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MORE than 600 outrigger canoe paddlers will converge on Sydney International Regatta Centre this weekend, as Penrith hosts the Outrigger National Sprint Titles, featuring crews of up to six paddlers over distances between 250 and 1,000 metres.
Historically steeped in Polynesian and Hawaiian culture, outrigging is truly a team-sport where every paddler must work to keep the canoe moving.
“The sport uses a 12 metre canoe that is steered by a nine and a half inch rudder, which is a feat in itself,’ said event organiser, Stephanie Jacques.
It will be the second time the Sprint Titles have been to Penrith and organisers believe the Regatta Centre’s facilities suits their sport down to the ground.
“We are using Penrith because of its state of the art timing facilities and because the lanes are even, as opposed to rivers, where the outside lanes are disadvantaged by the riverbanks,†Jacques said.
Teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory will race in crews of one, two and six over distances of 500m and 1,000m for National Titles.
Secretary of Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association, Tanya Olive, said it would be one of the biggest National Sprints ever held.
“The last one at Penrith in 2005 was big but this year will be huge,†Olive said.
This Saturday, May 17, a total of 90 races will be held, followed by 33 races on Sunday, including a much-anticipated State v State initiative.
“The V12 are strapping canoes together, we are racing six women and six men, which will be an amazing thing to watch,†said Jacques.
The competition between teams will be fierce as they rip through the water, tearing down the straight at the Regatta Centre. All teams will use equipment provided at the venue, not only cutting freight and travel costs, but also levelling the field.
National Title winners qualify for the Outrigger World Sprints in Sacramento.
Comments
!!!! - LOOK AT THAT WHY DOESNT NZ JUST HAVE IT LIKE THAT TEAMS WHO WIN QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD SPRINTS NOT GOOD OLD NEW ZEALAND HAS TO DO IT THE MOST HARDEST WAY
16-May-2008
Anon - Yes, good point. Makes heapsa sense.....
1st 3 teams through to worlds in each division-SIMPLE!!!!
16-May-2008
2006 worlds - If we want to win medals we need to send our best National teams, not our best club teams. Like we did in 2006.
16-May-2008
Alex - Australia Huge = 123 races, NZ Normal = 339 races, our event is in a different league
16-May-2008
come on... - Well we did well in 2006 and also you carnt tell me that the trials we had were fair can you?? and it should be up to those people who received medals at nationals wether they want to go or not because there are better club teams out there at the moment who arent even going to worlds but can do the damage!!!!!
16-May-2008
.... - yes nationals should have been the qualifing rounds as you are at yor peek then you would have had 5 months training rather than 2 months and also would have given more teams to find funding and sponsorship but now youve got to fit all this into 2 months nkoa make it very hard on paddlers who do not have alot of money,
16-May-2008
Peter Low - Come on folks think about it, name one other sport that sends club teams to the World Finals. When Gordon Titjen takes a team to World 7s does he take the Marist Team from Wellington or a national squad. Same applies for any other mainstream / recognised sport. How can we grow the sport and gain the recogniton that it deserves if we continue to organise along the "mates" lines. Hell even rowing and kayaking select teams and not put the national title holders in.
16-May-2008
Anon - Thats where people need to look at the national champions because thats where the medals are going to come in look at the wooley kumara's, Hinerupe Maidens they are both world champion teams and they are club teams they didnt go out looking for other paddlers they are just a club team and they dominate the world in there selected age groups.........
NKOA need to take a look at past world champion teams because they have that experience you know theres those club teams who can probally just go to these so called trials and take these world teams out simple.
this years selection process is the worst!! we were mucked around with venues up to the last minute and then get to this new venue and the conditions are awfull paddlers who were FREEZING and didnt even want to paddle some of the times at these trials were not even accurate i had a stop watch and timed a race and the people on the finish line had there time 10 seconds faster than what i did now you carnt tell me that we were put through an official trial can you???
16-May-2008
Canada 2010 - i trialled out and was given a time in my race that i know i didnt do, officials got me mixed up with lane 2b or was i in 2a or was it 3a? .... Any way im not going, im starting my trainings now in winter so im up for it .( hope its same conditions next time )
16-May-2008
Maewa - Kia ora ... I tautoko everyones comment and think top 3 from nash's W1's, W6's & W12's should go to worlds. Did we not learn from the 2006 worlds, reason why Aoteroa did so well was because we went as a national side, the majority of our teams that medalled were national sides with a couple of club and regional teams like the Wooleys (Horouta Open Men), Hinerupe (Horouta J16 Women)and Manawaru (Mareikura J19 & Open Women). However, my question is to you Anon Paddler, were all these paddlers from the one club and/or region?
