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Gubbi Gubbi 2012
5 Aotearoa clubs including 14 paddlers from Rangaunu Sports Club from Awanui participated in the 2012 Gubbi Gubbi Junior Waka Ama Sprints in Mooloolaba, Australia in the first weekend of the school holidays Sept Oct 29th to Oct 2. The 3 day very relaxed event targetted junior paddlers under 12 to 19 years and was hosted at Lake Kawana. Two junior under 16 girls teams: Niwa Lakers and Niwa Girls were supported by two young men.
Niwa Lakers: Ariana Smith (pacer); Shavaun Wawatai (number2 in the straight 500m); Caroline Popata-Boynton (number 2 in the turns and powerhouse); Te Reinga Patuwairua (powerhouse 3&4); Jesarna Murray (number 5 powerhouse) and steerer Fetuao Fa,avae.
Niwa Girls: Zane Heta (pacer from Te Pū-Ao); Edwina Popata-Boynton (number 2 in the turns and powerhouse); Kalaia Heta (powerhouse 3); Hine-Mihiata Kingi-Waiaua (powerhouse 4); Ripeka Parangi (number 5 powerhouse & second steerer) and Pani Trent (steerer)
13 year old Te Haerenga Mai Walker paddled for Mooloolaba 2 j14 team and Redcliffe under 18 Rugby league player Kahi Harawira paddled for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti ahungūngū ki Waiora.
Day one- w1 races. Every paddler was able to race in either a ruddered or unruddered event. At the start of the day , our paddlers were unused to the light Tahitian waka and many of the Niwa Girls struggled with a cross wind turning them sideways back to shore. Luckily there were experienced paddlers on waka to help them face the start line. The finishing line was marked by flag buoys representing Cook Islands, Australia, Aboriginal, Māori and the New Zealand flags. Ariana Smith, Pani Trent , Te Haerenga Mai Walker, Zane Heta and Fetuao Fa’avae made finals.
Day Two- team events. It was a paddler’s dream with each person having options to paddle in several divisions of a straight and turn race. Both girls teams paddled in j16 and j19 team races and some also paddled in mixed pairs with Huntly College. Niwa Lakers came home with 3 silvers and one bronze; 2 silvers in the under 16 and 1 silver and bronze from the under 19 division. Next time we venture overseas we need to cater for the 40 kg weight difference in their “Mirage” or “Bailey” canoes from our Mahimahi design.
Day Three w2 events: Once again the juniors were encouraged to paddle in two age divisions in both mixed and single gender pairs. After two canoes had overturned, the commentator said” them Kiwi girls like our water but they need to watch out for them bullsharks. ” Rangaunu came home medal-free but what a great day. This was the first w2 race the juniors had ever raced.
During their stay , the paddlers also visited an Aboriginal radio station in Brisbane. Station manager Tiga Bales gave a short history of the Aboriginal struggle for rights and the meaning of the Aboriginal flag. The idea of the Tino flag was borrowed from our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in 1985. Tiga said it was difficult to promote one indigenous language as there were many distinct languages. The station offered media classes for youth of all ethnic backgrounds from around the Pacific and within Australia. Tiga’s mum the late Maureen Watson was a famous writer and he read two of her poems , one of which was named“ Why are you beating the love out of me. ” The group performed a few of our local waiata and a haka for the staff present. The Aboriginal people cried- I think for the loss of their reo.
The crews performed items at a cultural evening for the paddlers and met one of the founders of Mitamataga waka ama in Ngunguru, Pili Ma’ulu; who is now the kaumatua for a new club in Brisbane called Terobila. A few of the girls took up the opportunity to busk for a few hours in the Mooloolaba Mall and taught a few Mozzies how to twirl a poi.
Congratulations to the Kiwi teams who cleaned up in their divisions: Mareikura and Huntly College. I would like to thank our supervisors Rena Parangi, Donella Ferguson and Maaki Lewer . Kahi Harawira for the on the beach training and all our parents who helped support the paddlers to fundraise. Kia ora to Kaitaia Flight Centre staff for their patience in part payments. Dave King for putting up the turning buoys on Lake Ngatu. Thanks also to Te Rangi Aniwaniwa and Rangaunu Sports Club who put many of the basic support around the squads during training- pumpkin soup and toast were savored in camp.
