Category Archives: Event announcements

Twin Harbours Race Summary

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☀️🌊 Mana Pasifika Outrigger Canoe Club would like to thank all clubs with teams participating in the Twin Harbours race on Saturday 23 August 2025 at Ngāti Toa Domain.

We would also like to thank the support crews in safety boats on the water, those preparing kai in the kitchen, taking times on the sideline, doing safety checks and generally helping out. We had a successful race day because of the paddlers and support people involved, even the coastguard came out to support the morning racing.

We were blessed with a fabulous day for this race, 4 knot easterly winds and an incoming high tide. Both the short and long races started at 0900 with the last 17km crew crossing the line in a modest time of 1:34:58:03.

Big thanks to Thomas for opening and closing our regatta, remembering our waka mates who have passed on, specifically Steve Kenny who was a big part of the Ngati Toa waka scene and always advocating for hauora.

Nō mātou o Hoe Tonga – Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou o Mana Pasifika Outrigger Canoe Club for hosting the Twin Harbours Race i tēnei ata! ☀️🌊

Final race results along with additional photos taken today can be found on the clubs’ website https://www.sporty.co.nz/manapasifika/newsarticle/156807…

RACE UPDATE – Hoe Tonga 2025 Winter Paddler Series Race #2

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‼️23 AUGUST RACE UPDATE‼️

Due to the low number of entries in the short race, both the 9km and 17km races will begin at the same time. The updated event programme is as follows:

08:00am – all teams have their waka at Ngāti Toa Domain to complete safety checks

08:30am – race safety briefing is delivered for both races

09:00am – both races start

If you need to contact someone about these changes, please email katmasoe@gmail.com

Race information available here: https://www.wakaama.co.nz/racecalendar/lookup/2370.

Waka Ama NZ Elected Board Member

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The voting process is now open for the Waka Ama NZ elected board member. Each club has been emailed a voting form to submit their vote. Clubs have until Thursday, 11 September, to submit their vote form.

For full information on the voting process and the details of the nominees, visit the Waka Ama NZ website: https://wakaama.co.nz/stories/read/1006683
For further information or any questions, email admin@wakaama.co.nz

Kururaki ki a kōrua 🤞🏽

☑️Te Māreikura Whakataka-Brightwell

☑️Tui Pukepuke (McCaull)

Hoe Tonga 2025 Annual General Meeting

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Hoe Tonga will be holding the 2025 Annual General Meeting next week via Zoom on Wednesday 20th August, 2025.

We require one nominated representative to attend from each of our Hoe Tonga Clubs to ensure we have a quorum. Additional club members are welcome to join by registering their interest via email to hoetonga@gmail.com for the link.

All relevant documentation is linked below for your review.

If you have any pātai or would like to have a kōrero prior to the hui, get in touch. Hei tērā wiki koutou mā 👋🏽

Hoe Tonga 2025 Winter Paddler Series – Race #2

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Introducing our hosts for the second race of the winter paddler series – Mana Pasifika Outrigger Canoe Club!!

Twin Harbours Race

  • 🗓 Saturday 23 August 2025
  • 📍Ngāti Toa Domain, Porirua
  • ➡️ 8/9 km short course
  • ⏩16/17km long course
  • ✅W6 Men, Women, Mixed teams
  • ✅Open, Master, Senior Master, Golder Master divisions
  • ✅Entries are OPEN now – these are to be completed using the Waka Ama NZ online entry system.

Updated race information available here: https://www.wakaama.co.nz/racecalendar/lookup/2370.

Til then get your crew together and get ready to paddle on Parirua harbour 🩵

2025 Long Distance Nationals Hosted by Hoe Tonga!

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Kua mutu ā mātou mahi mō te whakataetae pae tawhiti ā-motu!

After weeks of planning, late-night hui and a tiny bit of stress our mahi as hosts of the Waka Ama Long Distance Nationals 2025 is now complete ✅

On the 24th of April we welcomed our waka ama whānau from across the motu to the Hoe Tonga region with a pōwhiri at Ngāti Toa Domain, supported by te iwi o Ngāti Toa Rangatira, the Porirua City Council, Te Toki Voyaging Trust – Waka Hourua and wakaama NZ 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽

1067 kaihoe from 59 clubs across Aotearoa registered to take part in this national qualifying event, with 3 days of racing long distances of 8km, 16 km, and 24km to secure a place to compete at the IVF Va’a World Distance Championships 2025 held in Brazil in August! 🇧🇷

Luckily the atua heard our karakia and blessed us with three days of beautiful weather and prime paddling conditions for the event! ☀️

Now our manuhiri understand the classic saying “you can’t beat Welly on a good day” (don’t worry, we saved the wildest windiest Wellington weather for the days that followed the LDNs ⛈ you’re welcome).

