Paddle Power

Sara Holderness is an inspirational woman. She recently competed at the World Waka Ama (Outrigger Canoe) Championships held over five days in Sacramento, California.

Here, along with her team, Sara stormed her way to the medal podium and picked up three silver medals in the W6 500m, W6 1000m and W12 500m races.

Although she missed out on a medal in the single canoe, Sara did succeed in paddling across the line with a personal best time of 2.54.15 in the 500m race. Furthermore, she was the third fastest Kiwi in the Golden Masters age range (55-plus).

Sara paddles with the Taniwha Waka Ama club in Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore. She was a member of two New Zealand Waka Ama teams at the 2008 World Champs – Te ara Poutama (which means “To The Highest”) and Poutu, W12 (Poutu referring to the standing post in a Marae).

Waka Ama, or outrigger canoes as they are also known as, initiated from Pacific Island culture where they provided a means for fishing, trading and transportation. In New Zealand the Waka is still used in ceremonial and official functions as well as recreationally.

There are a number of different types of Waka, ranging from a W1 (one person single hull Waka) up to a W12 (12 person double hull Waka), and covering a two and six person teams in between.

Sara has been involved in Waka Ama since 1990 and trains for 6-10 hours a week at the gym and on the water, then up to 20 hours per week in the lead up to an event. There is quite a big build up phase in training for an event such as the World Champs and this begins anywhere from six to nine months prior to race day.

She first got into paddling via gym rowing machines as an exercise to keep some weight off. Not wanting to regain the weight, Sara decided that exercise was the best way for her to keep her new figure. She asked around at a number of local rowing clubs but no one was interested in adding a then 40-year old woman to their squad. Not to be put off, Sara was then told about the sport of Waka Ama by a work colleague who had a friend involved in the sport. Sara was put in touch with the team and what had begun simply as a fitness regime soon became her passion.

At that stage, the team that Sara joined was the first women’s Waka Ama team in Auckland. Moreover, at this time there were only five clubs throughout New Zealand. But the sport has grown at such an incredible pace that there are now over 70 clubs across the country.

Sara is a casual part-time worker at Paymark, New Zealand’s largest processor of electronic transactions. Paymark helps considerably with her training regime by allowing her to take time off for out-of-town training schedules and covering airfares, accommodation and also came to the party with paying for personal trainer fees for two sessions a week in the build up to the World Championships.

Because some of her World Champs team members were based outside Auckland it was often difficult to schedule in training time on the water when everyone could make it. Once a month, and then every fortnight as the regatta got nearer, the team would meet for training camps in Rotorua. Paymark provided the flexibility that enabled Sara to take half days on Fridays to travel down to Rotorua for these training sessions.

She says Paymark, which has a company policy of supporting any of its employees that represent New Zealand internationally, has been ‘absolutely fantastic’ to her. The assistance they have provided has been integral to the success she has been able to achieve in the sport. During training and while on tour Sara wore her Paymark-branded training gear with pride.

One of her favourite sayings is “Those with vision escape the darkness.” Sara notes that Waka Ama has become such a big part of her life it not only serves the purpose of keeping her fit, but has the additional holistic benefits of increasing her positivity and motivation.

“The sport touches so many people from so many different cultures that all come together to share the history and traditions of Waka Ama.”

“Anyone can do it, whether you’re eight or 80,” she adds.