KC - Any Pics going to be posted?

20-Oct-2008

Alex - Email your photos in and i will put them on the website. [email protected]

20-Oct-2008

Anon - Great race guys. Awesome bit of water to paddle. Please make it a annual event and I'm sure we will all be back with huge smile on.

21-Oct-2008

goldless girly - why don't you promote the fastest women paddler in the race without the rudder not only did she win the race over all the catergory's she travelled over 14 hours to get there - she won it overall and there is nothing on her, No Gold for the winner that is weird.

Way to go NZ Waka Ama full of politics again.

21-Oct-2008

paddle - I think they should just do away with the rudder div. it will put everyone on the same level.your not allowed to use a ruddered boats at the sprint nats, why then at these nats like the sprints the enforces is on the paddlers skill to controll there canoe and the conditions, the rudder div just makes it confusing.there are plenty other races out there for canoes with rudders just leave the nat ruddreless i reckon.

24-Oct-2008

ama - To goldless girl i think the paddler you are talking about was in the ruddered div they dont qualify for medals only if she was rudderless

24-Oct-2008

DB - There is definitely scope for a Rudder division with medals. Those boys and girls put just as much effort in and you are competing against others on the level field. It takes different skills for both classes to be the best, so why not. I wish I had my rudder going down. It was bumping! I could have gone for another 30km like that.

24-Oct-2008

AROCA - Ruddered boats wheres the skill in that the rudders doing all the work i take my hat off to the rudderless paddlers specially in those conditions.twice as hard

24-Oct-2008

Aale - I think theres room for both ruddered and non ruddered W1 events.
Alot of paddlers wont have the skill or confidence to go rudderless, but are more than happy to compete at the mo with a rudder, and in the future possibly rudderless.I would like to think that we encourage all paddlers to compete as often as possible.If there was to be only rudderless div's, then would there have been only half the competitors? Maybe?

24-Oct-2008

ama - well put aroca

24-Oct-2008

wave rider - The nats are to find our best paddlers not have a go day theres plenty other races for that. on a bigger note what about getting more jnr teams into the races i think the NKOA should look at this they are the future of our sport

24-Oct-2008

canoe 1 - Good point

24-Oct-2008

KC - One of the most concerning factors for the long distance Nats was the lack of teams did not show. By no means am I putting down the teams that did compete. what I am putting across is that there were only 5 Open Mens W6, less Open Womens teams, and similar numbers for the other divisions. I find it weird that being Nats, clubs would of put their best foot forward, but many didn't. I know some teams have been preparing for Tahiti (well done Vaka Manu, Go hard over there; and they showed up to the race) or were already in Hawaii, but that can not account for the number of teams out there able to compete and did not show. The event location was wicked and the feed after was second to none! Big congrats to the mixed team from Chch who made the trip up. Well done. To the rest, if you really want to support our sport, then events like this should be a high priority. I am sure if clubs decidied sprint Nats were no good and did not attend, there would be an outcry!!!!!!!

24-Oct-2008

Just-Do-It! - Some good points made KC, but did you know that there is also a W6 Master Womens crew going to Tahiti for the 24km marathon race in Raiatea, who also participated & took the bronze placing in the Master Womens Division. We've only been paddling together as a crew since end of August & we've come a long way. Good luck to us!!
Also, big ups to memorials made to the late James Moore.

24-Oct-2008

Chikki - This has to be one of the coolest venues for a race. The last event held here before the LDN was in 2000. In 1998 it attracted a number of paddlers from Hawaii and Tahiti. The race was known as the Te Taiawhiao Ipipiri Waka Hoe. The women's division at that time was one by Junior women 19 crew that came in almost 45 mins before the rest of the women - they surfed most of the way in. At that time the race was orgnanised by Papa Smurf (Kris Kjeldsen. Rob did a great job of directing the LDN race 2008 and maybe it could become a fixture on the Waka calendar as the Te Taiawhiao Ipipiri Waka Hoe again Rob?

24-Oct-2008

Denise - Congratulations to all the paddlers at long distance nationals (especially the oneman). we travelled from Gizzie over ten hours to get there. Tony and i both competed in the rudderless oneman races. Conditions were difficult but hey that's waka.I had an unplanned detour to russell, watched all the ladies go round the island from my vantage point, went searching for mussels at the island and had a lovely fifteen minute swim.After a quick ride back with the support boat, waka in tow, i was was greeted with the sight of thirty two muscle bound testostorone filled paddlers all lined up.( i mistakingly thought they were the search party)Once i paddled through them ignoring dirty looks and flaring nostrils there on the beach a lone paddler hands on hips awaited my return. OOps sorry dear !!! While disappointed with my result( you win some you lose some)I thoroughtly enjoyed myself and will be back rudderless again. Every race is different, you have to take the good with the bad.If everyone waited for those calm flat conditions, you'd spend your days sitting on the beach.Hope to see you all again at sprints

24-Oct-2008

Aale - for sure the Nats are to find our best, no disputing that.But they are not as exactly overcrowded at the mo.How many paddlers in most w6 crews can paddle to a high degree of skill in a rudderless w1? (to be competitive)Not to many I think; but are v/good w1 ruddered paddlers and compete well.
R/less paddlers are at the top of the game,I admire them.But dont forget the rest of the didicated paddlers- thats all I'm trying to say.

