May 2026

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Toitū Ngāti Porou is proud to support rising waka ama talent Kapohanga Tuhura through its Sport and Culture sponsorship kaupapa.

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Of Ngāti Horowai and Te Aitanga-a-Mate descent, Kapohanga has been paddling waka ama for the past two years with Mareikura Waka Ama Club and currently competes in the J16 age division. Passionate about the sport and driven by future aspirations, Kapohanga hopes one day to represent at the Waka Ama World Championships.

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Recently, her team narrowly missed qualification for Worlds by a fraction of a second, placing 9th in the highly competitive 1000m turns event, at the Waka Ama Sprints held in January 2026. Only the top eight teams securing qualification.

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Despite the disappointment, Kapohanga remains focused and motivated, balancing a demanding training schedule of four sessions each week. This includes two off-water fitness trainings with Hulk Fit, alongside two on-water trainings held Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

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“The hardest part is definitely the early morning trainings,” Kapohanga says. “Getting up at 6am all through winter!”

At the heart of her waka ama journey is the enjoyment of paddling alongside her friends and the strong support and guidance of Matua Billy Maxwell, who is both their coach and kura teacher.

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Kapohanga and her team are now preparing for the upcoming Roto Hoe series in Rotorua, where they are scheduled to compete in three of the four races, while also setting their sights on the Long Distance Nationals later this year in October.

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For any teina thinking about trying waka ama, Kapo has simple advice:

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“Give it a go!”

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Toitū Ngāti Porou congratulates Kapohanga on her dedication, discipline, and commitment, and wishes her and the Mareikura Waka Ama Club all the best for the season ahead.

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