Skip Content
Gordon Aston | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

There’s always hope for those of us propping up the Tau Ora leaderboard, but not much when a 61 year old Gisborne man is leaving the field in his wake, clocking up more than two million Tau Ora points in the first seven weeks.

Tauira support adviser Gordon Aston (Paddle Ezy on Tau Ora) leads the competition from Tauranga counterpart Whare Randell (wharewhiti).

Gordon says most of his points are earned through paddling and cycling, with a bit of crossfit thrown in for good measure.

“I’m training for worlds (Waka Ama World Champs) and me and wharewhiti are going in the same boat, so we’re having a bit of competition between ourselves. Tau Ora came along at the right time.”

Clearly, that competition is paying off, with the pair a good 200,000 points clear of the third placed Mikaere Paki from Porirua.

Gordon says he always wondered where to put his paddling distances in Tau Ora, which doesn’t have a dedicated paddling section. Both the cycling and swimming sections convert distances into Tau Ora points so he went with swimming, since it’s water related.

He hits the water in his one-man waka six days a week, clocking up 8-12km per day, and does bigger distances with his crew on weekends, “depending on conditions and how I’m feeling”.

And how he feels most days, is sore.

“It’s painful and the body is always sore,” he says.

“We’re all old guys on our waka and we all wish we never played rugby. All the old injuries come back when you start paddling and you look back on those days of crash tackling.”

But Gordon says he enjoys working hard and has a commitment to lose a few more kgs before the world champs in Tahiti next month.

“Three of us in the boat are carrying a bit surplus so we made a commitment to lose some. I started at 99kg, I’m 94kg currently and aiming for 90kg in Tahiti. I’m the oldest in the boat so I’m making sure I keep on my game.”

 Back to news & events

Published On:

Article By:



Other Articles

  • 23 September 2025

    HRC Maternal Health Inequity Report

    New research led by Dr Sarah Lockwood highlights critical gaps in maternity care during Cyclone Gabrielle, urging the Government to include midwifery and Māori leadership in emergency planning. The report calls for equity-focused reforms to protect pregnant women and whānau in climate crises.

  • 18 September 2025

    From Wānanga baby to Wānanga tauira

    Ripekka Matthews’ lifelong connection to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa began as a child and continues today through her te reo Māori studies. Discover how her journey from wānanga baby to tauira reflects whānau legacy, cultural identity, and the transformative power of education.

  • 05 September 2025

    Cooking up confidence in te reo Māori

    Āku Hapa! is a reo Māori cooking show created by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa tauira, blending kai, kōrero, and comedy. Streaming on Māori+, this series celebrates learning te reo through laughter, mistakes, and whānau connection - one delicious dish at a time.

  • 29 August 2025

    New baby brings new purpose

    Ropata Haddon’s journey through te reo Māori study at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was reignited by the birth of his child. Discover how fatherhood, kapa haka, and whānau support are helping him embed te reo and tikanga Māori into everyday life for future generations.