Constable Rangi “Raanj” Rapana (Tainui, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea) knows how to turn water into gold… and silver and bronze.

In 2024, the “40-something-year-old” competed at the top level in waka ama and whitewater rafting, bringing home seven gold medals, four silvers and a bronze medal. Now, she can add glass to that list after being crowned the 2024 Police Association and Police Sport Sportsperson of the Year (the trophy is glass).

Sport has been a part of Raanj’s life for as long as she can remember. She grew up playing several sports including league, netball and basketball and she was a regional representative in netball and basketball throughout high school.

She then moved into touch, where she represented New Zealand in the open women’s grade, the most recent being at the 2019 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur where her NZ 27s women’s team were crowned world champions. Raanj has also represented Aotearoa in dragon boat racing.

Raanj is not shy to admit she’s always been very competitive, but an injury about 18 months ago put a stop to competing in many running sports. “I can still run but not like I used to. It could also be age.”

For now, paddling is her focus.

“I find paddling helps not only with my sport but it is great for my hinengaro (mind) coming off some busy shifts or a way to relax and unwind. I never stop water training.

“When races come up on the calendar, the only thing I look at is whether I have the funds to attend and can get the time off to do it.”

Paddle stations

Time management is key, Raanj says, although sacrificing some things also plays a huge part, “whether that’s a few hours’ sleep for early water sessions or missing out on whānau gatherings”.

“Having a great support network including colleagues and bosses to allow time off to attend trials, training camps and races is also vital,” Raanj says.

Fellow waka ama competitor Detective Sergeant Max Holder, of Whakatāne, says from what he has witnessed, Raanj is an asset to any team.

“Waka ama has become a very competitive sport with some amazing athletes and the ability to combine with other athletes and achieve what she has is not an accident. It takes a phenomenal amount of time, personal discipline and a lot of sweat, pain and sacrifice,” Max says.

“Her motivation and dedication to be her best allows her to perform at an elite level. Her skill set is unique and it makes her a pivotal member in high performance teams.”

Never one to rest on her paddles, Raanj is already putting that unique skill set to good use in 2025. She will find out this month if she has made the New Zealand elite women’s long distance waka ama team to compete at the World Long Distance Championships in Brazil in August. “There are also discussions happening around the World Rafting Championships in Argentina at the end of the year. But no decision has been made yet on whether a New Zealand team will compete.”

Success after success

Raanj’s glittering year began in February 2024 at the Takapuna Beach Cup Aotearoa three-day waka ama event. She won gold as part of the Moana Pacific Paddlers open women’s crew and picked up another gold paddling with her son, Ash Roozendaal, in the 2 x 12km mixed V1 relay.

In March, Raanj paddled for Mana Wahine at the Sydney Harbour Challenge outrigger canoe event picking up silver in the open women’s division and then gold with her six-person crew, Dora Milaje, at the Mount 2 Maketu event in Tauranga.

Then in May it was off to Bosnia with her New Zealand women’s open crewmates Kelly Wood, Denise Martin and Nikki Whitehead for the International Rafting Federation’s 2024 World Championships.

Raanj’s R6 women’s crew topped the podium the last time the event was held in 2019, just before she joined Police, so she was out to defend the title. Gold medals in the sprint time trial and the downriver as well as silver in the head to head and the slalom were enough to retain the overall world champion crown.

Next for Raanj was a trip to Hawaii in September to compete with a Kiwi crew in the arduous 62km Na Wahine O Ke Kai World Championship canoe race. They came seventh out of 48 canoes.

In October, Raanj claimed gold in the singleperson, ruddered outrigger canoe race at the Waka Ama Long Distance Nationals in Gisborne and was second overall with the Makoha Poerava (Taupō Waka Ama Club) open women’s crew.

The Makoha Poerava W6 masters women’s did one better at November’s Vaka Eiva 2024 in Rarotonga, winning gold in the 12km iron as well as the Round Raro 32km race. Raanj was also on board when the Makoha open women’s crew claimed bronze in the 12km race.

Raanj rounded out the year competing in Te Puku o Te Ika Regional Sprint Championships at Lake Karāpiro, where she qualified for nationals in the W1 as well as with her son in the double hull. Raanj says while all her successes have been special, competing at international races alongside Ash “has always been a highlight”.

In 2024, she coached Whakatāne women’s waka ama crews Whakaari and Moutohora. Both qualified for the world champs in Hawaii.

She then set up and coached a crew that included the top 12 paddlers from her region, earning gold at Te Puku O Te lka, and she also coaches Makoha.