24-Oct-2008

Anon - Too much to the junior that paddled with goodyear. Gold in the Junior and Open. Mean

24-Oct-2008

Chikki - They sure are breeding Juniors big these days!!!

24-Oct-2008

AROCA - Yeh good to see Goodyear bringing these young fallas though awsome. i think his name is Napollen

24-Oct-2008

Danger - Thats what we need if were going to compete against Tahiti and Hawaii in the big races young fallas like this look at Taharoa and mike Vanee

24-Oct-2008

pop up - good point

24-Oct-2008

Hakahula - I love this discussion - a pity we don't have a dedicated discussion space on the Website aye?

24-Oct-2008

rudder or rudderless - You dont see Model T cars racers happening. So why would you not let ruddered canoes race. There is an art to Rudderless and ruddered paddling. Let everyone excell in each. Having a rudder aint cheating. It should deserve medals at the nationals as well.

24-Oct-2008

AROCA - Prety much all races we do these days dnt have a rudderless division its just w1 w2 w6 ext. And there are quit alot of racers during the year in each area so my point is why cant we have two tradional racez a year by tradional meaning ruddless the two national events. I,m not that great myself at ruderless paddling i admit but i find it so great being one with the water and thats wat it feels like when you paddle one of these boats. Yea it is harder but all the best paddlers in NZ can paddle rudderless they all turn up at the sprint natz and do that. Lets not get lazy as a nation and stick to the same old stuff.

24-Oct-2008

AMA UP - I rest my case AROCA u hit the nail on the head with that one. Nationl events leave your rudder at home heaps of other races where you can put it back on its only for two races guyz surely that ant to hard.

24-Oct-2008

Hakahula - So wen you talk about traditional - wat does that mean? Koa waka, wooden bladz ??? I think that evryone should be proficient at all divisions and in the end - there are more than one waka to get from a to b in than with a fibre glass waka or carbon blade - choice is a good thing.

24-Oct-2008

JAZZ!! - Hakahula are you familiar with sailing they have a thing called class,z that they race in do you see any of that in our other races around NZ meaning a rudderless and rudderd division i dont itz just w1 none of the big racers in NZ have them. Not every one has a 2kg hawaiian boat in there back yard but there are alot of flat water boats here that you can paddle rudderless so we need to keep these racers tradional meaning rudderless. and like the erlyer comment someone said its only for two regattaz.

24-Oct-2008

Seat One - I was one of the team that travelled from Chch to paddle at the LDN - we were not going to miss a chance to paddle in the Bay of Islands - awesome race, awesome food and awesome people, thanks for a great event and I agree that it is a pity that more teams didn't take the time to be there!! I will be back if you hold it again.

24-Oct-2008

POP i - Well done to every one that went up and done well any way. I thought i,ll break all the tension up ha ha ha!!!

24-Oct-2008

AG - That was definitely a hard race, those winds were deadly alright. Big ups to all the paddlers that came, life gets so busy these days and for those that do make that commitment to support our sport is awesome. Being a rudderless paddler, I fully understand the level of difficulty, however, I also appreciate those who race ruddered. From previous comments and from observation, many ruddered paddlers still have quite a bit more to give and with rudderless flying right in behind them...up the comp I reckon. Make the course longer for the ruddered. If we are looking for the best, it will definitely test the them more. What ya reckon?

24-Oct-2008

Tahi Vaa Fern (smiling) - *G0LD* YeeYahh!!!!!
"To Much Ladies" (Ari, BettyAnne, San's, Mena)

24-Oct-2008

Mereana Hodges/Mike - please don't run me down - Great to read all the comments after a hard paddle of course; Congrats to all, we stayed at the Marae - breakfast was supplied, hot showers, and the support from the lovely locals and race organiser always working overtime. However, the race was advertised to late? maybe set a date and venue now for next year? The rudderless (no rudder) is even harder to paddle compared to using a rudder in a fast sit on canoe - polaris back home in Rarotonga - paddling a rudderless (no rudder) canoe in our cold ocean against the winds and surf, let alone with no-rudder is (MEAN!) big ups to my mate Denise Tapp what a crack up comment mate its always a competition when your name is on the entries - i would have loved to have a beer with you after the race - shame it started so late and Aroha who had boat problems it was bloody hard stuff i couldn't see anything out there! Well done T Thomas - a real honor to be up there by your name it won't last long all the other girls will be hard out now, and of course my husband for his ongoing support. Who has my gold medal and prize?

26-Oct-2008

Get Real - At present rudderless W1 division paddlers at LDN are eligible for medals. Ruddered paddlers can compete - BUT are not eligible for medals. This is the current situation and it should remain - we just don't seem to have the volume of paddlers who are competing rudderless to warrant a soley rudderless LDN. This was evident at the LDN - (if you took out the ruddered paddlers on the day - there would have only been a very small field!!!). Where were all the rest of NZs rudderless paddlers???? The ruddered paddlers all knew they were not eligible for medals but they still raced - and good on them!!! Why take away that opportunity (they know they can't get a medal - but still wanted to do it) Don't knock the ruddered paddlers - there's enough space for both divisions at the LDN. We all need the competition.

26-Oct-2008

POP i - What would happen if i turned up to the sprint nats with my ruddered canoe looks like we have one set of rules for the sprint nats and one for the long distance nats rudderless only i say.

26-Oct-2008