Waka Ama/Paddling

The club is fortunate to have the option of flat water paddling on the rivers or open water paddling on the ocean.

The seasonal highlight is the week long annual National Sprint Championships held at Lake Karapiro, where the club is often represented by more than 200 paddlers.

The sprint season is a relatively short but is intense and of  a high standard. Our waka resources are often stressed at these times due to continuous use from daybreak to dusk as crews push for water time

The National Sprints are followed closely by the annual Secondary School National Sprints held at Lake Tikitapu, Rotorua., where many of our junior paddlers train through to compete for their colleges and schools

 Longer distance races are regularly hosted throughout the country culminating at the annual Long Distance National marathon that is shared among our various regions.

Our Fleet

The club owns a number of waka (canoe) of various descriptions and sizes. Most are available for use by club members at any time, although some are stored for competition use only.

With the delivery of the latest addition, our fleet now includes:6 x OC6 - Horouta, Paoa, Kahutia Te Rangi, Hinematioro, Maia, Ruapani & Tuhorouta4 x OC2 - Aurora, Kotuku, Kotare, Kuaka & Maui6 x OC1 - Nanaia, Barney, Uncle Tom, Kuri,Hukataiora & HinerupeNEWER WAKA (March 2006).

Our club has taken possession of our 7th new OC6 to be called Tuhorouta, after another prominent tupuna and son of Tuwhakairiora, the legendary fighting chief of the northerm Ngati Porou.​​​​​​​

Community Spirit

We want to hear from anyone interested in trying out,  irrespective of their abilities and level of fitness.

We  offer free lessons throughout the year with prior arrangement or through our recruitment initiatives.

It is even better with a group of friends so everyone learns and develops together to whatever level you choose.

We work alongside a number of local schools, community service providers, public and private organisations, to encourage physical activity and to encourage people to enjoy and take advantage of all that Waka Ama has to offer.

Affiliations

We affiliate to our national body, Nga Kaihoe o Aotearoa (NKOA) through our own regional body, Te Uranga O Te Ra (TUOTR). The region extends from Omaio in the Eastern Bay of Plenty to Hastings in the south and embraces various iwi/hapu including Whanau a Apanui, Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngati Kahungungu, Rongowhakaata, Ngai Tamanuhiri, Te Aitanga a Mahaki and Ngai Tuhoe.

Our club affiliates, through our regional body Te Uranga O Te Ra, to the New Zealand Outrigger Canoe Association , Nga Kaihoe O Aotearoa. (NKOA) 

The Te Uranga O Te Ra region extends from Omaio, in the Bay of Plenty, encompasses the East Coast, to Hastings in the Hawkes Bay.

Most club members affiliate or whakapapa to either one or most of the local iwi authorities whom have been supportive of our efforts to build our infrastructure since the club's inception in 1998.