Waiheke Waka Ama Club members are among the 3875 paddlers descending on Lake Karāpiro this week for the 2025 National Sprint Championships where the exponential growth of waka ama in Aotearoa is on full display. The numbers reflect a 19 percent increase in participation compared to the 2024 regatta and youth paddlers make up over 60 percent of the field. More than 2000 of the participants come from Auckland and the Central North Island combined while the increasing presence of international teams underscores the sport’s swelling global appeal.
As competitors arrived on Sunday and set up camp, the event got underway with a pōwhiri hosted by Pohara and Maungatautari Marae. The karanga welcomed a diverse crowd of paddlers, supporters and international guests, including teams from Australia, Fiji, Tonga, the UK and the US. After the welcome, competitors and guests shared kai before the competition commenced, as is tradition in the burgeoning sport that transcends racing to strengthen cultural, community and familial bonds.
• Sarah Gloyer
Full story in this week’s Gulf News……. On sale now
© Waiheke Gulf News Ltd 2025