Wairau 100 Waters Paddling Club

Wairau 100 Waters Paddling Club Sharing and connecting people to all our paddling journeys.

And with that whānau our Aus Champ Trans Tasman and Oceania journey has come to an end.Four days of racing.Four days of ...
24/04/2026

And with that whānau our Aus Champ Trans Tasman and Oceania journey has come to an end.

Four days of racing.
Four days of challenge, pressure, and moments that asked more of us.

And every time… we found a way to answer.

We came here to race, and we did that. We pushed hard, we competed, and we walked away with results we can be proud of.

But what stays with us isn’t just the medals.

It’s the connections we built.
The way we came together.
The way we showed up for each other, on and off the water.

This campaign was about whānau.
About heart.
About the journey we’ve been on together.
About the intent behind every stroke and the meaning behind every moment.

That’s what carried us.

We leave with titles.
With memories.
With moments that will stay with us.

But more than that…

We leave knowing who we are.
And how we show up.

Ngā mihi to our whānau back home for your tautoko, to the new friends we’ve made here in Aus, and to our sponsors who made it all possible.

Ka mau tā Wairau
Ki tōna ringa
Tē rūrū
Ka kai tā Wairau
Ki te ngongi
Ka toa
Ka mau ka ita
Ka eke panuku

Once Wairau takes hold, it does not let go.
Our blades take effect upon the water.
We hold firm.
And success rises to meet us.

Awhi when it’s needed. Fire when it counts.
💙🩵💙

Backed by the best.We had some mahi to do and you, our sponsors, helped make it happen.Your support got us to the start ...
24/04/2026

Backed by the best.

We had some mahi to do and you, our sponsors, helped make it happen.

Your support got us to the start line and backed us all the way through. When we stepped out there, we carried that with us.

Massive thanks to:
pai_industries
Canyonz Adventure Company
Moana Road moanaroad
skindepot.nz
hair_by_ariane
heavenlybeautynails
Vaikobi
officemaxnz OfficeMax New Zealand
bunningsnz
raglanboatcharters_

We’re proud to represent you and grateful to have you in our corner.

An ode to our drummers.Before the blade enters the water…there is a call.A rhythm.A heartbeat.The drummers.Not just keep...
23/04/2026

An ode to our drummers.

Before the blade enters the water…
there is a call.
A rhythm.
A heartbeat.

The drummers.

Not just keeping time,
but giving life to it.

The pulse of the waka.
Felt through the hull,
through the bodies of every paddler,
binding them as one.

What they give is felt before it is heard.

In the lift.
In the drive.
In the moment a crew locks in.

They read the water.
They feel the crew.
They know when to hold,
when to build,
when to call something forward.

It takes time and skill to learn to draw the lift from a crew with very few words.
They speak through the beat.
Through the intensity of the drum.

Carrying the mauri.
Holding the ihi.
Drawing out the wehi.
Igniting the wana.

This is not just timing.
This is trust.
Its own form of leadership.

Ngā mihi to our drummers.
For the rhythm you carry.
For the heartbeat you give.
For the way you move us as one.

An integral part of what makes us Wairau
The Wairau way. Always.

23/04/2026

The hunt. Round two.

Then came the 22 sisters.

A force.
A presence.
Something you don’t just see, but feel.

You have to understand, whānau…
this is not 22 individuals.

She is one.

One wāhine toa.
Carried by the ihi, the wehi and the wana of the 22 who give her life.

There was carnage in their race.
A moment that caught them. Held them.

For a breath.

But it did not stop them.

If anything, it called something more forward from within.

And the response?

The dragon flew.
And she was beautiful.

They walked away with Gold 🥇
Oceania champions.

But more than that…

They showed us what it looks like
when connection, heart, and strength move as one.

That’s what closed our day.

The Wairau way. Always.

23/04/2026

The hunt. Round one.
Man, did we work it.

The water moved.
The wind tested.
The pressure built.

And still there was control.
Precision.
Ex*****on.

Our Senior A and Senior B Mixed Small crews led the charge for Wairau.
Eyes forward. Locked in.
The pack ahead in their sights.

No one safe.

And you could see the work at play.

In the surge and glide of the dragon.
In the quiet loading of each blade.
In the raw power.
In the rhythm.
In the breath.
In the way they moved as one.

Drawing them in.
Closer.
Closer still.

Until they were no longer chasing…
but leaving.

