Hoe Tonga’s AGM will take place online via Microsoft Teams, starting 8.30pm on 5 September 2022.

Click here to join the meeting

The 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
• Elections
• Formal close of AGM
• Following AGM, there will be time for discussion between clubs and Board members on any topic of interest (30min)

Paddlers were greeted by fantastic and sunny paddling conditions on Saturday, 13 August, after a postponement the week before due to the gale force winds.

A total of 17 teams competed for honours and more points in the Series.

Go to https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2022/04/13/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2022/ to see the current points ranking for the Series.

See you at the next race on 27 August at Ngati Toa Domain, hosted by Hawaikinui.

For the new financial year 2022/23, there will be two vacancies available on the Hoe Tonga Board – in line with our constitutional requirement that two board members shall step down every two years.

The current board members are as follows:

• Jörn Scherzer (Chair)
• Matt Amundson-Fyall
• Patrick Rimene
• Pania Tahau-Hodges
• Tane Cassidy
• Thomas Tawhiri

Tane and Jörn have indicated their intention to step down at the end of the current term.

We encourage anyone who is enthusiastic about meeting our strategic goals of the region to put their name forward. Elections will be held at the AGM on 5 September 2022. The deadline for any applications is 24 August 2022. (This has been extended as none had been received by the original deadline of 31 July 2022.)

The process is as follows:

• Nominations can be made by Member Clubs. You can nominate any individual. Nominees do not need be a member/paddler of your club or region.
• We are seeking Board members who will take an active involvement in the sport’s governance body and in the best interests of its membership as a whole (rather than that of a particular club). All nominees must be honest, reliable, trustworthy and comfortable to ‘walk and talk’, particularly in relation to the values of our sport (as outlined in our Strategic Plan).
• Clubs and nominees must fill in the nomination form. They must be received, completed with relevant nominee profile and sent to hoetonga@gmail.com. The list of nominees, along with their profiles, will be posted on the Hoe Tonga website, likely on 1 September 2022.
• Click here to download the nomination form.

…due to gale force winds and poor race conditions.

Entries have reopened, teams have until Monday 9 August to make adjustments to their entries and rosters.

TOA is looking forward to seeing all teams next weekend.

Paddlers were greeted by fantastic and sunny paddling conditions on Saturday. After weeks of wind and rain, a light northerly pushed paddlers along.

A total of 16 teams competed for honours and the first points of the Series.

Go to https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2022/04/13/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2022/ to see the full results for Race 1, and the current points ranking for the Series.

See at the next race on 6 August at Ngati Toa Domain, hosted by Toa Waka Ama.

At its meeting in July 2022, the Hoe Tonga Board decided on a slight adjustment to the regional per paddler fees.

Up to now, Hoe Tonga has charged $15 for seniors, $8 for Juniors, and $0 for midgets. A key issue was identified where Hoe Tonga relies on the WANZ invoices to work out what to charge, and they don’t differentiate between midgets and intermediates.

Therefore, the Board agreed that for the new WANZ membership year starting 1 October 2022, a fee of $8 applies to J16-J19, and Midgets/Intermediates would be charged $4 per paddler. This means a cost reduction for intermediates, but an increase for midget paddlers. However, overall, those cost adjustments are expected to balance out.

Affiliation invoices sent out by the region will reflect the new fees from October 2022.

Don’t miss out on a chance to win a brand new Tai paddle, and one of three divisional trophies.

Head over to https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2022/04/13/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2022/ for details.

Whetū Mārama: Bright Star

For Māori, the canoe underpins our culture. We once built waka/canoes from giant trees and sailed the vast Pacific by the stars.  These arts were lost to us for 600 years. Then the stars re-aligned and three men from far flung islands revived our place as the greatest navigators on the planet, a Hawaiian, a Micronesian and Hek Busby, “The Chief” from Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Whetū Mārama: Bright Star is the story of Sir Hekenukumai Ngaiwi Puhipi, aka Hek Busby, and his significance for Māori in rekindling their wayfinding DNA and for all New Zealanders in reclaiming our place as traditional star voyagers on the world map.  

Showing at these cinemas, from 7 July:

Embassy 3, Whanganui
The Screening Room, Masterton
Light House Cinema Pauatahanui, Wellington
Light House Cinema Petone, Wellington

Check out the details for the first race of this year’s Series, available at https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2022/04/13/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2022/.

The race is hosted by Tunui / Tai Tonga, and will be held at Evans Bay, Wellington.

Check out the details for this year’s winter series, available at https://hoetonga.wordpress.com/2022/04/13/hoe-tonga-paddler-series-2022/.

The first race is hosted by Tunui & Tai Tonga and entries are now open.