16-May-2008
HAMMER - I thought the trial in Rotorua was good we were all in the same conditions on the same day so it was pretty even to me. just think if the conditions arnt good in Sacramento we still have to paddle in them remember the last worlds we were surfing down the 500
16-May-2008
Anon - I do believe that the Wolley kumara were indeed one team from HOROUTA not a NZ team it was a CLUB TEAM, the under 16 women had one paddler from out of there region and the manawaru had a few inputs from other regions the thing is that club teams still produce the results on the day.
its all about theses trials thats all it is.
the trials were unorganised.....
take a look back at the 2005 October trials very well organised, accurate timming, didnt see none of that at okareka the start line i admit i was over the start line by about 2 boats and so were the rest of the singles. no one got DQ for that did they??
16-May-2008
Anon - exsactly there is a difference between surfing down the lanes and a side chop isnt there!!!!
16-May-2008
padle - Good comment hammer i remember the last day cutting up rough and we all had to paddle in it.
16-May-2008
hammer - To Aron there was very little if any side chop last day it was manly pushing from behind check out u tube 500m mens final thats the one where the Kumaras got smoked
16-May-2008
happy - Yes i remember surfing down that 500m corse on the saturday very fun
16-May-2008
happy - algood hammer did you paddle in the W12 with wooleys or were u in the boats that were surpose to win come on wooleys are the worlds best!!
1500 and double haul
16-May-2008
Anon - and about that side chop not at the bloody worlds clown at the trials!!!!
16-May-2008
hammer - To Arno what you crying about so what if there was side chop we all had to paddle in it. you dont see us crying about it, and what if its like that in Sacramento what you going to do go home get hard.
16-May-2008
pdle - Well said Hammer
16-May-2008
Ace - Yeh Arno get hard
16-May-2008
NZ #1 WOOLEY KUMARA - hahaha so u must not have paddled for the wooleys aye must have been in one of those other boats than was surpose to win but didnt huh correct ahaha im crying about the trials because they were not even if you take a look at the rest of the comments than you would see its not just about the conditions.......
jealous aye hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
16-May-2008
Anon - and its actually anon not arno haha
16-May-2008
hammer - To wooly kumara nah i was up with the big boys snr masters ha ha
16-May-2008
Maewa - I don't know why everyone is getting uptight about weather conditions, we got the choppy water and not the Wooleys. At the end of the day, Wooleys are the reigning world champs and rightly so as they believed in themselves and trained hard and came up with the results. However, at the 2006 Maori National Sports Awards, they were beaten by a bunch of girls (Manawaru J19). Hahahahahahaha. Why was this?
16-May-2008
Maewa - Taiho Anon, there were 2 paddlers injected from other regions into Hinerupe (Gemma & Rose) and 2 for Manawaru, Horouta paddler (Kinah) for the turning races and 1 from up North(Iri) in the 500m races
16-May-2008
AMA - All good comments but i think its all a bite to late now we have a process in place, teams have been formed, time trails have been done, theres only just over two months till we fly out. so teams are getting into the fine tuneing end now and i think it would be crazy to revert to club teams at this late stage so i think we just have to make the best of the situation in front of us.
16-May-2008
WAKA - Ae, good on ya AMA, move on but dn't xpect results 2 b as gud as 06 worlds
16-May-2008
fizz - To Maewa its becauce Manawaru was a true champion team and not a bunch of show offs like some others.
16-May-2008
Kan - way to go Fizz
16-May-2008
Tu Te Hoe - Hey comments are sweet but talk about lost the plot. Awesome to have Ozzy Mates share their National Sprint panui with us. But hey do we really need the gist of Horauta and Mareikura bros and sistas!! Panui ki to own website e hoa ma. Rock on '08 Worlds' as there are some die hard paddlers that have been doing the mish trainings, travel, fundraising, trials to get their own nono there with or without national funding. Go hard Nga Kaihoe O Aotearoa (NZ Paddlers) and to our Ozzy Mates over the ditch enjoy the view from the back.
