Day 5 of the 2026 Waka Ama Sprint Championships closed with the W1 250m Dash Finals, as crowds scrambled for cover following a brief tornado that passed through nearby Waikato townships.
While calmer conditions prevailed for much of the day compared with earlier rounds, the final hour again tested paddlers against both each other and Tāwhirimātea, placing experience firmly at the forefront.
The women’s divisions were dominated by Horouta Waka Hoe Club Inc, who claimed multiple titles in the W1 250m Dash and W12 finals.
Horouta’s Hine Brooking continued her outstanding run, successfully defending her J19 titles in both the W1 500m and W1 250m Dash. The back-to-back champion said preparation was the key difference this year.
“I think I had a lot more preparation. A lot more hard work and training went into this year, and I came into Nationals feeling a lot more confident.”
Throughout the week at Lake Karāpiro, young paddlers in the crowd could be heard proudly talking about training alongside Brooking and praising her performances — something she says motivates her to lead by example.
“Especially for young wāhine, that’s what I strive to be, a role model for those coming through and for my peers as well.”
Brooking was pushed hard by close competitors Marnie Toloa (Horouta) and Eternity Williams-Harris (Pineula Inc), who finished second and third, respectively in both races.
“It was really hard racing against my good friend Marnie. Eternity keeps us on our toes, too. We have to train hard, but that’s a good thing.”
Beyond the podium finishes, organisers say this year’s championships have seen a significant surge in participation. Waka Ama New Zealand confirmed more than 800 new paddlers joined the national sprint competition in 2026, with car parks nearing capacity from as early as 7 am, each morning7 am.
Horouta Waka Hoe Club Inc women continued their commanding presence across the regatta, taking gold in the W12 Premier Women Regionals, National Hauora Coalition Women’s W12, J16, J19, Premier 500m, and both J19 and Premier W1 250m Dash events.
In the men’s division, Te Puku o Te Ika claimed gold in the Premier Men Regional W12 final, while Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club’s Jake Suitauloa secured victories in both the J19 and Premier W1 250m Dash races.
