New Zealand rafting teams, largely made up of Rotorua paddlers, have returned from the World Rafting Championships in Japan with an impressive haul of medals.
At the championships, which ran from October 6 to 9 on the Yoshino River on the island of Shikoku, there were medals available for sprint, head to head, slalom and down river disciplines. Teams also earned points in each race which went towards their overall placings.
The masters women were the pick of the New Zealand teams, finishing first in the sprint, head to head and down river races, and third in the slalom, to defend the overall title they won in 2013.
The New Zealand open women's team finished first in the sprint, second in the down river, third in the slalom and fourth in head to head to take second place behind the host nation, Japan.