Hosted by Waka Ama Aotearoa NZ, the five-day national championship will take place from the 23–27 March. The event brings together thousands of student paddlers to compete in sprint racing across a range of divisions and distances.
The annual event, which started in 2002, has become one of the largest secondary school sporting competitions in the country during summer tournament week. The students representing their kura and schools compete in disciplines such as W1, W6 and W12 racing, including mixed, boys’ and girls’ divisions.
Waka Ama Aotearoa NZ CEO, Lara Collins, says that as the numbers for waka ama continue to scale up, its expected to see such a growth amongst rangatahi, based on the 2026 Waka Ama Sprint Nationals statistics.
“Every year this sport gets bigger, and a positive indication that it continues to grow are the numbers of rangatahi participation. This year alone there was an increase of 22% in paddlers from ages 5 to 23 from the 2026 Waka Ama Sprint Nationals” says Collins.
This year’s interest from schools reflects the rapid growth of waka ama throughout Aotearoa. More rangatahi and schools are embracing the sport for its combination of high-performance competition, cultural connection and fun.
For TIPENE, this will be their inaugural year competing at the event. Waka ama team manager and parent, Ramari Matairangi, says it's a great opportunity for their school to reach a significant milestone.
“With our rangatahi competing at the Waka Ama Secondary School Nationals for the first time, it reflects the rapid growth of the Tipene Waka Ama Programme and the commitment of our students, coaches, kura, and partners who have worked together to establish a strong foundation in a short period of time,” says Matairangi.
As a first-year programme for the school, it has set the pathway for future growth and sustained involvement in waka ama at TIPENE and beyond according to Matairangi.
Over five days of racing, the lake will be home to school teams, supporters and whānau as the country’s top young school paddlers compete for waka ama national titles.
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