Competition for third place was even tighter, with a women's masters crew from Mitamitaga club pipping the under-19 boys of Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia by a few seconds.
The original trophy could not be found, despite a six-month search by festival organisers, so a new one was carved in the form of a hoe (paddle) by Anthony Dunn of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
Race director Rob Cameron, of Waitangi Waka Ama Club, said the aim of bringing back Te Taiawhio o Ipipiri was to keep Mr Kjelsden's spirit alive.
"We're starting small but we want to develop it into a major event. We hope it's going to be the genesis of a real revival of waka ama in Waitangi."
California-born Mr Kjelsden introduced waka ama to Northland when he settled in Pawarenga. Later, a company he set up in Tutukaka built many of the waka used around New Zealand today.
Another aim of the festival, Mr Cameron said, was to look after the sport's future by boosting youth participation.
The festival was organised by Anika West and Steph Godsiff of events company Blah Blah Marketing and hosted by Waitangi Waka Ama Club.
It received nationwide publicity on Friday when TV1's Breakfast show was broadcast live from Waitangi, with presenter Brodie Kane and deputy mayor Tania McInnes having a go at paddling a waka.
Plans to incorporate traditional waka into the festival fell through because several tangi over the weekend meant paddlers were not available. Organisers were pleased, however, with a turnout of waka ama paddlers that was three times higher than expected. About 150 people took part from as far away as Waitakere.
Te Taiawhio o Ipipiri top results
1 Team Toots (masters men, Parihaka Waka Ama Club, Whangarei); 2 Team Kina (open men, Mitamitaga o le Pasefika Va'a-alo Canoe Club, Tutukaka); 3 Team Miti (masters women, Mitamitaga); 4 Fat Oysters (J19, Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia, Te Tii). Also competing were men's masters and senior masters plus women's open and golden masters from Kaihoe o Ngati Rehia, and mixed senior masters from Waitakere Outrigger Canoe Club.
