Watch: Supercar stars’ powerful Māori welcome to Christchurch

Supercars have touched down in Christchurch, and the welcome couldn’t have been more Kiwi.

Drivers traded steering wheels for paddles, rowing down the Avon River in a traditional waka as part of their welcome into Ōtautahi. 

Waiting for them on the bank was a powerful haka performed by local hapū, alongside a warm reception from Mayor Phil Mauger and a strong crowd of fans.

In a video shared by Supercars on social media, they called it a moment of ”strength, unity, pride”. 

It’s the first time Christchurch and the South Island have hosted Supercars, with action getting underway at Ruapuna Raceway today.

Red Bull driver Will Brown was clearly in awe of the performance, with many fans quick to note it in the comments “I love that experience for you all. I think Will Brown wins for experiencing from a place of awe. Go you.”

While the welcome carried plenty of mana, it didn’t take long for things to get a little loose on the water

A video doing the rounds shows drivers reminding everyone why they race cars, not boats, as they struggled to stay in sync and took every opportunity to splash each other.

One lot of Supercar drivers were described as the “naughty boat”, noting the second wave of drivers were far less composed than the first.

Australian driver Rylan Gray added to the banter, posting another video with the caption: “Please send all complaints to Cam Waters.”

Waters fired back in the comments: “Coupla B-grade paddlers.”

Walkinshaw TWG Racing also joined in on the fun, sharing a clip of a waka nudging into the riverbank, joking it was the “first crash of the weekend”.

While the racing kicks off at Euromarque Motorsport Park in Christchurch on Friday, it’s already been a memorable start.