Masters crew qualifies for World Champs
The Nelson 70+ Waka Ama crew of Jan Blythe, stand-in Julie Fox, Rongomai Flavell, Carol Hunter, Heather Law and Penny Molnar are off to Hawaii later this year after qualifying for the World Elite and Club Sprint Championship 2024. Photo: Supplied.
Nelson’s 70+ Waka Ama crew are in search of support after qualifying for the World Championships in Hawaii.
After earning double silver medals at the National Waka Ama Sprint Championships at Lake Karāpiro earlier this year, the crew are in red-hot form.
The team of 70+ women called Ruby’s, from Maitahi Outrigger Canoe Club, won silver over the 500m sprint distance and another in the 500m race which also had a tricky 180 degree turn midway through.
They also combined with a crew from the Far North (Ngati Rehia) to come second in the twelve crew race, where two six-person waka’s are joined together, which would have been for a third silver medal but it being a non-medal qualifying race.
The six crew members, Jan Blythe, Carol Hunter, Rongomai Flavell, Penny Molnar, Heather Law and Joyce Thevenaz, who sadly could not paddle due to contracting Covid, are all over 70 years old.
The crew only came together late in November and were not at all sure of their chances at Nationals.
However they trained hard for the event, both on the water and at the gym, and considering the experience of other crews in the 70-plus age division, their two second places were an extraordinary achievement.
Having been so successful at the national level, the team are now intending to compete at the World Va’a (Waka Ama) Sprint Championships in Hilo, Hawaii in August 2024, an event organised by the International Va’a Federation.
It’s a huge undertaking at their age and stage of life, but crewmate Carol Hunter says they want to show people what they’re capable of.
“[The] driving motive for taking on this challenging journey is to show that age is not a barrier or an excuse as well as to serve as role models for their peers.
“The physical, mental, spiritual and social benefits to [our] health and overall well-being are numerous and very satisfying.”
In addition to the training required the team now has the challenge of raising the funds to make travelling to Hawaii a reality.
They’re on the hunt for any fundraising ideas, opportunities, or sponsorship for their travel, uniforms, entry fees and training costs, as well as accepting donations.