Waitakere Outrigger Canoe Club

The Waitakere Outrigger Canoe Club (WOCC) serves the waka ama community in Auckland's western suburbs. WOCC is located at the end of Bridge Avenue in Te Atatu South, next to the Te Atatu Motorway Bridge. We train every day - there is usually someone at the club from 4pm on weekdays and on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Womens Squad trainings are 5.45pm Mondays and Wednesdays and 7am Sundays. Mens are 5.30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays and 7am Saturday. Juniors are at various times depending on the squads/ ages. Our novice nights are during the daylight savings months. Please keep an eye on the Events Page for our regular open days.

If you're visiting the club, please park out on the road and introduce yourself to one of our friendly members.

History of the Club

The Waitakere Outrigger Canoe Club was formed in 1991 and in 2012 the club celebrates its 21st birthday. The formation of the club represented the need to provide for the sport in West Auckland, as a local outlet for interest from people who had been involved in waka ama in other areas, or who were looking for an alternative to dragon boating, which was very popular at the time.

In 1991 the club obtained the use of two “1990” waka (the current white waka Koro and Kui). These waka were the club's training and racing waka until a newer 1990 model Te Mata Pounamu was purchased in 1994, followed by Paul Preston, and the current racing Mahi Mahis Waitakere, Whau Moana and Kaitiaki o Te Kekeno.

In the early years the club was solely an adults club, but from the mid-1990s there was an increasing focus on rangitahi, and younger members now form a major part of the club’s activities.

The club first attended the National Sprint Championships at Lake Pupuke in 1992, and has been represented at every national championships since, gaining many wins and other podium performances. An open mens team was the first club team to attend the World Sprint Championships in Samoa in 1994. The club was then represented at the Worlds in Fiji (1998), Townsville (2000), Tahiti (2002) and Hawaii (2004). From 2006 representation at the Worlds went national, and the club continues to have many members in national teams.

The club today has 150 active members of all ages and many other supporters. Waitakere is one of the larger clubs in Auckland and continues to grow and foster the sport in West Auckland.