Whakatipu Waka Ama Club president Frances Piacun, 75, and her partner Leon Williams, 64, qualified for the World Waka Ama champs at the New Zealand nationals in January — the only Queenstowners to do so.
Piacun will be competing in the sole NZ women’s masters 75-plus crew, while Williams will be racing in the men’s 60-plus class with Auckland-based Aratika Water Sports Club.
She says she’s "delighted" to be heading to Hawaii.
"One of the reasons why I love waka ama is that it is so inclusive — anyone, of any age, can get involved."
This year’s world champs, being held from August 13 to 24, will involve 84 teams from across the world — equating to about 2000 athletes — about 350 of those from NZ, ranging in age from under-16s to over-80s.
Piacun says, typically, NZ and Tahiti win the most gold medals, but notes waka ama is Tahiti’s national sport, and their athletes are paid to be there.
The Kiwi team, meanwhile, are self-funded.
