner-up Miimama Pepe, of Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club, and 3.24s ahead of third-placed George Thomas, of Ruamata Waka Ama Club.
Cowan also won the W1 500m race for adaptive men (VL3) in 2m 31.52s from Pepe and Thomas.
In the senior master women’s W1 500m final, Horouta paddlers Simmy Taitapanui (eighth in 2m 53.94s) and Penny Scragg (11th in 2m 56.34s) were the only Tairāwhiti representatives.
Te Tai Tokerau/Northland paddler Jason Reti, competing for Horouta at this regatta, was third in the senior master men’s final in 2m 21.54s, 2.43s behind the winner.
Two Horouta paddlers made the final of the golden master women’s W1 500m. Whetumarama Mita was eighth in 3m 02.63s and Sonia Stewart was ninth in 3m 03.08s.
Murray Parkes (Horouta) was the only Tairāwhiti paddler in the golden master men’s final. He was 12th in 2m 43.99s, 14.38s behind the winner.
Horouta's Gaibreill Wainohu on her way to a commanding victory in the Under-23 women’s W1 500m final at the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals on Lake Karapiro. Photo / Waka Ama NZ
Marianne Gillingham, paddling for Mareikura, was second in the master 70 women’s W1 500m final. Her time of 3m 12.97 was 2.15s slower than that of the winner.
Horouta paddler Katrina Wooldridge was second in the masters 75 women’s W1 500m in 3m 22.79s, 3.78s behind the winner.
YMP Waka Ama paddler Kaha Hawkins was second in the intermediate boys’ W1 500m final in 2m 51.11s, 1.13s behind the winner. Clubmate Victor Newcomb was seventh in 3m 10.39s.
Horouta paddler Charlee Mackey was third in the intermediate girls’ W1 500m final. Her time of 3m 03.42s was 4.14s behind the winner.
Other Tairāwhiti paddlers in the final were Maia-Dee Cook (Horouta, ninth, 3m 13.24s) and Majjik Peneha (Mareikura, 11th, 3m 14.92s).
No paddlers from Tairāwhiti made the premier men’s W1 500m final
Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club paddlers Jake Suitauloa and Kacey Ngataki finished first and second respectively and Manutea Millon, of Pineula, was third. The winner’s time was 2m 08.51s.
