Competition was fierce with four days of action racing contested by individuals and crews from all parts of the pacific - paddlers vying for honours across distances ranging from 16km, 8km and 250m sprints in the OC1 and OC2 categories, to the OC6 events in 500m and 1000m sprints, 16km, culminating in a 42km changeover race on the last day.

While numbers were down for this year's event (a possible effect of the recession), organisers pointed out that the calibre of crews was 'world class'. New Zealand was well represented by one women's crew (under the banner of Waitakere) and one men's crew (Mana Pacifika).

Under the auspices of Bernie Murch and Anita Taggart - a women's representative crew of ten were brought together from all over New Zealand - from Kaitaia in the north (Nyree King), Rotorua (Renee McDonald, Kelly Korau, Maylene Papunui and Liz Savage) to Wellington (Anita Taggart, Christina Chase, Christine Fox) and Motueka (Claire Sykes) in the south.

We prepared for Hammo in our own areas and then we came together in Hamilton Island to compete. There was no opportunity for team practice beforehand. For some of us this was our first Hammo but it won't be our last!

Pristine conditions set the scene for a record breaking event with the Waitakere girls breaking the record in the 42km by 9 minutes, despite the Rotorua girls having to be taken by the support boat to catch their plane, leaving the remaining 6 crew members to finish the last section of the race. Other records were broken of course and full results can be viewed on the Hamilton Island Cup website.

Below is a summary of some of the our New Zealand crews results;

## OC1 16km ##
Master Women 1st Bernie Murch 1;23;39 (ahead of the Open Women's OC1 Winner Kylee Muldoon from Outrigger Whitsunday in a time of 1;24;22)

Master Men
4th Tonga White - 1:20:48
6th - Marty Heleur 1:23:11

## OC1 8km ##
Master Women
Claire Sykes - 1st - 48:30 (ahead of Open Womens Winner Leanne Curtis from Outrigger Whitsunday in a time of 48:51)

Master Men
Marty Helleur - 1st - 45:53

King of the Mountain
Women - Claire Sykes 3rd - 44:30.400
Men - Tonga White 51:03.770
- Craig Olliver 1:01:49.130

## OC1 250m Sprints ##
Master women
- Claire Sykes 1st 1;23.490
- Bernie Murch 3rd 1;24.800

Master Men
Marty Helleur - 6th - 1:17.410

## OC6 16km ##
Open Women (Crew- Bernie, Claire, Anita, Maylene, Chris (Aussie), Liz (Steerer)
3rd - 1:16:04 behind Outrigger Whitsunday (1:14:52) and Mooloolaba (1:15:41)

Master Women (Crew Kelly, Christina Chase, Nyree, Christine Fox, Renee, Jo (Aussie Steerer) - 2nd - 1:19:27 behind Mooloolaba Masters (1:16:48)

Master Men
- Mana Pacifika - 6th 1:09:28

## OC6 500m Sprint ##
- Waitakere Open Women 2nd 2:34.210 behind Whitsunday (2:31.550)
- Waitakere Masters Women 2nd - 2:36.260 behind Mooloolaba (2:33.580)
- Mana Pacifika 3rd 2:17.580

## OC6 100m Sprint ##
Waitakere Open 1st - 5:26.790
Waitakere Masters 3rd - 5:34.040

## OC6 42km (Full crew of 10) ##
Master Women - Waitakere 1st - 3:31:36
Master Men - Mana Pacifika - 2nd - 3:12:07