International paddling coach Vesna Radonich, a former Aotearoa New Zealand and world sprint champion, is back on Rarotonga for her eighth Vaka Eiva, with three crews of ladies she coaches.

Radonich’s Ngā Hau E Whā (NHEW) paddling group was set up through her online coaching class, mentoring paddlers from around the world.

The 2023 Vaka Eiva will be their third international race and they hope one of many more to come.

Ngā Hau E Whā will feature three teams for the Iron races and three for the Round Raro race.

“The idea was that I bring coaching clients together and choose some races with them to experience – mostly international,” said Radonich.

“It’s been an amazing journey with these wahine.”

The crew also paddled in the Queen Liliuokalani race in Hawaii in September where they won a haul of medals including gold for the V6 M40 standard, as well as Radonich’s gold in the V1 rudderless.

Radonich has been paddling since 2001, first picking up a paddle in Sydney, Australia.

She participated in the first Vaka Eiva in 2004 and returned several times over the years.

Radonich says Vaka Eiva is appealing since it has the different disciplines of iron, changeover, individual and sprints (previously).

She also enjoys “the great atmosphere” of being around paddlers from all around the world.

Radonich’s highlights of Vaka Eiva are “being around some amazing athletes who are humble, being around the Cook Islands community who have become like a second family to me”.

Last year Radonich brought over a Canadian team to compete in the Cook Islands Nationals – a scaled down version of Vaka Evia. The team managed podium finishes in the iron, singles and Round Raro races.

This year a big plus for her is the opportunity to bring some of her coaching clients for the Round Raro race, and for many, it will be their first international changeover race.

One of her big achievements is being amongst amazing women on the water, “whether paddling with them or lining up to race them”.

“It’s so inspiring to see the lengths they go to for the sport. Not just on the water but what they do off the water and in the background for the sport, family, and career to enable them to paddle.”

Coaching on and off for individuals and teams for over 20 years, three years ago she started International Paddling Coach, where she coaches paddlers all around the world, through online and face to face classes.

This year she celebrates 20 years, since her first Vaka Evia race.

“Twenty years of friendships are still there, our babies are friends, and catching up is always lots of laughs.

“A huge thank you to the amazing Cook Islands community, you have been so supportive, encouraging and always are there to help when I need,” Radonich said.

Whaea Engines

Bernie Murch, a medallist at the World Sprints, is joining the Whaea Engines team made up of paddlers from throughout Aotearoa, most with years of experience and some who have done Vaka Eiva a number of times. For a few of her teammates, it will be their first time to Rarotonga.

Murch has raced in many international races both in sprint and long distance V1 and OC1.

She was the New Zealand V1 500m Open Women’s Champion, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and NZ MW40s 500m Champion 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010.

Murch, who dominated the NZ sprints scene in the early 2000s, was here for the first Vaka Eiva in 2004. She was also part of the winning Waitakere team from Aotearoa in 2005 and 2006.

She is a medallist at World Sprints – bronze in Hilo (Hawaii) 2004, and silver in NZ 2006 in opens and silver in MW40s.

Both Murch and Radonich were part of the silver medal winning New Zealand Masters 40s team at this year’s International World Va’a Long Distance in Samoa.