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).
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.
Make sure your crew and waka are good to go for the LDNs with this safety checklist! Please note that this is the minimum requirement for safety gear, but Waka Ama NZ encourages you to include any further equipment you deem relevant.
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!
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
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.
If you are keen to volunteer at our 2025 Regional Secondary School Sprints at Henley Lake, Masterton on Saturday 8 March 2025 please do not hesitate to contact us hoetonga@gmail.com
What would I volunteer to do? An example of what tasks volunteers undertake are below:
Due to high levels of toxic algae currently in Lake Henley, Masterton the Hoe Tonga Board along with College Sport Wellington have changed the venue for 8 March 2025 to Onepoto Domain, Porirua. This has been made possible through the mahi of our volunteers and the greater Porirua Harbour water users – lets make this years event a great success!
It’s that time again whānau, Ko wai ka hua, ko wai ka tohu, ko wai ka toa!!
2024’s event was such a success, our biggest ever Hoe Tonga event and we are definitely looking to replicate it. 🙂 We love seeing all of our rangatahi enjoying Waka Ama, enjoying paddling with their friends, creating new experiences whilst representing their school and their whānau.
All schools MUST fill out their Wavier forms before the event and hand into registration. There will be no waiver forms printed off at the event. No Wavier, your team will not be racing.
College entries are through Sports Coordinators via SPORTY
Year 7&8’s entries to be sent to hoetonga@gmail.com
Hoe Tonga will conduct its Annual General Meeting on 25 June, at 7pm via ZOOM.
We are pleased to present the nominees/candidates received by our affiliated member clubs for positions on the Hoe Tonga Board and share with you their profiles below. Nominations for these positions has now closed.
Hoe Tonga are seeking FOUR Elected Board Members and your club representatives have been sent additional information and a voting form to be returned by 5pm on 21 June 2024.
Results will be shared with you at the AGM and we welcome your attendance.
It is not too late to register your attendance at the AGM by emailing hoetonga@gmail.com as this meeting will be held online. Once registered the ZOOM link will be shared with you.
The DRAFT agenda is as follows:
Karakia
Attendance confirmation (50% of member clubs make up the quorum = 7)
Motions regarding process (if applicable)
Receiving of the annual report and financial accounts
Election Results – Elected Board Members
Formal close of AGM
Following AGM, there will be time for discussion between clubs and Board members on any topic of interest (30min)
Saturday 23 August 2025
Ngāti Toa Domain, Porirua
8/9 km short course
16/17km long course
W6 Men, Women, Mixed teams
Hoe Tonga Pacifica Waka Ama Association 
