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Whangara Mai Tawhiti turned everything up a notch on the final day to take the Duncan MacIntyre Trophy as the top kapa haka of Te Matatini.
The win confirms tutor Derek Lardelli as one of the top brains in the Maori performing arts, and means the East Coast roopu will be called on to represent Aotearoa over the next two years.
Despite picking up the aggregate trophies with an outstanding bracket on Saturday, Tamaki Makaurau's Te Waka Huia were runners up for the supreme trophy, which is judged solely on the final performance.
Te Iti Kahurangi representing the rohe of Tainui confirmed they are a group to look to in the future with a strong show for third.
Te Matatini 2019 will be hosted by Whanganui-a-Tara.
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