A mother of three from Porirua, New Zealand with Cook Islands heritage says despite coming to Samoa to compete internationally, she found a good escape from the fast-paced life back home.

Marianna Hodges, 37, won a silver medal in the Open Women's V1 division 16-kilometre race at the International Va'a Federation World Distance Championship on Tuesday with Canada claiming gold.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Mrs. Hodges, whose mother is originally from the Cook Islands, thanked Samoa for the hospitality and for providing a true Polynesian spirit. She said she could feel her cultural roots back in the Cook Islands.

"I just want to say that I am really excited with the outcome and really grateful and blessed to be here in Samoa with my family and such an honour to paddle in Samoa on the waters and experience the ocean here," she said. "I feel like we have that same connection between Samoa and Cook Islands, that Polynesian connection and I love it and I am enjoying it so much.

"Sometimes it's a bit fast-paced back home in New Zealand but it's just nice to just be able to connect a lot more with each other here in Samoa so thank you for letting us experience that.

"Thank you Samoa, we are having a beautiful time as a family and just being able to stop and connect with each other and I feel like we can only do that when we're on our islands."

This is Mrs. Hodges' and her family's first time in Samoa. She has been padding for around 28 years and this is her third medal at a paddling world championship. She won a bronze medal in Australia, a silver in Tahiti and now another silver in Samoa.

The New Zealand paddler on Tuesday proudly walked up on stage to claim her silver medal with her two children in her arms and with her older son and husband cheering from the crowd.

"Just to enjoy life and I have no expectations on them but whatever they do, just strive hard and go for it and we will always be there to support them," she said. "Still want to go out and play some more. I've never got enough time to be out in the water. I always have to get told off by someone to get off because I am always out in the ocean but definitely love it here in Samoa."