There will be plenty of that on the Otago Harbour today as the annual waka ama Ice Breaker Challenge gets under way.
About 140 paddlers from Invercargill, Dunedin, Wakatipu, Christchurch and Tasman are tipped to jump in their waka for the two-day South Island competition, hosted by Dunedin’s Fire in Ice Outrigger Canoe Club.
Waka ama is one of the fastest growing sports in New Zealand and the event, in its 22nd year, has become a key cog in the racing schedule.
Race co-ordinator Gwen Slote said there were paddlers as young as 6 — including her own children — to the experience of those in their 70s jumping in the boats to have a go.
"It’s quite nice to open it up to the kids," Slote said.
"It’s kind of a staple in the South Island race calendar. We’ve got people in their 60s and up until their 70s who have probably paddled this event every year, so it’s really nice to see everybody again."
Racing gets under way at 9.30am today from the OUSA Aquatic Centre with singles, doubles and six-person teams racing the 10km distance.
The six-person waka events traditionally had been run as a novice grade, but organisers were also running an open grade with strong numbers this year.
The day will finish up with a six-person 500m fun sprint for the first time, in an informal sprint encouraging paddlers to jump in a waka and race together.
"It’s just a really fun way to finish off our Saturday racing is to get people out on the water."
Tomorrow is the "real distance" when the women’s, men’s and mixed six-person waka race a 20km course, starting at the aquatic centre, around the top of the harbour, out to Macandrew Bay and back to the centre.