16-May-2008
Maewa - Exactly Fizz .. the girlz in Manawaru are da most humble bunch of girlz even afta they take out a national title .. it's jst u neva hear any of dese girlz blowing their bags like other's yahooing all the way back 2 da dock!! Dn't get me rong .. I wasn't putting dese bunch of champs dwn ... 1st J19 team 2 win the Open Women title in 2005 and da majority of dese girls were still eligible 2 race in J16. Shontelle McLean, Louise Wharehinga, Danielle Destounis, CC Tureia, Shirley Mullaney and Donnelle Brown. Not taking anything away from Stina Brebner and Ollie Te Tohu. Laterz
16-May-2008
AMA - To Waka yeh i think its going to be a bite like that this worlds last worlds we had all our top paddlers there e.g Goodyear, Herberts and alike this time i think we only have two open mens crews all up and the bulk of our top paddlers are not going. may be this is something the NKOA need to look at, if NZ is going to be up there at the world level we need to surport and have our top paddlers there just like the rowers (but with out the money)
16-May-2008
Maewa - Na, no ones on bebo .. they all in here commenting lol!!! Tu te hoe!!
16-May-2008
Dodgiebro - The reason that any team will do well at sprints is that they have trained hard together, three plus days a week. Sprints are such a well tune race that there is no degree for error. If a Nat selected team can do that, great. But I can't see it happening with out big bucks, which we all know our sport doesn't have. You can be strong fast paddlers, but you still have to put a heap of time working at refining your run, otherwise you are the few seconds off the mark to get a medal.
I'd say the success of the teams that meddled would be that, Time Together. Plus of course a heap of natural ability.
Go Hard to the ones that have put their hands up and been through all the, what sounds like sh1t, to get there. Bring back those neck weights
16-May-2008
Maewa - Yep, u hit it on the head there Ama .. Putea!! It all comes down to that. NKOA aren't going to cough up!! cos how would they get themselves over if they paid our top paddlers to represent hahaha ... laterz people ... my class starts in 5 mins!! Nice chatting and reading everyones comments ... this is way better than bebo lol!!!
16-May-2008
canada 2010 - i agree we all had the same conditions to trial in and they might be the same as in sacremento 2008... i wonder if they will have 2 to a lane there too?
16-May-2008
Jacko - Good point canuck.lol good luck with your training.
16-May-2008
annon - the nz 1500m mens open team are going to the worlds and they are a few seconds off the world title time set 2 years ago
They are self funded and from the south island
say no more
maybe they have scared the rest of the competition off from nz ha ha
16-May-2008
The Truth - Conditions for trials were fine, as like it was previously said everybody paddled in the same conditions. It was the organising that wasn't. People were standing around for a couple of hours before anyone really knew what was happening. Some waka were still sideways on the start, others over the line, no waka numbers to identify who was in which lane. Some paddlers weren't even on the start line and races were started. But too late now, everyones just gotta deal with it and train harder.
However, this could have come down to lack of volunteers on the day, but there could have been other ways around it.
No matter what conditions are people still have to paddle in it. It becomes unfair when processes are not put in place properly especially for a World's Trial. It is crucial as you want your best to go forward and represent NZ.
Go hard everyone who is competing in Sacramento and Good Luck.....
16-May-2008
The Truth - When will the results be posted from the trials? Does anyone know?
16-May-2008
Annon - Yeah I agree top 3 club teams(W6) @ nats go to worlds if still performing & desire to go then next 3 strongest teams weather club or composite teams to make up NZ team worlds allocation so we keep our 6 lane allocation for next worlds thereafter.W1 criteria to remain the same 1st 3 @ nats then those performing thereafter make up rest of allocated lanes but all must still trial to ensure work is still being done & times still improving constantly prior to worlds,those not face risk of dropping down order & even missing out.W12s as above,
Trials @ Okareka what a shambles I dont think too much could be taken from it.
Dont know where these results got to?
16-May-2008
Anon - Come on people get real.
Coming from a background in a number of other "mainstream" sports, it continues disappoint me that waka ama (which is such a great sport) lets itself down by basing its national teams more on who can afford to go, rather than who is the best. This is the only sport Ive been involved in where your club teams can go straight to nationals.
The way it should work is a continual process of selection so that getting to nationals is a privilege not a right, and getting SELECTED for worlds is an actual selection, not a process of elimination based on your bank balance and who you know.
Why isnt waka ama like every other sport? You have your own regionals with club teams, then your region selects ONE regional team for each grade made up of the best individuals from that region, then the regional teams go to Nationals to compete for National titles and the best paddlers from there are selected to represent NZ. One team per grade and thats it.
Handing out the ability to go to worlds to anyone with a spare $5k does nothing for our sport's credibility and just makes calling yourself a NZ paddling rep something you can buy.
