After some unusually cold weather, finally a great day for racing. An excellent turn-out with 22 teams hitting the water. Surprisingly, there were no novice teams this time. This leaves the novice trophy up for grabs, so go on, rustle up your work mates and friends.

Thanks again to Hawaiki Nui Waka Ama for hosting this event.

Click here to download the results for Race 1.

The next race coming up is the Matariki Harbour Challenge on 23 June. Find out more here.

Kia ora tatou

Great to see our region’s top secondary schools talent going head to head at this year’s regional sprint champs. Awesome to see teams lift the standard of racing as well.

A big thanks to all volunteers, sponsors, clubs and schools for their help to make the day happen.

Results are available for download here.

Photos and more will be uploaded to Hoe Tonga’s Facebook Page

And this was it for 2017. Last year’s event was our biggest yet, but 2017 topped it again, with close to 130 races and about 500 paddlers! We need more lanes…

A massive thank you to all officials, helpers and supporters that made this event possible. More than ever before, many of them pulled big hours to make this event happen. In the week leading up to the event, and despite water quality being better than ever before, the lake experienced excessive weed growth, likely due to the very warm weather over many weeks. Many helpers spend days clearing the lake!

Here a list of key officials and helpers:

• Event organisation: Joern Scherzer, Gaylene Sciascia
• Race course set-up, venue preparation and infrastructure: Paddy, Kath and the wider team from Wairarapa WACC; generator provided by Lawrence
• W6 provision and transport: Porirua Canoe Kayak Club, Otaki Waka Hoe, Hawaiki Nui Waka Ama club
• Finish line officials: Marinna, Petra & Andy Melville, Ani Suitauloa, Roimata Baker, Te Ara Herewini Smiler, Mereana Putaka, and others
• Start line officials: James Sadler, Lawrence Ammunson-Fyall, Maaike Van Aalst
• Flag boat officials: Thomas Tawhiri, Piki Emery, Jodie Sommerville
• Back-up support boat: John Hodges and others
• Support boat provision: Matt Archer & Mana Kayak Racing Club
• Loading Bay: Karmen Wallace, and various other helpers to bail from Wairarapa WACC, Toa, PCKC, and Otaki
• Marshalling/Announcer: Shanara Wallace
• Registration officials, runner: Pania Haruru, Tam Tanirau, Rodney
• Race director: Dennis Ngatai & Joern Scherzer
• W1 weigh-in: Tia Tuuta, Trini Ropata, and others
• IT pre-event support: Alex Ryder

There are many more, even if not specifically listed above!

Results

Click here to download the full results.

Photos are yet to come. In the next few days please check Hoe Tonga’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Hoetonga/ 

Club trophies

The Club Excellence Award changed hands for the first time in 5 years, this year it was won by Otaki Waka Hoe, with Porirua Canoe Kayak Club in second, and Toa Waka Ama in third.

For the James Hapeta Club Spirit Award, Hoe Tonga implemented a revised approach for selecting a winner. Up to five points were awarded in each of four categories: (1) Ratio of club volunteers vs club entries, as at one week out from the event; (2) whether a club had complete team rosters at the deadlines and/or had late changes to their roster; (3) whether teams were wearing correct uniforms; and (4) attitude, who is going the extra mile over the two race days. The latter two categories were judged by all the key volunteers at the various official stations. Congratulations to Hikoikoi Waka Club for taking out this year’s club spirit award. Hawaikinui Waka Ama Club and Wairarapa Waka Ama Canoe Club were a very close second and third.

Another good turn out today, with 11 teams competing on the short course, and 10 teams on the long course.

Some challenging conditions out there today, with a cool 20-25knot Southerly whipping up the course. Going to and from Titahi Bay made it more challenging for the junior and novice teams, but far more interesting than just slogging it out in the tidal flats. Coming back from Titahi Bay, there were some nice little runners to practice those surfing skills.

Click here to download today’s results (2nd correction was made on 10 Sep).

Teams from Otaikokako and Otaki are in the top positions for the most points in their divisions (senior, novice, junior) but it’s not quite decided yet.

Some videos and photos will be posted on the hoe tonga facebook page. A big thank you again to our sponsors: Naomi Brookings from One Agency, Compass Health, and Tai Paddles, and the numerous volunteers making the day possible, including but not limited to the support boat drivers, canoe checkers, registration desk officials, finish and startline officials, and cake bakers.

See you at the final event in Whanganui in three weeks time.

Here the results for race 2 of the series, hosted by Porirua Canoe Kayak Club. A big thank you to PCKC for organising a great event, again with a massive 26 team entries.

Click here to download the results (corrected 15 August).

If you have photos from the event, please post them to the Hoe Tonga facebook page.

The next event is scheduled for 2 September, at Ngati Toa Domain.

A big thank you to Hikoikoi Waka Club for a fantastic event on Wellington Harbour on 8 July. With 37 teams, this was the biggest long distance event in Wellington since the last Long Distance Nationals were held in our region in 2012.

Please click here to download the results. Photos and videos are available on the Hoe Tonga facebook page.

And this was it for 2016. A few “firsts” at this event:

1. Our biggest Regionals yet, with over 300 entries and 109 races.
2. The first time that the entire Regionals were held in Masterton
3. The first time that we had W12 races
4. The first time that we have run the turn races in the “chase format” (two teams in each turn lane)

A big thank you to Trust House and the Copthorne Hotel in Masterton for housing some of our key officials.

And of course a big thank you to all officials, volunteers and supporters that made this event possible. Many of them pulled big hours to make this event happen, some of this started over 9 months ago. To name but a few:

• Race course set-up, venue preparation and infrastructure: Paddy, Kath and the wider team from Wairarapa WACC; generator provided by Lawrence
• W6 provision and transport: Hikoikoi Waka Club and Porirua Canoe Kayak Club
• Finish line officials: Marinna, Petra, Andy, Gaylene and Patience
• Start line officials: Chris, Michael, Maria
• Flag boat officials: Matt and De’Sharna
• Loading Bay: Karmen, and various other helpers to bail from Wairarapa WACC, Toa, and PCKC
• Marshalling/Announcer: Shanara and Ohomairangi
• Registration officials: Gaylene, Pania, Bubba, Brenda and Paula
• Photography: Chris, Kathlene et al
• Race director: Joern
• IT pre-event support: Alex Ryder
• Event organisation: Joern and Gaylene
• DJ: Greg

Results and photos

We had live results on the day (still online) but if you missed it, click here to download a file showing all results. You can also replay some of the races at http://www.yacht-bot.com/races/11795 (unfortunately only the first 3 hours of Saturday’s racing as some trackers were not properly charged prior to the event).

Photos are now available. Please check Hoe Tonga’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Hoetonga/

Finally, the Club Excellence Award was again won by Porirua Canoe Kayak Club (112 points), the fourth year in a row albeit with Otaki Waka Hoe very close behind this time (93 points)! The James Hapeta Club Spirit Award was awarded to Wairarapa Waka Ama Canoe Club. Congratulations.

Unfortunately we ran out of time to do a prize giving on Saturday following the W6 and W12 races. Ribbons for the place getters will be posted to each club as soon as possible.