Heretaunga Ararau O Ngati Kahungunu Waka Ama Roopu

20/08/2026

If you have been keen to give Waka Ama a go or have friends and whanau that you think would love to give it a blast, we have our Introduction course coming up mid- September. We are limited in how many we can take on the course and they do fill fast so if ya keen get in touch with Roy Boonen - contact details are on the flyer.

17/07/2026

A big thankyou to all those paddlers who came and supported our Matariki Race, we loved having you - here are the results:

13/07/2026

10/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki waka whanau

We are all go for our Matariki Race tomorrow and look forward to hosting you on our awa.

We have been keeping an eye on the river levels and the Ngaruroro River level is dropping. We will make a final call on the river state tomorrow morning and if needed we will adjust our course. If so we will do a few more laps on Mokotuararo awa. A bit repetitive for the paddlers but great for the spectators. We paddled on the awa today and it is good.

The ground around the rowing club is a little muddy so wear your gumboots and wrap up warm. We will have fire braziers going as well as hot soup and burgers for the paddlers, snags for the supporters and a coffee cart.

Because of the mud we are limiting the vehicles past the rowing club so consider parking on the road or on the Clive side of the awa in the Evers Swindell Reserve and walking over the bridge.

W1 paddlers we will have people to assist you in unloading your waka at the rowing club so that you can unload quickly and park your vehicle out on the road. W6 trailers please park in the large Evers Swindell Reserve carpark off Ferry Road, strap up the waka and paddle over the river to the event. This will stop the banks turning into a mud pit. Nga mihi.

See you all tomorrow and bring on the racing.

05/06/2026

Kia ora koutou,
The new Te Ūranga o te Rā regional board was established on 1 April this year. The current board members are:
Florrie Brooking, Diana Kopua, Horiata Raihania, Graeme Calder - Treasurer, Oriwia Taylor - Secretary, and Myka Nuku - Chairperson.
Since establishment, they have been reviewing our tikanga, structure, and board priorities. They are now advertising for an Appointed Board Member position to complete and complement the skills, experience, and aspirations of our new board.
For any enquiries, please contact them at: [email protected]
Ki te hoe,
TUoTR

20/05/2026

🌊 Race ready and community strong! 🚣‍♂️

NZCT is proud to support Heretaunga Ararau O Ngati Kahungunu Waka Ama Roopu with a $6,600 grant for new spray skirts and paddling gear.

Paddler Roy Boonen says, "Waka is a community building activity, it forces you to be a community, you can't paddle on your own, you can't win a race on your own, you have to work with other people, and I think there is a lot we gain from that."

NZCT can fund this community good thanks to the fundraising partnership we share with the Clive Hotel via their host responsible gaming lounge.

09/05/2026

Members of our roopu spent the morning planting a bit of land that we paddle alongside. We as a club have planted this area in the past and we have taken it upon ourselves to look after this strip of whenua. Today we gave the existing plantings some TLC and planted a bit more of the area. Be great to see it develop over the next few years. A big thankyou to Te Wai Mauri for the plants.

18/02/2026

Unlock Your Next Level: Hawkes Bay Workshops 21–22 Feb – Limited Spots

After a huge start to the year and so many paddlers pushing for the next level, I’m excited to share that I’ll be heading back to Hawkes Bay on 21–22 February.

The Napier community asked me to return after last year’s workshops, and it was an easy yes — the energy, commitment, and hunger to grow were incredible.

Across the two days at Pandora, Napier, I’ll be running a series of focused workshops designed to lift technique, confidence, and on‑water performance.

These include:
• Boost Your Paddling one‑day workshop
• Steering workshops
• V1 workshops
• Functional movement workshops built specifically for paddlers

These sessions are open to all paddlers, whether you’re building foundations or sharpening for the next level. If you’re ready to refine your technique, understand your body better, and get more out of every stroke, this is your chance.

Spots are limited, so book now to secure your place!

Click here to book!!
https://www.internationalpaddlingcoach.com/workshops