Local Athletes excel at 2023 Paddle Australia Canoe Sprint Championships: Named in Australian teams for world championships + Asia Pacific Cup - come & Try sprint paddling!
On the first day of the regatta, competitors aged 12 and under all the way through to members of the Senior National team took to the course to test their skills. The competition continued to heat up on day two. As the temperature soared at Champion Lakes, so did the ratings of our paddlers with plenty of close races and personal best times falling.
Day four of competition at the 2023 Paddle Australia Canoe Sprint Championships welcomed masters competitors for their first races, as paddlers across the junior and senior ranks continued to fly down the course at Champion Lakes. Personal and Australian best times were broken, as conditions helped to power competitors home in the 200, 500 and 1000 distances.
Local athletes are bringing home a haul of medals and have been named as part of the Australian team for the 2023 World Championships and the Pacific Cup Team. With the Paris Olympics not so far away, and Los Angeles and Brisbane after that, the potential for more local Olympians in this sport is palpable after this years PA Canoe sprint Championships.
The MK1 1000 kicked off racing on day four, with Olympic champions Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen going head to head. Green and van der Westhuyzen teamed up to deliver a gold medal in the MK2 1000 at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Earlier in the regatta, van der Westhuyzen managed to pip Green at the post in the MK1 500. But the strength of the men’s program across the board is something that both van der Westhuyzen and Green agreed is a positive.
“It’s been good to see the group grow and develop together. We have such a young group and we enjoy each other’s company and pushing each other every day,” van der Westhuyzen said.
“It’s great to have some guys like Riley Fitzimmons back in the team as well,” Green added. “Having him a part of the team again is vital, especially leading up to the Olympics. He’s got such a wealth of knowledge, and us having such a young group it’s really important. Paris will be potentially his third Olympics – the experiences and lessons that you learn at the Olympics you can’t be taught and you can’t learn them anywhere else apart from being a part of that. So it will be good to have him as part of the team in the lead up to Paris, and for the international season ahead too,” he said.
Manly Warringah Kayak Club Members Results from Friday - PA national sprint champs:
Michael Dunbar - GOLD and Australian Champion u18 k1 1000, and K2 1000 ,bronze u18 K1 200
Ziko Vesely - GOLD and Australian Champ u18 K2 1000 Sliver u18 K1
Mario Vesely - GOLD and Australian Champ 45+K1 200
- Silver 45+ K1 1000 , 45 + k2 500 , and 35 + K2 1000
- Bronze 35+ K2 200
Villiam Mako - Silver 45+ k2 500 ,and 35 + K2 1000 Bronze 45+ K1 1000, Bronze 35+ k2 200
Carlito Vesely - GOLD and Australian Champ - u14 K4 500, and also u14 k1 200, and the u14 k2 200
Mate Eles. GOLD - Mixed K2 500m, 1st - K4 500m, 2nd - K2 500m, 2nd - K1 500m, 3rd - K2 200m, 3rd - K1 200m, 3rd - K2 1000m and 5th - K1 1000m
Chloe Harris - GOLD and Australian Champ u14 K4 500
Max Mako - Bronze u16 k2. 200 and u16 K2 1000
All MWKC and SNBKC athletes had a great championships, with many A finals and Personal Bests.
There was more on offer at the 2023 Paddle Australia (PA) Canoe Sprint Championships than just national titles, with the Junior and U23 Australian teams, and Asia Pacific Cup team announced at Champion Lakes on Saturday, March 25 by Paddle Australia announced as the provisional Canoe Sprint National Pathways Teams.
PA National Performance Pathways Lead (Sprint) Kenny Wallace OAM OLY was on hand to announce the 14-strong Junior team, 12-strong U23 team and 36 athletes selected in the Asia Pacific Cup team.
The Junior and U23 Australian team will compete at the 2023 ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Auronzo, Italy from 5-9 July 2023.
The Asia Pacific Cup will be raced at Lake Karapiro in New Zealand from 21-24 April 2023.
Mr. Wallace said he was impressed with the performances on the water this week, and excited to provisionally announce the national pathways teams.
“On behalf of Paddle Australia, I’d like to congratulate all the athletes selected to our Junior, U23 and Asia Pacific teams for 2023.'' he said
“The talent on display on the water this week at the 2023 PA Canoe Sprint Championships has been fantastic.
“Last year at the U23 World Championships, we had Olympic gold medalist Tom Green racing in our Australian team and this year have more Senior National team members in Noah Havard, Pierre van der Westhuyen, Fletcher Armstrong and Kailey Harlen in our U23 team, and Natalia Drobot and Claudia Bailey in the Junior team.
