Ruamahanga Awa recreational paddle & Race

Sunday September 21

Kokotau to Morison Bush - 16 km

This is a revival of the long standing Ruamahanga River Race which was previously organised by the Wairarapa multisports club from 1993 - 2020 a history spanning 28 races.

Over the years the Event has started in Gladstone, Martinborough, Morison Bush and finally Kokotau with finish points being Martinborough, Pahautea, Pukio East Road and Kahutara Bridge.

We would also like to acknowledge the previous photography of Mark Jerling from the Wairarapa Multisports Club http://www.wmsc.org.nz/

As per the image below the start is marked with a yellow X and the finish is marked with a green X

click on the map to enlarge

 The lead in skill building paddles below are the Welly Paddlers grade 1 river sessions.

Jul 5 Te Awa Kairangi (Hutt River) - 12 km Sladden Park to Fairway Drive and return

Aug 2 Manawatu Awa - 18 km Palmerston North to Opiki

Sep 6 Ruamahanga Awa - 16 km Kokotau to Morison Bush

Also providing lead in's to these events

Aug 10 Waitara Kayak Club - Grade 2 Race Spargo Road to Waitara 12/18 km

Nov 8/9 Andrew Martin River Race Mangaweka - Aaron Cox

Jan 11 Rangitikei River Race - Anne Cairns

Feb 13/14 Kathmandu Coast to Coast

Open to all craft over 4.6 metres this includes :

multisport kayaks - WWR - touring kayaks - sea kayaks - waka ama - surfskis - adventure racing doubles

Note : all craft must either be rudder less or use an over stern flip rudder (under stern rudders not advised)

We have been using recyclable vinyl numbers for the last 10 years, so if you have entered the some of the older Motorway Classic or Foxton Loop Races we have always promoted that you recycle them forward to other events these numbers do not leave a sticky residue you can swap the number from another craft 

*** Below Welly Paddlers number on the right hand side within 1 metre of the bow ***

Entry Fee :

Single craft $40

Doubles $60

Under 18 and over 60 yrs $30 per single craft

If you have an existing Welly Paddlers number take $5 off the above

Entries close Friday September 19 at 7 pm

To enter

1. deposit your entry fee into the Welly Paddlers 38-9016-0568806-02    

2. email your entry to wellypaddlers@gmail.com

3. Include your name/s

4. The town or City that you live

5. Type of craft ie multisport, touring, WWR, sea kayak, waka ama, surfski, Double

6. Date of Birth

7. Cellphone number

8. Let us know your existing Welly Paddlers number

9. Once you have paid your entry fee and entered by email we will send confirmation by email

10. If you are unsure of anything prior to the Event entry close off email, phone or WhatsApp Chester - 022 6455 820

11. On the day Event Safety phone number WhatsApp Sharlene 0274 581 005

12. Clean and dry your craft properly before placing the number on it. Place your event number on the right hand side within 1 metre of the bow

13. Carrying your cellphone in a waterproof pouch in your PFD or having watch connectivity is very helpful for you to contact us.

14. PFD compulsory

15. Helmets optional

16. Please wear warm clothing on the day also carry spare thermal top and pants and a beanie as you would do for the Coast to Coast (It's good practice and it's for your own safety and wellbeing)

17. Condition of entry all paddlers - you must read the pre event posts on the Welly Paddlers Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WellyPaddlers on Tuesday Sep 15 and Friday Sep 19 these will contain information on water levels and weather updates.

18. The Safety and Wellbeing of all paddlers is our number one priority. We may be forced to run the event on an alternate date if the river levels or climate deem the event unsafe. This could even mean bringing our event forward by 1 day or delaying to the following weekend

19. Personal responsibility and buddying up with mates when paddling on rivers is a must for our own safety and wellbeing. At the end of the day we must all keep a watchful eye and look after our fellow paddlers, by communicating well with each other so our wakas are all following the same pathway to end up safely at the finish point of the day.

On the day detail

Registration : 8.30am - 9.30 am

Briefing : 9.30 - 9.40 am

9.45 am recreational start

9.50 am start group 2

9.52 am start group 3

9.54 am start group 4

9.56 am start group 5

Event Spot prize giving 11.30 am or 10 mins after the last group of paddlers finishes.

There are no toilet facilities at the start or finish. Please use Public toilet facilities in Greytown, Featherston or Carterton

Click on any photo to enlarge

Welly Paddlers turns 21 !

                           click on any photo to enlarge

Wow time Flies !

Welly Paddlers 21st birthday is October 15, 2024

It all started when we organised a harbour surfski and waka ama series for paddlers in Wellington.

The series kicked off in October 2003 with 8 km to 12 km distances over the Spring / Summer window. As times changed we then morphed into a winter series and also included multisport kayaks as we tended to use sheltered bays and waterways between Porirua Harbour and Wellington Harbours. The sheltered areas rational was all about ensuring we had a relatively sheltered place to start, finish and also paddle, winter is not a time for heroics and beating ourselves up paddling is the worst conditions. It was also about looking after all the paddlers (and their varied skill levels) that we welcomed into the series. 

You'll see write ups and photos in several of the old Welly Paddlers blogspot posts......just head to the right hand bottom of the main page and click on "older posts"

Over the years we picked up the organising of the Motorway Classic in 2009 and the Foxton Loop Race in 2019.