We need to grow up and get over our "lets try to include everyone" attitude and concentrate on creating a competitive environment where getting into a regional and national team actually means something.
17-May-2008
http://itimanuka.bebo.com ChaAaA HoOoOo!!! - look at all you guys hahahaha
why dont we just be like
Tahiti and train harder..doing more long distance paddling to build your selves up. Throw away all your rudder canoes cause your not helping yourself get better...
I talked with Taaroa Dubois at the takapuna race and mileage is what he does. He Said he does 40km every morning, 7 days a week, paddling to moorea an back to tahiti... he also reckins hes unfit but look at him kick everyones arse. Hes a humble World Champ leaving behind all the top paddlers around.
Maybe if you Chuck away your rudder canoes and do rudderless you might do good :) hahahaha
17-May-2008
Tahitian - If you look at the Hawaiians and tahitians who exceed in the world comps..
they both do long distance through out the year doing mileage. The only difference is hawaiians use Surf Canoes like the hurricane and pegasus... and Tahitians use there rudderless canoes like the timi vaa and so on...
in the end who's at the top? the tahitians.
And both of em exceed over nz
17-May-2008
Tahitian Paddler ...YEH RIGHT!!!! - Look at the Tahitian and hawaiians.
both Do more long distance paddling then Nz.
the difference between the two in single paddling is hawaiians use rudder surfin canoes and tahitians use rudderless. For some reason the tahitian do way better in the rudderless canoe then what others can do in rudder canoes. so that kinder explains everything if you ask me.
Rudderless makes you a better paddler..
17-May-2008
http://TaaroaDubois.com - This guys the man
17-May-2008
BOLOS - Is it not sad to see how there is so much to talk about in negative sense. Lets hope people who are in a position to do something, will. And those of us who have a lot to say will not just talk but put our hands up and help try better the structure of our great sport.
17-May-2008
Anon - Well Said Bolos!
17-May-2008
Tim Smith - Learn how to spell before posting your comments!
and good luck to those who are off to the world's!
18-May-2008
John - Nah you spell
18-May-2008
Old Kiwi paddler - Look who cares if you can spell, just as long as you can paddle. Everyone should be allowed an opinion, this input helps us build a better paddling organization.
I live in Aus and I can tell you The natiionals here is never up to the standard of NZ.
The worlds at NZ were the best ever and may never be beaten.
Yes getting Natiional crews togather is expensive and our paddlers are not all rich or have annaul leave to burn. So there is no real answer if sponsorship is not there to be had. If we are to get sponsorship we need to working togather and not seen to be infighting.
Please take up your issues with your regional body who will then bring the issues to light at Natianl level. Our sport is run on Volunteer energy. These people love the sport culture so much they give till it hurts.
NKOA has done wonderful things for our sport in our country. I havce witness the ordinary at the beginning and seen the huge world standard setting growth.
As our paddling buddy said it all, when he metioned that national medalist were not selected in Rowing or Kayaking. Well I believe that NKOA have made the best efforts to getting us paddlers to the best of our ability and also searching out the best blend. No system will please all, and no matter what system we choose to follow, paddlers will feel hard done by.
We need to find answers to these questions
1) As we strive for excellence, how can we subsidize travel to taining camp venues for world ranked NKOA paddlers
2) We have so many world champions and world record holders...so why is sponsorship so hard to find?
3) The majority of these world Champions are Maori... is there a better role model!!?, come on Moari TV (thank you for coverage but not enough!) and TWOA...and the rest.
4) Has any other sport in NZ history..ever produced such numbers of world Champions and world champion coaches?
So fellow paddlers, these comments are being read overseas and it hurts this Kiwi paddler because I know that we run the best regattas in the world and we have harmony most of the time.
"Paddletics" exists everywhere. No singleclub is free from it, so expect it to be present when all clubs COME TOGATHER AS ONE (NKOA).
Paddling in Tahiti is their Natianl sport. They have professional teams....maybe...just maybe we need to export our sports people to Tahiti like Rugby and Rugby leauge do to australia and England France etc.
Do you think Shell or any professioanl Vaa crew would turn down Maui if he rocked up and said he wanted a seat in their Waka?
Anways, go hard in Sacramento, you have always done us proud. Maggie and crew, look after our paddlers...just like you have always done.
Waka Ama is the best sport in my world and kiwis are the best!
18-May-2008
WAKA AMA - nicely said old kiwi paddler
18-May-2008
annon - Is the kiwi paddler who lives in aussie Nik Titov?
he's a ruski isnt he
18-May-2008