More than 1950 students from 123 schools will take to the water next week to battle it out at the 2019 National Secondary School Waka Ama Championship.
This year, 200 more students will take part than the previous year. For the first time, over 120 Schools will take part from the Far North to the top of the South Island.
Now in its 18th year, the championships are being held from the March 26 – 29, at Rotorua's Tikitapu - Blue Lake.
Chief Executive of Waka Ama New Zealand, Lara Collins says the event has grown from strength to strength each year over its 18-year history, with 2019 set to be the biggest and best yet.
'Each year, the Waka Ama participation base keeps growing. Having been at all 18 events since the first one in 2002, I've watched the event grow and we now have teachers who were once students paddling, getting their schools involved. It's awesome to witness such growth!”
'It's wonderfully unique and exciting for spectators too. Tikitapu - Blue Lake, is usually a serene and tranquil spot, but when the championships descend, it turns into a place of energy and excitement with cheers ringing from the lakeside and the most stunning backdrop anyone could ask for,” she says.
Asked why there has been so much growth, Lara says 'It is a sport that anyone can take part in, and kids really love it! They get to represent their school through competition, be active and learn teamwork and many other skills both on and off the water. Lots of teams will be products of their local clubs or whānau that take part in the sport. Whether teams are competitive or just taking part to have fun, there is something for everyone!”
For the 9th consecutive year College de Pao Pao who travel from Moorea, Tahiti to compete as an International contingent will attend the event. This year they will bring one U16 Boys team and two U16 Girls teams.
Schools are competing for national honours in one (W1), six (W6) and twelve paddler (W12) teams over distances of 250 and 500 metres. Teams competing in the six person 500m classes will also have to navigate their way through a hairpin turn at the halfway mark.
The Event is hosted by Te Waiariki Purea Trust who have hosted the championships with Waka Ama New Zealand since 2005.
The trusts' CEO Laurie Durand says they always look forward to this event, 'The trust is excited and very proud to support the growth of Waka Ama especially for Rangatahi.”
This year the event will be a part of the Rotorua Waka Festival with a Kapa Haka Super 6 competition is being held Thursday 28th March at Te Manawa in Central Rotorua for the School Waka Ama teams to take part in. Also the Hoea ki Mokoia event Saturday March 30 have included a secondary school section of a race that sees paddle around iconic Mokoia Island from the Rotorua Lake front.
The winning crews and individuals for the 2018 National Secondary Schools Waka Ama Championships were:
Event |
Team |
School |
U19 Mixed - WT12 250m Champ Final |
Kaipara |
Kaipara College |
U16 Mixed - WT12 250m Champ Final |
Gisborne Girls/ Gisborne Boys |
Gisborne Girls and Gisborne Boys High |
|
|
|
U16 Girls - W1 250m Champ Final |
Gaibreill Wainohu |
Gisborne Girls High School |
U16 Boys - W1 250m Champ Final |
Tane Heta |
Whangarei Boys' High School |
U19 Girls - W1 250m Champ Final |
Makayla Timoti |
John Paul College |
U19 Boys - W1 250m Champ Final |
Jake Suitauloa |
Te Kura Maori o Porirua |
|
|
|
U16 Girls - W6 250m Champ Final |
GGHS Manukura |
Gisborne Girls High School |
U16 Girls - W6 500m Champ Final |
GGHS Manukura |
Gisborne Girls High School |
|
|
|
U16 Boys - W6 250m Champ Final |
Turanga Tane Ruaumoko |
Gisborne Boys High School |
U16 Boys - W6 500m Champ Final |
Turanga Tane Ruaumoko |
Gisborne Boys High School |
|
|
|
U19 Girls - W6 250m Champ Final |
Lytton Hinetu |
Lytton High School |
U19 Girls - W6 500m Champ Final |
Lytton Hinetu |
Lytton High School |
|
|
|
U19 Boys - W6 250m Champ Final |
Muddy Waters |
Kaipara College |
U19 Boys - W6 500m Champ Final |
TKTORP Puawaitanga |
Huntly College |
2019 Entries by Event:
Event |
Number of teams |
U16 Boys - W1 250m |
47 |
U16 Boys - W6 250m |
66 |
U16 Boys - W6 500m |
63 |
U16 Girls - W1 250m |
51 |
U16 Girls - W6 250m |
80 |
U16 Girls - W6 500m |
79 |
U16 Mixed - WT12 250m |
43 |
U19 Boys - W1 250m |
31 |
U19 Boys - W6 250m |
62 |
U19 Boys - W6 500m |
62 |
U19 Girls - W1 250m |
25 |
U19 Girls - W6 250m |
82 |
U19 Girls - W6 500m |
81 |
U19 Mixed - WT12 250m |
57 |
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