Forget the usual age-group brackets and gender divisions: when paddlers line up at Lake Tikitapu this December, they’ll be racing against rivals matched purely on speed. The opening sprint event of the season, Tikitapu 1, trials a fully divisional format that throws out the old rulebook in favour of closer, more competitive racing on the water.
Set for 12-13 December in Rotorua, the event groups paddlers by ability rather than age or gender, across both solo craft and team boats. A junior with the right pace could find themselves battling a senior paddler stroke for stroke, while crews are sorted by how fast they go rather than who they are.
The change responds to a long-standing gripe in sprint racing: age and gender categories can leave genuinely competitive paddlers with little real contest, either cruising clear of the field or trailing well behind it. Sorting by speed instead aims to put tighter, more meaningful racing in front of everyone on the start line, while also opening the door to paddlers from other craft and disciplines who might otherwise have skipped a dedicated sprint meet.
Racing covers 200m, 500m and 1000m distances, with single and double craft divisions on the programme alongside K4s and club relays. It’s a packed schedule that should give paddlers of every stripe, from weekend club racers to those chasing summer form, plenty of reasons to turn up.
Entries for individuals and families go through the event guide on the Canoe Racing New Zealand online calendar, while club managers remain responsible for entering team boats, as has been the case in previous seasons. Entries close at 11.59pm on Sunday 29 November 2026, giving clubs around the country a few weeks yet to get their paddlers signed up.
Tikitapu 1 marks the start of what’s shaping up as a busy Summer of Sprint on the lake, with a second event to follow later in the season. For paddlers curious how they stack up against the fastest in the country, regardless of what box they’d normally tick on an entry form, this December could make for a telling first outing.
