The 3rd annual New Zealand Secondary School Kayaking National Championships took place at Lake Tikitapu over the weekend, and we saw some amazing and inspiring performances from the next generation of young paddlers. This was a School Sport NZ sanctioned event, with national titles and school pride up for grabs.
Congratulations to all paddlers and placegetters, and thank you to all schools, teachers and parents for supporting their students to compete.
2026 NZ Secondary School Kayaking National Champions
Long Distance race
- 14&U Male – Owen Hawk, Takapuna Grammer School
- 14&U Female – Charlotte Willoughby, Gisborne Girls High School
- 16&U Male – Cooper Hagstrom, Westlake Boys High School
- 16&U Female – Mika Elmiger, Whangaparaoa College
- 18&U Male – Lachlan Harkness, Taradale High School
- 18&U Female – Jacqueline Kennedy, Gisborne Girls High School
K1 250m Sprint
- 14&U Male – Owen Hawk, Takapuna Grammer School
- 14&U Female -Willow Hambleton, Napier Girls High School
- 16&U Male – Cooper Hagstrom, Westlake Boys High School
- 16&U Female – India Vaughan, Rangitoto College
- 18&U Male – Jake Botha, Westlake Boys High School
- 18&U Female – Jacqueline Kennedy, Gisborne Girls High School
K2 250m Sprint
- 14&U Male – Harry Beckett/Beau Martin , Havelock North High school
- 14&U Female – Willow Hambleton/Alice McBrearty , Napier Girls High School
- 16&U Male – Rourke de Bruin/Cooper Hagstrom, Westlake Boys High School
- 16&U Female – Claudine Meerlo/Toli Baker, Taradale High School
- 18&U Male – Jake Botha/Lucas Gilberd, Westlake Boys High School
- 18&U Female – Jacqueline Kennedy/Taylor Newman, Gisborne Girls High School
3x 100m School Team Relay
- 14&U Male – Jackson Wright /Callum Orman/Alex Green, Westlake Boys High school
- 14&U Female – Brooke Williams/Sienna Greaves/Zoe Keepa, Gisborne Girls High School
- 14&U Mixed – Harry Beckett/Beau Martin/Clara Allison, Havelock North High School
- 16&U Male – Rourke de Bruin/Cooper Hagstrom/Max Bowden, Westlake Boys High School
- 16&U Female – Celia Willoughby/Klara Pauwels/Charlotte Willoughby, Gisborne Girls High School
- 16&U Mixed – Carter Hills, Noah Elmiger / Mika Elmiger, Whangaparaoa College
- 18&U Male – Jake Botha/Lucas Gilberd/Aiden Dent , Westlake Boys High School
- 18&U Female – Jacqueline Kennedy / Taylor Newman/ Georgia Hamblyn, Gisborne Girls High School
- 18&U Mixed – Reilly Kendrick/Luca Kipling/Emma Beckett, Havelock North High School
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