Skip Content
Apply now
Ask a question Search

Be wise and sanitise at waka ama champs

Sanitiser 1
  • * Sani Squad members front and rear: Left to right, Ngawai, Siobhan and Te Ārita wear QR codes on the front and carry hand sanitiser on their backs.

Combatting the potential spread of COVID-19 has been front and centre at this week’s Te Wānanga o Aotearoa National Waka Ama Sprint Championships at Karāpiro.

A key feature of the anti-COVID arsenal has been a Government-sponsored “Sani Squad”.

The team of Ngawai, Siobhan and Te Ārita has QR codes for the event on the front of their uniforms, a tank full of hand sanitiser on their backs and a dispensing gun ready for action.

Siobhan says the paddlers have been engaging with them really well: “The response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Waka Ama NZ chief executive Lara Collins says adhering to COVID-19 tikanga has made the regatta possible.

All competitors and supporters have to use the COVID-19 tracer app to sign in each day and everyone’s encouraged to adhere to the Alert Level 1 protocols.

Sanitiser 2

 Back to news & events

Published On: 20 January, 2021

Article By: Stephen Ward

Other Articles

  • read more

    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.

  • read more

    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.

  • read more

    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.

  • read more

    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.