Ngatuire Hapi in action at the 2021 Secondary School Waka Ama Nationals for Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai, where she placed second in the U19 Girls W1 250m event.
Ngatuire Hapi in action at the 2021 Secondary School Waka Ama Nationals for Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai, where she placed second in the U19 Girls W1 250m event.
Take it from a world champion – there is something special about the Waka Ama secondary school event being held in Rotorua this week.
Ngatuire Hapi, 20, won five gold medals and two bronze medals for New Zealand at the 2022 Waka Ama World Champs in London.
Now she is gearing up to compete in this year’s world champs in Hawaii.
National secondary schools waka ama champs at Lake Tikitapu. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hapi, of Te Arawa descent, first competed in the sport at the annual Secondary School Waka Ama Nationals in 2019 – claiming a silver medal in the singles event in the Plate division.
Two years later, the Rotorua student had further success paddling for Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai, claiming a singles silver medal in the Championship division.
For all the global success, Hapi said the secondary school event remained a career highlight.
“It’s the only time where you get to race this many people your age,” she said.
“You definitely have to do it while you’re at school because, to me, it’s the most fun race in Waka Ama that you’ll ever enter.”
For Hapi, it was not the results that mattered at the secondary school event – it was the connections made among students from schools and kura all across the country. This included one occasion where she danced with students from six other schools for 20 minutes after a race, despite her team finishing last.
But it was Hapi’s experience at the school event that also set her up for international success, she said.
“Even though it’s a fun race, it’s still really good experience and exposure to racing, which is pretty important, especially for racing in sprints races.”
ACC was partnering with Waka Ama New Zealand to support this year’s Secondary School Nationals being held at Lake Tikitapu in Rotorua from today.
National secondary schools waka ama champs at Lake Tikitapu. Photo / Andrew Warner
Up to 2000 students from more than 115 schools and kura kaupapa across the motu were expected to take part.
Hapi will attend as a volunteer, as she did during her first experience of the sport in 2018, and as a commentator.
Waka Ama New Zealand chief executive Lara Collins said the event brought together rangatahi (young people) from around Aotearoa for a memorable week of paddling and whanaungatanga (relationships).
“We know how important it is for rangatahi to perform at their best while also looking after their hauora tinana [physical health],” Collins says.
“It’s awesome to have ACC onboard to help educate our rangatahi and ensure that they are not only taking part in waka ama for life but for all sports for life.”
ACC deputy chief executive Māori Rēnata Blair (Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei) said the agency was committed to supporting kaupapa like Waka Ama that promoted the health and wellbeing of whānau of all ages.
“I know from my experience; Waka Ama is an awesome week.”
ACC research shows Māori were twice as likely to sustain a serious injury than non-Māori, but 34 per cent less likely to make an ACC claim. This was something ACC was committed to changing.
“Our partnership is an opportunity to engage with whānau Māori,” Blair said.
This year’s event will also have a focus on injury prevention, with many Waka Ama competitors involved in multiple sports and now gearing up for the winter sports season.
ACC data shows most winter sports injuries occur in May as Kiwis get back into winter codes following the summer season. Most injuries are soft tissue injuries like strains and sprains, with the 10-19 age-group lodging the most claims.
ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker said many of these injuries could be prevented if people took the time to ease into their winter codes with sport-specific preparation.
“We really encourage people to be in their best shape to avoid injury,” Whitaker said.
“There are simple things we can do to keep us injury-free, including taking the time to properly warm up and cool down, following correct techniques, and including sport-specific exercises in your training.”