You saw it in the sweep.
In the read of the water.
In the patience held when it needed to be held.
In the turns taken, not given.

We walked away from the hunt with Gold 🥇🥇
Oceania titles secured.

And moments that will stay with us.
The kind that matter.

The Wairau way. Always.

22/04/2026

Day 4 of racing. The final day.

It’s all about the hunt.
Hunting down the pack in front and racing the clock to the line.

The 2km is our favourite race. The one that puts the skill and precision of the sweep on full display.

Bring on the 2km heat. Bring on the Hunt🐲🐲

Three crews lining up today:
Senior A Mixed Small
Senior B Mixed Small
Senior A Women Standard

Here’s how the campaign has unfolded so far:

Day 1 – State Day Trans Tasman Championships

500m
Snr A Mixed Standard 🥇
Snr B Open Small 🥇
Snr B Women’s Small 🥇
Snr A Women’s Small 🥇

1000m
Snr B Open Small 🥇
Snr B Women’s Small 🥇

Day 2 – Oceania Championships

500m
Snr A Mixed Small 🥇
Snr B Mixed Small 🥇
Snr B Women’s Small 🥇

Day 3 – Oceania Championships (200m)
Snr A Women Small 🥇
Snr A Open Small 🥇
Snr B Women Small 🥇

Fastest time of Day 3 goes to Snr A Open with a 🔥 50.632.

Locked in and ready for what’s ahead.

Grateful to our whānau back home for your tautoko, we feel it. And to our sponsors who’ve helped get us here, thank you.

Awhi when it’s needed. Fire when it counts.
The Wairau way. Always.

Morning feels and Australian Dragon Boat Federation highlights and Medal pics from Day 4 (Day 2 of racing for us) ⬇️⬇️⬇️

22/04/2026

Day 3 of racing. And what a day it’s been.

Fast, furious 200m racing. Big moments. Tight finishes. Crews stepping up when it counted. Another strong day of results across the board and so much to be proud of.

Senior A Women 200m Small Boat 🥇
Senior A Open Men 200m Small Boat 🥇
Senior B Women 200m Small Boat 🥇

But it’s more than that.

It’s not just about racing.

It’s about connection.
About coming together.
About what you do and how you show up when you’re in it for each other.

You can’t have whānau without heart.
Without connection.
Without that shared intent to move as one.

And you see it in these moments.
In the smiles.
In the hugs.
In the babies in arms.
In the way our people show up for each other.

Awhi when it’s needed.
Fire when it counts.

That’s what we saw today.
That’s what we see every day.

The Wairau way. Always. 💙🩵💙

22/04/2026

Do you wanna throw it?

Hell yeah.

Our Senior A Open men didn’t just throw it down, they owned it.

Driving through the water with controlled power.
Mana in every stroke.
Lifting when it mattered. Bringing the fire when it counted most.

This wasn’t just a race.
It was composure under pressure.
All action, no hesitation.

Called out by commentators as a top 10 highlight, they turned heads with their 🔥 times and left their mark on the course.

From Bronze in 2024 to Gold in 2026, our Senior A Open men have claimed the Oceania Championship title.

Couldn’t be prouder Brothers🩵💙

22/04/2026

The sultry wāhine of Wairau moved with purpose today in the fast and furious 200m small boat races.

Weather shifted. Buoys challenged.
But they remained steady.

Calm in the chaos.
Controlled in every stroke.
Power held, then released.

A smooth recovery.
A measured attack.
A quiet confidence carrying them forward.

Through heats, semis and into the final, both Senior A and Senior B wāhine rose, claiming Gold and the Oceania Championship titles.

Ka rawe, wāhine toa. Mana on full display. 🔥

She’s a bit windy out there today as we come to the start of another epic day. Day 5 of the event and Day 3 of racing fo...
21/04/2026

She’s a bit windy out there today as we come to the start of another epic day. Day 5 of the event and Day 3 of racing for our Wairau whānau.

It’s the fast and furious 200m races today, with our Senior B Smooth Operators leading the charge.

With racing over in the blink of an eye, every move is made early, made with intent, and made with speed. All action. No hesitation.

So much excitement packed into one 🔥 race.

Go hard. Go well. Fire when it counts.🔥🩵💙

Morning feels pics ⬇️⬇️

Address

Hamilton

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wairau 100 Waters Paddling Club posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Wairau 100 Waters Paddling Club:

Shortcuts

Share

Category