Rangitaiki River Festival

The 2012 event is set for the first weekend in March. Its going to be spectacular with loads of activities for everyone. The event centre is at the Thornton Domain at the mouth of the Rangitaiki River.

Whats on offer in 2012?

 

  • Paddle marathon 42km Flyer
  • Paddle marathon entry form PDF 5mb
  • Plastic fantastic Kayak race 22km
  • World Kina and Watermelon eating Championships
  • Kayak Fishing Competition
  • Wild Food
  • Music
  • Waka Ama Races
  • Kayak Demo day

  • Beach Touch

  • 1100m swim

  • Hold on to your hats this festival will be uniquely Bay of Plenty. Plenty of sunshine, local food and friendly hospitality.

  • The Rangitaiki River will play host to a festival to celebrate life on the river. Humans have lived on its edges for centuries, it has been a source of food and transport which will be the focus of the festival.  Empahasis will go on foods of the land, river and sea and of course paddling. Thornton will play host to a food festival, a location where river meets sea. Imagine Kai Moana (seafood), wild venison and pork, cool relaxing music, kids activities and you have the ideal day out. Add to the day hundreds of Waka Ama and Kayaks some of them racing from Matahina some of them from Te Teko or Edgcumbe.

KAYAK FISHING

The Kayak fishers set off at 7am - more information to follow

KAYAKING

The North Island Kayak Marathon Championships (42 kilometres) will start on the edge of the Matahina lake and paddle upstream to the Island where compititors will turn around and head back to the dam. Once at the dam the kayakers will have to portage (carry) their kayaks 1.2 kilometres to the bottom of the dam where they will kayak 33 kilometres to the coast. No doubt they will hear the festival at Thornton way before they get there. Some will be extremely hungry and the smell of food cooking may be an incentive to push harder to the finish line.

Kayak Contact Bill Clark  07-322 8401

Marathon Promotional Flyer

Race Information Sheet

WAKA AMA

The Rangitaiki River Race course is a 10km paddle up the river and back down to the finish line at Thornton Beach. As this race is part of the Rangitaiki River Festival there will be a variety of other sporting and fun activities going on throughout the day including kayaking, beach touch, fishing the world kina eating competition as well as kai stalls, entertainment and plenty of fun for the family. Bring the whole whanau and let them enjoy the festival while you have a paddle!

Programme
8.00am Karakia
8.30am Race briefing
9.00am Womens and Mixed W6
10.30am Mens W6
Prize giving 12.00pm

Please Note: We have limited time on the Rangitaiki River as there are other water events taking place on the day so we will be starting races on time.

Entry: $10.00 per paddler = $60.00 per waka.

All paddlers will get a kai after their race and there will be prizes up for grabs in all 3 categories - details to be announced closer to the event.

Waka Ama Contact Details
Name: Tania Waikato
Email: info@whakaahuamaori.com
Mobile: 021 178-0245

VENUE: For a google map click here - Thornton the site of the festival is only 15 kilometres from Whakatane. The start of the Kayak and Waka Ama Marathon is about an hour from Rotorua and tauranga, or 3 1/2 hours from Auckland.

Mark the 3rd of March in your dairy, it's going to be a cracker of a day. Post this page on your favourites to keep up to date with this event.

For more information contact:

Bill Clark 07 322 8401

2010     Video and photos on http://russell.orrcom.co.nz/