Hi, I’m Pia !
I've been paddling for 12 years and train across a wide range of watercraft. In recent years, my focus has shifted to C1 sprint canoe—the Olympic discipline—where I'm continually pushing to refine both power and precision. I paddle outrigger for the challenge and the team unity that comes with it - the shared purpose really elevates my training and focus.
My journey with the molokai channel began in 2013, when my brother moved to Hawai‘i and left his paddleboard behind. That year, I entered my first SUP race, and the moment I learned about the Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu (M2O) crossing, I became completely hooked. Less than a year into training, I crossed the Ka‘iwi Channel for the first time and placed in the top three of the elite female field. I was all in from that point on.
After a health setback temporarily took SUP off the table in 2015/2016, I turned to surf lifesaving as part of my rehab—and in the process, developed what I can only describe as a full-blown watercraft addiction.
My first time paddling an OC1 was a 27 km coastal race in NZ in 2017- I was incredibly fit from other paddle sports and figured that over 27 km I would figure out how to paddle one of these cool boats. I borrowed a boat from the event organiser and a nice man helped me assemble the boat about a half hour before race start. it took be about 5 km to figure it all out but I surprised everyone (including myself) by taking the win. I returned the next year and borrowed a boat again (I couldn’t afford to buy one) to see if it was a fluke, abut I won again, and so with that extra confidence I went over to Hawaii and competed in the Molokai solo (my 6th time in an OC1) and came 6th in Elite.
Representative teams:
New Zealand - International
Swimming - Junior Tri Series, Oceania Grand Prix, World Cup Hong Kong
SUP - World Championships team (ISA) Sayulita, 2015 (Bronze medallist technical, Silver mixed relay), World Championships 2016 (ISA) Cloudbreak, Fiji (Gold Medal technical, Silver mixed relay), Molokai to Oahu World Championships - 2014 (3rd - elite unlimited), 2016 (3rd - elite unlimited), 2017 (Winner - world record), 2018 (3rd elite unlimited)
Outrigger - Molokai solo 2018 (6th elite) , Bhutty Moore Winner 2017 & 2018
OC6 - National Champion 2022,2023,2024 (Marathon) 2023 (Sprints)
Sprint Canoe - Olympic Trails 2020, National Champion 500m, 1000m &5km - 2022, 2023, 2024
Australia - International
Outrigger - Upcoming 2025 Women’s Elite team for Rio, Brazil (September)
Favourite saying - “Big time players make big time plays” in any event there is a defining point where you have to drop the hammer, and you know it is going to hurt and it’s a risk, but if you don’t do it you won’t get the result. I live for those moments and as they say … pain is temporary, but pride is forever.
What Molokai means to me : Molokai is my favourite day of the year. I have crossed the channel with wind at my back and with wind in my face and it doesn’t matter what the channel throws out, I have a huge sense of “being exactly where I should be” when I am out there. This will be my first crossing doing the long form race in a 6 man canoe but I am so psyched for it. If I love it as much as I do on my own then I can’t imagine how amazing it will be with 9 fierce wahine toa.
