The cream of Rotorua and New Zealand's young paddlers have taken to the water at Tikitapu on day one of the national waka ama championships.
Te Wananga o Aotearoa National Secondary School Waka Ama Championships will run until Friday with more than 100 schools - a new record - and thousands of students taking part.
Photo/Stephen Parker
A pohiri this morning officially opened the event, which has been held for 16 years, with six Rotorua secondary schools among competitors.
Rotorua Boys' High School is the school to beat after taking home four gold medals last year.
Deputy principal Fred Whata said his 46 paddlers, making up seven crews, were excited about the week.
"It's not about the medals, it's about trying to get our waka ama movement consistent so each year we have our top teams, but that we are also always building the base underneath and that's why we have been consistent over the last decade or so - the cream always come to the top - so hopefully that will be the case again this year for us."
Boys' High has combined with Rotorua Girls' High School, Epsom Girls' Grammar and Whangarei Girls' High School to enter teams in a range of mixed waka ama age group races.
Photo/Stephen Parker
John Paul College is competing for the third time and is building a team for the future.
Mother and volunteer organiser Michelle Edwards said its teams were having a lot of fun and learning from the experience.
"They only get to train for about six weeks before the nationals, while some teams are training all year.
"But we have one world class paddler, Makayla Timoti, who brings a lot of quiet enthusiasm and experience to the group and they really look up to her," she said.
Western Heights High School has three teams at the event with its under-16 team taking part for the first time.
"We are developing our teams," said the school's waka ama co-ordinator, Piria Davis.
"We are not one of the top schools, but we do have two world paddlers, who unfortunately are both out of the competition.
"But we enjoy and learn a lot of new skills from the event."
Photo/Stephen Parker
National Secondary School Waka Ama - At Tikitapu (Blue Lake) until Friday - More than 100 secondary schools are competing - The most teams and schools registered in the event's history - Paddlers race over a 250m sprint course and a longer 500m course - Six Rotorua high schools competing
