There must be something in the water on the Tarawera River as New Zealand teams produced a golden winning effort at the 2013 White Water World Rafting Championships.

A total of 70 teams of six, from 30 countries competed in the 11-day international event at Kawerau along with the Kaituna and Rangitaiki, with the Kiwis paddling their way to two world title crowns in the Women's under-19 and under-23 divisions.

The New Zealand under-19 Women's white water rafting team navigating the slalom course on the Tarawera.

And it is the New Zealand under-19 girls' team, all hailing from Tauranga, who are gaining all the plaudits.

Captained by Courtney Williams, 15, the team backed up earlier bronze and silver medals with gold in a very physical slalom race on the Tarawera on Saturday.

Along with Courtney, the team of Paris Taniwha, 15, Hayle Dangen, 18, Suzie Cumming, 16, Chelsi Williams, 17, and Kaydi O'Connor-Stratton made it through the 14 gates and some super-strong currents putting together a great run with only 35 penalties – enough to push the classy Brazilians.

Courtney, like her crew mates and experienced rafting coach Paul Roozendaal, was all smiles after the race.

"There are five of us who all do kayak slalom and we have been practising with the rafting for well over eight months now ahead of this event and together for a year preparing.

"We're just overwhelmed to have beaten the Brazilian girls and taken out the gold.”

Spurred on by their victory in the slalom, the side saved their best until last winning the Down River by more than 10 seconds – helping them leapfrog Brazil and win not only the Down River, but the overall gold medal.

The women's under 23 finished the championship undefeated winning the Sprint, Head to Head, Slalom and Down River to score a maximum 1000 points – a superb performance that the Czech and Italian girls had no answer to.

In white water rafting, there are four disciplines - the Sprint, the Head to head, the Slalom and the Down River.

Each counts as an individual event, but also contributes a percentage of the overall crew score and it is this final score which determines the Overall World Champions.

The Sprint is worth 10 per cent, the Head to Head 20 per cent, the Slalom 30 per cent and the Down River 40 per cent of the final scores.

In the Men's under-19 category Russia backed up their win in the slalom with a fabulous winning paddle in the Down River, but New Zealand's young crew also excelled, chasing the champions home in the race and moving up to second overall for a silver medal.

Action continues in the World Champs on Thursday when the world's best male and female rafters paddle it out for event and overall honours in the Senior and Masters classes.