You can find the final results for all six races here🔗https://www.webscorer.com/wakaamanz?pg=results

Massive congratulations to those that placed and huge thanks to everyone who came along and got involved with the event! 🌟

E kīia nei te kōrero, he aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

Nā reira me mihi ka tika ki a koutou katoa kua haere ki tō mātou nei rohe o Te Whanganui ā Tara mō tēnei kaupapa motuhake mō te waka ama.

Ngā mihi whakawhetai hoki ki ngā kaitūao mō tō mahi me tō āwhina ki a mātou o Hoe Tonga ki te whakahaere i tēnei whakataetae, ngā pākihi kua tautokotia i a mātou me te whānau o Waka Ama NZ. Tēnā koutou katoa 💛

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge our Hoe Tonga board and whānau. Tēnā rawa atu to our Race Director James Sadler and event leads Anita Taggart, Ani Suitauloa, Chris Fox, Jasmine Kaa, Marinna Millanta-Lowrey, Matai Te Kere, Ria Millan, Selena Katene and Thomas Tawhiri who all provided great leadership not only during the buildup to LDN’s but also over the 3 days💛

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.

It’s been 12 years since Hoe Tonga has hosted this event, so we’d love to get your whakaaro on the 2025 Long Distance Nationals! If you haven’t already, please share your opinion here 🔗 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/588ZVVF

Hei whakakapi, ko te tūmanako he mīharo rawa te wheako me te whakataetae hoki, ā, he haumaru te hokingā atu ki te kāinga. We hope everyone had an awesome experience at this years’ competition and had a safe return home.

Nā mātou o Hoe Tonga Pacifica Waka Ama Association me ngā karapu o tēnei rohe, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Waka ama – mā te katoa, mō ake tonu! 🌊🌊🌊

Are you ready for the 2025 Long Distance Nationals?

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Key information

What you need to know

On behalf of Waka Ama NZ, Hoe Tonga Pacifica Waka Ama Association and the collective of Hoe Tonga Clubs we look forward to hosting you all in Porirua for the 2025 LDNs!

Updated Information as at 6 March 2025

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College Sport Wellington Hoe Tonga Regional Secondary Schools Waka ama Sprints 2025

Please find below some information regarding this weekends event at Onepoto, Porirua on Saturday 8 March 2025.Download Updated Information Sheet for all participants.

Due to the closure of Lake Henley to recreational users Hoe Tonga have been busy organising and changing venue to Onepoto Domain with the support of Porirua City Council’s team and our thanks to the many kaitūao/volunteers who consistently show up to assist. We have an amazing team on board – Ngā mihi mahana kia koutou katoa!

Just a reminder that all race times, heats and results will be available on Live Results so managers, paddlers are encouraged to charge up your phones.
Race Draw can be downloaded and a link to Live Results is here:  https://liveresults.co.nz/competition/490

Safety Waivers must be completed for all teams and handed in at our registration desk on arrival. Please advise team managers to check in and advise asap if any teams will not be attending or racing as this will affect the flow of our day.  Download Safety waivers here: Hoe Tonga Waivers for Regional Secondary School Sprints 2025  

Information available on www.wakaama.co.nz any enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us hoetonga@gmail.com

Please be patient when parking and ensure you are prepared – Kia Hiwa Ra!

Waka Ama NZ 2025 Long Distance Nationals Porirua – Hoe Tonga

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Information regarding volunteers & waka hire

Waka Ama NZ and Hoe Tonga Pacifica Waka Ama Association are happy to host the Long Distance Nationals in Porirua for 2025.

If you’re bringing waka to the event or you would like to hire waka from our region, please read about the waka hire process and enter your details on the waka hire spreadsheet.

Hoe Tonga values our kaitūao (volunteers) “he rau ringa i oti ai”. If you would like to take part in the biggest event that this region has hosted for many years, please complete this expression of interest form.

To see the list of teams that have entered or find more information about this event, check out this post from Waka Ama NZ.