Gubbi Gubbi is definitely a good regatta for young developing paddlers as it does not interfere with NCEA exam timetable in November. My only advice would be practice with some extra weight in the waka. However it would be nice to see the same type of event here in Aotearoa focused mainly on juniors. This would mean getting a small fleet of w1 & w2 canoes. That’s another story.
Nā Rangaunu Coach H Halkyard-Harawira 10th Oct
Niwa Girls: Zane Heta (pacer from Te Pū-Ao); Edwina Popata-Boynton (number 2 in the turns and powerhouse); Kalaia Heta (powerhouse 3); Hine-Mihiata Kingi-Waiaua (powerhouse 4); Ripeka Parangi (number 5 powerhouse & second steerer) and Pani Trent (steerer)
13 year old Te Haerenga Mai Walker paddled for Mooloolaba 2 j14 team and Redcliffe under 18 Rugby league player Kahi Harawira paddled for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti ahungūngū ki Waiora.
Day one- w1 races. Every paddler was able to race in either a ruddered or unruddered event. At the start of the day , our paddlers were unused to the light Tahitian waka and many of the Niwa Girls struggled with a cross wind turning them sideways back to shore. Luckily there were experienced paddlers on waka to help them face the start line. The finishing line was marked by flag buoys representing Cook Islands, Australia, Aboriginal, Māori and the New Zealand flags. Ariana Smith, Pani Trent , Te Haerenga Mai Walker, Zane Heta and Fetuao Fa’avae made finals.
Day Two- team events. It was a paddler’s dream with each person having options to paddle in several divisions of a straight and turn race. Both girls teams paddled in j16 and j19 team races and some also paddled in mixed pairs with Huntly College. Niwa Lakers came home with 3 silvers and one bronze; 2 silvers in the under 16 and 1 silver and bronze from the under 19 division. Next time we venture overseas we need to cater for the 40 kg weight difference in their “Mirage” or “Bailey” canoes from our Mahimahi design.
Day Three w2 events: Once again the juniors were encouraged to paddle in two age divisions in both mixed and single gender pairs. After two canoes had overturned, the commentator said” them Kiwi girls like our water but they need to watch out for them bullsharks. ” Rangaunu came home medal-free but what a great day. This was the first w2 race the juniors had ever raced.
During their stay , the paddlers also visited an Aboriginal radio station in Brisbane. Station manager Tiga Bales gave a short history of the Aboriginal struggle for rights and the meaning of the Aboriginal flag. The idea of the Tino flag was borrowed from our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in 1985. Tiga said it was difficult to promote one indigenous language as there were many distinct languages. The station offered media classes for youth of all ethnic backgrounds from around the Pacific and within Australia. Tiga’s mum the late Maureen Watson was a famous writer and he read two of her poems , one of which was named“ Why are you beating the love out of me. ” The group performed a few of our local waiata and a haka for the staff present. The Aboriginal people cried- I think for the loss of their reo.
The crews performed items at a cultural evening for the paddlers and met one of the founders of Mitamataga waka ama in Ngunguru, Pili Ma’ulu; who is now the kaumatua for a new club in Brisbane called Terobila. A few of the girls took up the opportunity to busk for a few hours in the Mooloolaba Mall and taught a few Mozzies how to twirl a poi.
Congratulations to the Kiwi teams who cleaned up in their divisions: Mareikura and Huntly College. I would like to thank our supervisors Rena Parangi, Donella Ferguson and Maaki Lewer . Kahi Harawira for the on the beach training and all our parents who helped support the paddlers to fundraise. Kia ora to Kaitaia Flight Centre staff for their patience in part payments. Dave King for putting up the turning buoys on Lake Ngatu. Thanks also to Te Rangi Aniwaniwa and Rangaunu Sports Club who put many of the basic support around the squads during training- pumpkin soup and toast were savored in camp.
Gubbi Gubbi is definitely a good regatta for young developing paddlers as it does not interfere with NCEA exam timetable in November. My only advice would be practice with some extra weight in the waka. However it would be nice to see the same type of event here in Aotearoa focused mainly on juniors. This would mean getting a small fleet of w1 & w2 canoes. That’s another story.
Nā Rangaunu Coach H Halkyard-Harawira 10th Oct
