The Cook Islands Canoeing Association Vaka Eiva junior paddlers hit the lagoon again in Muri for the marathon two-kilometre and six-kilometre V6 races yesterday.

Although the conditions were quite wet due to the much-needed rain, the juniors had an enjoyable time paddling furiously for a spot in the top three and cheering on their teammates.

Aitutaki’s junior under-16 boys proved they were a crew to be reckoned in the V6 6km coming in first in a time of 28.32.50 minutes.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s junior U16 girls from the Kotuku Aratika Water Sports club in Auckland, came in first in the V6 6km in a time of 32.26.06 mins.

Local crew Te Tupu O Te Manava were pleased as punch to win the top spot in the Junior 14 Girls V6 2km in a time of 8.10.87 mins, while the junior 14 boys from Te Wharekura O Mauao Hoe Aroha O Mauao Tauranga placed first in their V6 2km event in 7.49 mins.

The full Vaka Eiva juniors results are as follows:

Junior 16 Girls V6 6km: 1 Kotuku Aratika Water Sports Auckland, Aotearoa Blue 32.26.06; 2 Te Tupu Te Tupu O Te Manava Rarotonga 34.21.38; 3 Ngakau Toa Vaka 1 Rarotonga 35.03.13; 4 Te Wharekura O Mauao Hoe Aroha O Mauao Tauranga, Aotearoa 35.32.66; 5 Ngakau Toa Vaka 39.29.31.

Junior 16 Boys V6 6km: 1 Aitutaki Oe Vaka, Aitutaki 28.32.50; 2 Iroam Nga Hoe Horo Kaitaia, Aotearoa 29.15.87; 3 Kawau Aratika Water Sports Auckland, Aotearoa 31.24.79; 4 Ngakau Toa Vaka 32.13.65; 5Te Tupu Te Tupu O Te Manava 33.09.55.

Junior 14 Girls V6 2km: 1 Te Tupu O Te Manava (Mere) 8.10.87; 2 Te Tupu O Te Manava (Hina) 9.15.91; 3 Ngakau Toa Vaka 9.22.51; 4 Te Wharekura O Mauao Hoe Aroha O Mauao Tauranga 9.38.13.

Junior 14 Boys V6 2km: 1 Te Wharekura O Mauao Hoe Aroha O Mauao Tauranga 7.49; 2 Kore Taringa Nga Hoe Horo Kaitaia 8.17; 3 Ngakau Toa Vaka 8.40.

The Vaka Eiva prizegiving awards and closing ceremony will be held this evening at 5pm at Trader Jacks and The Vaka shed.