E te hunga haere moana, tēnei te whakanui, tēnei te whakamānawa i ngā mahi a te tupuna nei, a Īhenga.  Ko Īhenga tūhura, ko Ihenga hōpara, ko Īhenga torotoro ē! Nāna i taunaha ngā roto moana o Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe rāua ko Te Rotoiti-kitea-ai-e-Īhenga. 

Otirā ia, he whakatutuki hoki tēnei i te moemoeā o tō mātou pāpā, hoa hoki, a Rāwiri Rangitauira. Nō reira, kia mau, ki te hoe, hoea! Poua ngā wai karekare o ngā moana nei kia ea ai te kupu, he waka eke noa!  

Ruamata Waka Ama Club invite you to Te Aro o Īhenga, a waka ama race traversing (Lakes) Rotorua and Rotoiti, honouring one of Te Arawa’s eponymous ancestors and his famous expeditions which established Te Arawa and its descendants in this region.  

The race runs across (Lake) Rotorua from Reeme St Reserve, Ngongotahā to the Ōhau Channel, along the Ōkere diversion wall and into (Lake) Rotoiti.  The race finish is at Te Tāhuna (Hinehopu Reserve), Tamatea Street, in Rotoiti.  It is approximately 30 km.  

PROGRAMME/HŌTAKA

Saturday, 17th of September

7:00am Karakia

                        Ruruku waka/Lash waka

7.30 am Registration and Waka Checks 

8.30 am Race Briefing

9.00 am RACE START – Men, Women, and Mixed W6

1.00 pm Kai and presentation of taonga and medals

2.00 pm Karakia whakawātea/Pack up

Registration 

• Online registrations only.  Deadline is 11.59 pm, Wednesday, 14th September
• $40 per paddler, including soup, bread and hāngi after the race.  Extra hāngi can be purchased.  Please order by email
• Divisions: Men, Women, and Mixed (no age divisions)
• Only experienced paddlers over 16 years of age
• Race entry fees can be paid online to the following account:
• Ruamata Waka Ama Inc. 38 9003 0278797 00
• Please ensure you clearly identify your payment with the crew name. Full team payments only please
• All participants MUST sign a safety waiver declaring his/herself to be competent
• In the event of adverse weather conditions, we will endeavour to inform of any cancellations by 5pm, Friday 16th of September via the waka ama website and by email

Compulsory Items for Safety Check

• 25m tow rope (secured to taumanu)
• 6 PFDs
• 2 spare paddles
• Spray skirts
• 2 bailers
• Flare
• Cellphone
  

Ōhau Channel will be closed from 9 am til 12 pm.  Waka must have entered the channel by no later than 10.30 am and exited by no later than 11.30am.  Rotorua and Rotoiti will not be closed, and therefore, local maritime rules apply for safe navigation.    

We ask that teams abide by certain tikanga (protocol) in Ōhau channel.  From the weir, at the top of the channel, to the delta, at the bottom of the channel (at the top of the Ōkere wall) there shall be NO passing.  However, we expect that all teams will respect the principle that is fair competition and neither unnecessarily impede, nor excessively contest other waka.  

Teams will need to organise for the transport of their own trailer to the race finish at Te Tāhuna (Hinehopu Reserve), Rotoiti.  

Waka booking:

All enquiries to: [email protected].  For those teams who have booked waka, please make sure you bring your own gear as listed above. You are also required to rig and de-rig your waka on the day.

Enquiries:

Race Director: Heeni Hope

Club Secretary: Amy Scott

Email: [email protected]