Our local junior boys team ‘Te Marino’ finished strongly in the Whaingaroa Hoe
Awatea Dillon, who steered the local junior boys team Te Marino, was a ‘bit sore’ last Sunday after a challenging 8km waka ama race on the Raglan harbour.
His team (including Sean, Toki, Richard, Kemo and Patana) are all related and have been training for 2 months with coaching from his dad Matt Dillon.
The Whaingaaroa Hoe was his first race and he said felt quite nervous, and worried about crashing, before the start of the race.
With 50 waka negotiating the start line outside the Opotoru Estuary his team had a difficult time and were caught up in shallow water with a number of other crews. But they ‘didn’t give up’ and encouraged each other to paddle hard, moving up through the race pack to finish 20th.
Working together and supporting each other to paddle hard was the highlight of the race said Awatea.
He is excited to keep up a bit of paddling over the winter and was thankful for the help of his Dad, and the Whaingaroa Waka Whanau for supporting him and his crew.
Over 700 people participated in the in this years event, held in stunning conditions on our harbour.
Amber Hartstone – image thanks to Margaret Dillon
