06/09/2026
The return of the Poor Knights crossing on the menu of downwind course options has the paddling community abuzz for this year’s Tawhiti Rahi Ocean Challenge event in Tutukaka in just two weeks time.
The race, which also doubles as the 2026 NZ Ocean Ski National Championships, is set for Saturday 19th September and is open to ocean skis, waka ama and paddlefoil boards.
The Poor Knights Islands / Tawhiti Rahi are located east of Tutukaka, and feature some of nature’s most impressive works of art, including extraordinary sea caves, walls and arches. The Rikoriko Cave shown here is one of the largest sea caves in the world.
Once a staple on the domestic event calendar, the Poor Knights Crossing course hasn’t been run since 2022, with organisers instead running the Tawhiti Rahi Coastal Challenge along the coastline in recent editions.
Re-opening the course legs to or from the Poor Knights Marine reserve 24km off the Tutukaka Coast has taken a collaborative effort with the new management team at Dive! Tutukaka, the Tutukaka Marina Trust and the event sponsors Te Putahi Projects, The Watertight Co, Land Pirates and Robinsons Asphalts.
Combining the forces of four Northland based companies alongside Dive! Tutukaka will provide the rare opportunity for ocean paddlers to get some blue water racing experience in Aotearoa.
Wind permitting, paddlers will be either racing from Tutukaka to Tawhiti Rahi (Poor Knights) or return, a prospect race organiser Tim Eves has been keen to get back on the event calendar for the past five years.
“First it was covid—remember that— then the weather decided to not play ball. Until now Dive! Tutukaka was not in a position to support the event. But now we can plan for another potential crossing race which is just awesome,” Eves said.
“Logistics is always a challenge for the crossing but, if the wind lines up, it’s always worth the hassle,” he said.
This is an iconic NZ ocean paddle and definitely one for all paddlers’ bucket list, although given the environment and nature of the event, strong ocean paddling skills and experience are required to tackle the challenge
Alternate course options if the wind doesn’t line up for a crossing is a down the coast course, an epic adventure paddle along the wild northern coastline.
Entries close on Thursday 10th September. But be quick, as ferry spaces may be limited to about 80 racing craft.
Enter here: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=435588
All Entries received by Sept 7 go in to the draw to win a free race accommodation package and/or a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses from Paddle Sport NZ.