Motorway Classic

1990 - 2007 The event was organised by Mark Watson, followed by John Cussins and Paula Strickson and then the Mana Kayak Club following their formation around 2002. It was held between April and June with the original distance being 13.3 km

2008 The event was not held

2009 Welly Paddlers took over the custodianship of the event.

2009 waka ama were included

2014 SUP's were included and the 7 km and 3.5 km distances were added.

2015 was an event peak with 115 paddlers, ICF World Ocean surfski Champion Sean Rice raced and also ran Coaching Clinics

2019   12 x Molokai World Ocean Racing Champion Oscar Chalupsky raced and also ran Coaching Clinics

2021 the 30th anniversary Motorway Classic reached another peak with 190 paddlers

2022 the event was not held due to Covid / Parliament Grounds Invasion / Protest

2023 Due to the Te Ara Tupua walkway cycleway project the venue changed with the new distance extending to 14 km

2023 Welly Paddlers organised their last Motorway Classic

2024 the event was organised by the Mana Kayak Club

There are results on our blog from 2009 - 2018 and then on Webscorer from 2019 - 2023

Foxton Loop Race 

1991 - 2016 organised by the Ruahine White Water Club

1991 The original course was from Foxton out the wide section of the loop to the Whirokino bridge then back to Foxton via the narrow end of the loop (17km)

2008 In the 2000's era a tidal gate blocked the loop (at the Farmers bridge) so the start changed to Foxton Beach with the course heading to Foxton and back (18 km)

2010 an 8 km short course option was added 

2017 - 2018 event not held

2019 Welly Paddlers restarted the Event with 12 km / 6 km / 3 km courses the long course headed out the wide section of the river loop and turned anti clockwise around the first island ( 1 of 3 islands) prior to Whirokino boat ramp.

2022 It was no coincidence that the long course turned around the first island, because directly across from this is the opening to the narrow end of the loop. Two massive floods prior to the race cleared the vegetation overgrowth so we raced a 12 km / 10 km / 6 km and 3 km courses. The 10 km paddlers raced clockwise heading out the narrow end of the loop just as the 12 km paddlers were turning around the island. Timing is a wonderful thing !

2020 event peaked at 90 paddlers

2023 Welly Paddlers organised the event for the last time.

2024 organised by Daniel Cudby and the Foxton Surf Life Saving Club

Results for the Foxon Loop Race from 2019 forward are all on webscorer.

HUGE THANKS

To all the people across all the paddling communties who have supported the events that we have organised, it's your participation that has given us so much enjoyment. 

Big thanks to Fergs Kayaks (pre 2016) & Kayak HQ (post 2018) for applying discounts to products that we purchased as spot prizes over the years and to ipaddle, Nelo, Swazi, Q-Kayaks and Leiseane Faletolu for donating prizes at specific events over the years. 

Thanks also to all the Family, friends and paddling mates who have who have worked for us at the events over the years.

In closing please support your local community paddling events, as these are actually more important to the fabric of paddling. Why ? because these are the one's that we talk and bond with each other and that inspires new people (both young and old ) into the wonderful sport of paddling, and this applies to everyone from the social paddler through to the competitive paddler. 

Welly Paddlers media and services

2008 The Welly Paddlers blog went live.

2014 Welly Paddlers page set up on Facebook

2017 Welly Paddlers Group set up on Facebook

2022 Welly Paddlers on Instagram

2019 supply of non slip boat ramp mat to the Porirua Grand Traverse multisport event

2020 supply of water support to the PGT

2020 supply of non slip boat ramp mat to the Finesigns Crazyman multisport event

Historic post from the Welly Paddlers blog

Monday August 4 - 2008

Hi, you've reached the blogspot of the organisers of Wellingtons surfski & waka ama series.

Chester Burt and Sharlene Winiata are now in their 5th year of organising these events for Wellingtons paddling community. We started back in October 2003.

In New Zealand the first surfski series started in Auckland about 7 years ago and from this we were inspired to do something similar in Wellington.

The Wellington series has always had the majority of paddler numbers coming from the waka ama community, surfski numbers have been slowly picking up over the last 12 months which has been encouraging.

The main aim of the series is to have races for all paddlers from various water sports to particpate in. We encourage everyone to participate, and it doesn't matter at what pace you go at.

Our next update will contain more information on this years series. Currently our series schedule is in draft and we are working with Raukawa Comerford at Hoe Tonga.We are aiming to have our first race on September 14.

Fresh Hands for "The Motorway Classic" and The Foxton Loop Race"

Following the 2023 Edition of  'The Motorway Classic" and "The Foxton Loop Race" Welly Paddlers have decided to pass these Events onto fresh sets of hands.

We Organised the Motorway Classic for 15 years and The Foxton Loop for 5 years.

Shane Ross and the Mana Kayak Club now Organise The Motorway Classic 

Daniel Cudby and the Foxton Surf Life Saving Club now Organise The Foxton Loop Race.

For more details on the above view the Event calendar on the left had side of this page.

Both "Welly Paddlers" and "Welly Paddlers Group" Facebook pages are still active and host regular Event and Paddler updates on various activities.