Te Waka Pounamu Outrigger Canoe Club

Ticket Sales Extended! 📢

We’ve had feedback that some members are experiencing difficulties navigating the QR code ticket purchase process, and we don’t want anyone to miss out.

To give everyone a fair opportunity to secure their tickets, we have extended ticket sales until Wednesday evening.

If you’re having any trouble purchasing your tickets, please reach out and we’ll be happy to help.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of what promises to be a fantastic event!

https://events.humanitix.com/te-wakapounamu-25th-anniversary-dinner?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e227_tv2_tp1_a1dennhb517grx&fbclid=IwZnRzaASSATJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeGmtkzNXoga-KXBtq4o57dseTLsSAXsgdbS1zPCZrsKx2by89KNWBNUJYx3I_aem_HdeHe6EqiD6Fs1MRex2KcA

Te Waka Pounamu 25th Anniversary Dinner Come and join us for an evening celebrating 25 years of Te Waka Pounamu.

25th Anniversary celebration invitation!

Please find attached the formal invitation to the 25th anniversary celebration on the 20th of June.

Tickets can be purchased with the link below. You will also be able to purchase a special TWP anniversary T-shirt or singlet through this link, too. This can be done in addition to your ticket or separately if you're unable to make the event.

Please order tickets by 8th of June to ensure appropriate catering for the event.

https://events.humanitix.com/te-wakapounamu-25th-anniversary-dinner

🌊🌊 Whakaraupō Chase 2026! 🌊🌊

Entries are open! Come and join us!

Please see attached the Panui for the The Whakaraupō Chase. This event is back and bigger than ever, with races for all ages and abilities. We look forward to hosting you all for a weekend of fun, competition and connection. This event includes Kai at Prizegiving.

🗓 20-21 March 2026
📍 Whakaraupō/Lyttelton

Entries close Sunday 15th March midnight, and can be made by your crew/yourself using the below form:
📎 https://forms.gle/yco4hT8fNESwLiMDA

Please also register your attendance on our event page, so we can communicate directly with those attending.
📎https://www.facebook.com/share/1CLJDodzpc/

📧 Enquires to [email protected]

Please join us in remembering David Philip Van de Geest's funeral service on Jan 30, 2026 .

David Philip Van de Geest Funeral Notice | Funeral Directors Christchurch, John Rhind Funeral Directors Van de Geest David Philip (Dave) On December 31st 2025, passed away tragically, aged 47 years. B... The service will be on January 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM…

Ko te tai e
Ko te tai e
Ko te tai i kūmea atu rā te waka o aituā
Ko te tai tapu e kotia ki Hawaiki nui,
Ki Hawaiki roa, ki Hawaiki Pamamao e

E kore e hoki mai anō
Kua ū tō waka ki te whenua taurīkura
Ko te taurāhere waka ka taea te motu
Ekari kē ia, mō te taurā here tākata, e kore e taea te motu

Hoatū rā i te rakimarie
Waiho te taumahataka me te mamae i muri
Ka ora tonu koe i tō whānau me ō hoa maha
Me te au o te moana me te whatika o te tai

E te rakatira, e te kaihoe o Te Waka Pounamu, e te taoka o Te Waka o Aoraki, Dave,
Haere atu koe ki te taha o ōu tūpuna, kua wheturakitia koe. Moe mai rā, takoto mai rā koe i tō waka whakamutuka, hoea, hoea, hoea rā koe.

Ka mihi tino aroha ki a Fran, Dylan & Micah, rātou ko te whanau whānui Van de Geest hoki.
Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui.

Āpiti hono, tātai hono, rātou ki a rātou
Āpiti hono, tātai hono, tātou ki a tātou
Nō reira, tēnā koutou

We have lost a true champion. An amazing person, fantastic teammate and a good friend. Our hearts ache, and our love goes out to Dave's family, especially his wife Fran, and children Dylan and Micah, and all of his friends, in this difficult time.

On New Years Eve, David Van de Geest, a valued club member, and team member of Aoraki Matatū and PanDolphins, passed away surrounded by his whanau.

Dave was a great human being, with an amazing attitude and willingness to work hard. He first joined Te Waka Pounamu about 2020, after initially paddling with Waitaha in 2018/19, and coming across from Dragonboating, where he paddled for NZ in the 2017 World Champs in China. These early days with the club were spent learning to paddle OC1 - where he slowly but surely got closer to the bunch on Saturday Mornings, until finally, he was surpassing many of his clubmates.

It was this attitude and work ethic that led to Aoraki Matatū asking him to join the team for the 2022 World Championships in London, when the crew unexpectedly needed a 6th paddler with less than 8 weeks to go to the event. And, what a decision it turned out to be. Dave, at his first ever sprint regatta became a double World Champion in the W12 500m nd W6 500m Master Men events - helping Te Waka Pounamu grab its first ever W6 world title.

Dave backed this up in 2024, claiming a National Gold with Aoraki Matatū in the Master Men W6 1000m, and a Bronze in the W12 500m at the World Championships in Hilo, Hawaii. In 2025, he showed that hard work pays off by winnng Silver in the Master Men OC1 16km race at LDNs, along with a Bronze in the W6 24km event with the Pansexual Dolphins.

Dave, may you go well on your journey and paddle strong, as you always have. We will miss you, and think of you fondly, especially on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings on Whakaraupō.

A memorial service to celebrate Dave's life on the 30th of January (times and venue to be confirmed). If you would like to give a koha, you can do so to the following account: 03-1355-0801178-03 (Account Name: Te Waka Pounamu Outrigger Canoe Club Charitable Trust - Please use your Surname as reference and DVG Koha as code).

The following page has been set up for any messages you would like to offer:
https://www.forevermissed.com/david-vandegeest/tributes

Ngā mihi mahana
Te Waka Pounamu