Veteran Paddler Welcomes Stranger, Wins Gold Together

A simple online post looking for teammates turned into an instant winning partnership at one of New Zealand's biggest outrigger canoe competitions.

Kelvin Mulholland from Norfolk Island wanted to compete in the Takapuna Beach Cup but couldn't convince friends to make the trip. He posted in a paddlers' online group hoping someone might include him on their crew.

Sugar Te Paa, a veteran paddler with nearly 30 years at Auckland's Taniwha Outrigger Canoe Club, immediately responded. She invited Mulholland to join her for the interchange mixed medley relay, adding it to her already packed race schedule.

The pair had never met or paddled together before Sunday. They won their age-group event.

"Sport is connection," Te Paa says. "If we go overseas, they would do the same."

Te Paa's weekend included other victories too. She won the 21km senior masters women singles race on Saturday and earned bronze in the golden masters event for paddlers over 60.

But for Te Paa, welcoming international competitors matters as much as medals. Three generations of her family paddle waka ama and live together, keeping her committed to Saturday training sessions at Takapuna Beach and early mornings on Lake Pupuke.

For Mulholland, an experienced paddler who also raced with a novice crew that weekend, the gold medal with Te Paa was his highlight.

Sunny's Take

This story captures something beautiful about sports at their best. Te Paa didn't just help a stranger compete. She embodied manaakitanga, the Māori value of hospitality and kindness, turning a potential disappointment into a golden moment.

The Takapuna Beach Cup attracted over 1,000 paddlers from around the world, including first-time Canadian visitors, strong Tahitian teams, and competitors from Hawaii, the UK, Australia, New Caledonia and Hong Kong. Local businesses benefited from hosting the three-day event, now one of New Zealand's four major waka ama competitions.

The weekend's showpiece race covered 42km around Rangitoto, Motutapu and Rakino islands. Te Paa's club, founded three decades ago by Takapuna enthusiasts, launched the Cup in 2007 and has watched it grow into an international celebration of paddling.

One welcoming gesture, one gold medal, and a reminder that the best victories happen when we make room for others.