Te Ara Pounamu

Te Ara Pounamu

Waka Ama World Sprints, London 2022

International Va’a Federation World Sprint Championships

7th-16th August, 2022

Te Ara Punamun is a Masters 70 womens crew who will be racing at the IVF Waka Ama World Sprint Championships, Dorney Lake in Windsor, London in August 2022.

Our goal in training for, and competing in this event, is to share our story to inspire people and encourage them to reach for their dreams no matter their age and what they perceive is possible.

These are strange and unusual times. Paddling helps keep us sane, fit, excited and connected.

What:

We are training to compete at the World Sprint Championships 2022, London, in the Masters 70 women’s six-man and twelve-man divisions. Four of us will also be paddling for Aotearoa, New Zealand in the the W1 racing.

Why:

We want to showcase that age is not a barrier to fitness; that participation and achievement at national and international levels is still possible at our age. Currently the top age category at Waka Ama Sprints is Masters 85 – We intend to be there!

The Crew

There is a wealth of experience in this crew many of whom have attended World Sprint and Long Distance events multiple times. Waka Ama is our passion. It keeps us fit, strong and engaged in these strange and unusual times.

Waka Ama is a very inclusive and whānau oriented sport. It is one of the fastest growing sports in Aotearoa, New Zealand. It’s a traditional sport, accessible to all ages. It is a way of life that takes us onto the beautiful oceans, rivers and lakes around Aotearoa and beyond. It means we can sit down while getting fit:)

We are role modelling a different way of ageing; inspiring people of all ages to challenge their beliefs around what is possible.

 Te Ara Punamu

Masters 70 Womens crew in Auckland training for World Sprints, London 2020.

What it takes to get there

Commitment – Determination – Perseverance – Time – Financial Support

We are very fortunate to be coached by Aotearoa’s top women’s waka ama coach, Corrina Gage. She says that at our age it is 20% technique and 80% strength and fitness.

This was brought home recently when we competed in a longer distance race. My masters 70 womens crew came second out of four waka in the Masters 60 women’s grade. It was a great outcome.

Sharing the Journey

The fundraising activities that we would normally do aren’t practical at this time due to Covid. Movie nights and Quiz nights are out as people are not wanting to gather in numbers (and neither are we if we want to continue training without Covid).

If you would like to get behind us and help us with this adventure please get in touch. We would be happy to supply more details and a budget.

We would really appreciate financial help towards any of the following:

• Travel to London – $2292 each
• Accommodation in London – Approximately $1700 each

Share the Journey with us

Arohanui