“What that shows us is the depth and high calibre of talent in our pathway programs which is exciting not just for this Olympic cycle, but as we continue to build towards the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
“The talent among our pathways athletes is a reflection of the quality in the national network … SIS/SAS coaches and performance support staff, clubs, families and support groups – thank you to our entire community for supporting the development of these athletes – it takes a village!
“It’s going to be another exciting year for our National Pathways teams, and I look forward to seeing what our athletes can achieve,” Mr. Wallace said in closing
As can be read below, members of local clubs feature strongly among the representative teams.
Congratulations to all named to represent their country in the World Championships and the Asia Pacific Cup.
JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
Claudia Bailey – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Alyssa Bailey – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Natalia Drobot – Avoca, NSW
Michael Dunbar – Manly Warringah, NSW
Max Gandziuk – West Lakes, SA
Charlie Heaton-Armstrong – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Chelsea Jentz – QLD
Samantha Lourey – Bayswater, WA
Ziah Peisker – QLD
Jasmine Rayward – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Sean Ryce – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Emerson Simone – West Lakes, SA
Mitch Tamblin – Bayswater, WA
Ziko Vesely – Manly Warringah, NSW
U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
Fletcher Armstrong – Avoca, NSW
Demi Bates – West Lakes, SA
Kailey Harlen – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Noah Havard – National Centre of Excellence, QLD
Tinus Koekemoer – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Jasmine Locke – Illawarra, NSW
Jenaya Massie – QLD
Maguire Reid – Onkaparinga, SA
Charli Smyth – West Lakes, SA
Harrison Taurins – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Pierre van der Westhuyzen – National Centre of Excellence, QLD
Caitlin Webber – West Lakes, SA
ASIA PACIFIC CUP TEAM – U16
Charlie Cornwell – Patterson Lakes, VIC
Mate Eles – Manly Warringah, NSW
Christian Ireland – Makai Paddlers Society, NSW
Connor Jacob – Canning River, WA
Julian Glew – Avoca, NSW
Byron Dieckmann – Sunshine Coast, QLD
Taya Cassidy – Ascot, WA
Stella Dark – Ascot, WA
Claudia Ketteringham – Bayswater, WA
Albee McInnes – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Zoe Moore – Bayswater, WA
Eden Sakora – Makai Paddlers Society, NSW
ASIA PACIFIC CUP TEAM – U18
Claudia Bailey – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Alyssa Bailey – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Natalia Drobot – Avoca, NSW
Michael Dunbar – Manly Warringah, NSW
Charlie Heaton-Armstrong – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Chelsea Jentz – QLD
Samantha Lourey – Bayswater, WA
Belle Mc Bennett – Bayswater, WA
Ziah Peisker – QLD
Jasmine Rayward – Currumbin Creek, QLD
Sean Ryce – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Emerson Simone – West Lakes, SA
Mitch Tamblin – Bayswater, WA
Ziko Vesley – Manly Warringah, NSW
ASIA PACIFIC CUP TEAM – U21
Demi Bates – West Lakes, SA
Luke Egger – Canning River, WA
Will Spencer – Holdfast Bay, SA
Harrison Taurins – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Bailey Clues – Sydney Northern Beaches, NSW
Jasmine Locke – Illawarra, NSW
Jenaya Massie – QLD
Jake Morris – QLD
Charli Smyth – West Lakes, SA
Phoebe Wills-Grace – Sunshine Coast, QLD
Both Manly Warringah Kayak Club and the Sydney Northern Beaches Kayak Club are focused on giving local athletes their best shot in this sport. You can read up about MWKC HERE and their pathway program, while the Sydney Northern Beaches Kayak Club has a come and try day on Saturday April 1st.
They say; 'Could you be Sydney Northern Beaches next Olympian. Looking for boys and girls age 12-15 - you’ll be age perfect for the 2032 Olympic in Brisbane 2032. Fit young adolescents who love the water and love sports. Register your interest at snbkayakclub@gmail.com - We have a come and try day on Saturday April 1. Come on- take the challenge. We’d love to see you there.'
Report edited from posts by Paddle Australia. Photos: Paddle Australia
Pittwater Challenge 2023
Entries are now open for 2023 Harbour Racing, Race 1, Saturday 15 April Pittwater Challenge and all events in this years series: https://www.webscorer.com/registerseries?seriesid=309357
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