Singapore World Champs are close

July 15, 2026

World Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Singapore are coming up really fast. The competition will be held in in Marina Bay, Singapore. Going to worlds we have a Nelson Senior Master crew and various “waifs and strays” paddling for clubs in the North Island.

Come see a Demonstration

On Saturday 1st of August at 12pm there will be a demonstration of sprint turns in the Maitahi River between the main road bridge and the Trafalgar Centre bridge. Stand on the footbridge or the Trafalgar Centre pontoon to get a good view as the crews demonstrate turns.

Dates:

1st August @ 12 noon Sprints demonstration on the Maitahi River at the Trafalgar Centre river pontoon
Singapore World Sprint Championships
- 19th August Opening Ceremony – Singapore
- 20-22 August Elite V6 & V1
- 23-29 August V6 Club Championships
- 30-31 August Saver Days (in case of bad weather)

Who is going?

Jan Blythe
Master 75 Women V1: paddling for Aotearoa, New Zealand
Master 70 Women W12: paddling for Ngati Rehia (Far North) (Ngati Rehia – Hawaikinui)
Masters 75 Women W6: paddling for Hawaiknui Tuarua Waka Ama, Porirua (Manawaroa)
Masters 75 Women W12: paddling for Aratika Water Sports (Auckland) (Tiare O Te Moana)

Tracey Kingi
Master 60 Women W6: paddling for Horouta Waka Ama, Gisbourne (Hinewaiariki)
Master 60 Women W12: paddling for Heretaunga

VO2: Craig Allen,Phillip Harrhy, Seb Head, Stephen Ransby, Jason Hulena, Sean Timoney
Master 50 Men W6: paddling under Whakatū Marae Waka Ama (VO2)
Master 50 Men W12: paddling under Horouta Waka Ama (Paikea Masters)

Anisha Huntley
Master 40 Women W6: paddling for Taranaki Outrigger Canoe (Hupsters)
Master 40 Women W12: paddling for Taranaki Outrigger Canoe (Hine Wairere Hupsters)

Callum O’Leary
Open Men W6: paddling for Pineula, Auckland (Team Pineula)

Want to know what sprints involves?

Be at the Maitahi River (on the floating dock or the river bridge) on Saturday 1st of August.

Come to the Singapore Send off, an event to show you what is involved in sprint racing and to cheer our Te Tauihu paddlers on before they leave for Singapore to compete. It will be held in the Maitai River where the Senior Master Men will do turns around a buoy. Other singles and a crew of ‘Waifs and Strays’ will be involved.

The racing is intense as it involves cardio, strength and a heap of strategy. The turns race for the Senior Masters men is 1000m on a 250m course involving 3 turns. The straights for V1, W6 and W12 are 500m.

Master women 75 win gold at nationals — Manawaroa Master women 75 crew win gold at nationals

Sean and Seb in the 1000m turns race at Nationals — Manawaroa Master women 75 crew win gold at nationals

Type of Waka

W6 – Hydra

For the World Champs the W6 is is a Hydra by Kai Wa’a. It is very different to a mahi-mahi, lighter and more ‘twitchy’. Paddling technique really affects the steering of this waka so all those technique sessions with Sean will pay off for those of us who have been out on a Wednesday with him.

My crew, Manawaroa MW75 has been very fortunate to have had some time in a couple of these waka over the last 2 months. It’s a very light canoe (6 older ladies can easily carry it) and very responsive. We have heard tales of how tippy it is, but I haven’t noticed that. With our crew it has felt quite stable in both Lake Taupo and the Winstones Lake at Ōtaki. It does need to be loaded out differently. Seats 2 and 4 in first, then seat 3, then 1, 5 & 6, as we have heard it can huli end over end:(

Ōtaki Waka Hoe have just received their brand new peptobismal pink Hydra. We felt so priviledged to be able to use it. They took it racing on Saturday and it did tip them out. When we went back to use it on Sunday we noticed that the ama was set to a more stable setting.

An interesting feature is that the gunnels on the left are lower than on the right to assist in re-entry for change over races.

The Puakea Malolo O’hana waka is the closest in style to the Hydra so the VO2 crew have been using that for their training.