Nankeen Night Heron.

Opposite Fishmarket Reserve boat ramp. Guildford.

There used to be a colony living in the trees before the developers of the new houses cut down most of the vegetation along the river bank.

After paddling a race every day for five days at the Sprint Championships it was good to see Sunday arrive and paddle a few more kilometres in my day.

The Sprints however were very successful with large numbers of interstate paddlers coming over to race especially juniors as it was a selection event. Our local paddlers did very well, however we were short of masters and under 14s which we will need to work on next time round. WA results are below and its quite an impressive list.

My last races were in my K1. I had to go in the 65+ events as there were no other paddlers over 70. 
So I was the oldest paddler there, I was the only paddler to paddle a Kayak (K1) and a Canoe (C1) and to really be the odd one out, I was the only paddler over 14 to paddle in a PFD.

This Sunday is the PInjarra to Ravenswood Race then its to the Marathon Championships in Geelong. There are 30 paddlers going including 6 SUP paddlers. Although SUPs have been part of our WA championships it is the first time there is a proper Australian Championships for SUPs run by Paddle Australia.

The Avon River is running at the moment, but it won't last long. But when winter does arrive and you start paddling down the Avon remember my free on-line Avon River Guide is here:-
 Avon River Guide – Canoeing, Kayaking & Other Adventures (wordpress.com)
Check it out.

I must be getting old. I've noticed some grey hairs on my head.
Oh god - What do I do?  What's life going to be like now!!!

Grant Pepper (Ascot Life Member) on Sunday night. Secret training!

John Liso, Jane Liddle and Peter Martin.

Jane is on fire. At the PRG evening she showed many of the men how fast she can paddle.

Jane will be competing in the Marathon Champs in a weeks time.

Bells Rapid yesterday.

Photos Jane Liddle.

The SLSNSW State Champs, held at Queenscliff over the weekend, highlights the courage, skill, and fitness levels required to be a top level ski paddler.

Where do you think this is?

Australian Sprint Championships

On site.

National Team Selection

The Nationals was a selection event for Junior/U23 World Championships and Asia Pacific Cup. 
Mitchell Tamblin and Samantha Lourey were selected to the Junior World Championships team.  
Belle McBennett will join Sammy and Mitch on the U18 Asia Pacific Cup team. 
Luke Egger was selected to the U21 Asia Pacific Cup team. 
Emerging WA athletes, Connor Jacob, Taya Cassidy, Stella Dark, Claudia Ketteringham and Zoe Moore, all made the U16 Asia Pacific Cup team. 
An awesome representation from team WA!

Thanks to the local organisers, coaches, officials and volunteers for a fantastic regatta! 

Mitchell Tamblin. 
Mitchell Tamblin and Samantha Lourey were selected to the Junior World Championships team. 
Photo Selena Lloyd  

Phil and I went head to head but unfortunately Phils head got to the line a second before mine.
Photo Selena Lloyd 

WAs Yale Steinepreis & team member race Australia's best open women.
Photo Selena Lloyd 

If it wasn't for Olympian Lisa Russ & J Michael, Sharon Cobley &  Marco Grilletto from Ascot would have won this race. 

Photo Selena Lloyd 

Noah Boldy & Mathew Greed.

Erica McKnight & Nicky Taylor. Medal winners.

Nicky had an amazing championships.

She won 7 medals.

1000 k1-k2 500 k1-k2 200 k2 gold 
200 k1 silver mixed by a nose bronze

Erica & Nicky are going to take part in the Australian Marathon Champs over Easter.

Ascot's Orlando Fonseca on his winning way.
Photo Selena Lloyd 

WAs Gary Nagy & M Cabezas from Canberra racing the C2.

Photo Selena Lloyd 

Connor Jacob proud of his Australian uniform. 

Connor took out Gold in the K1 200m and 500m and with Finn Caruana took out the gold in K2 200m. He will representing Australia in New Zealand next month in the Asia Pacific Sprint Champs.

He is just one of our juniors representing Australia overseas.

The old men.

Dave Berglund is just too good. And so was Phil who beat me in the 500 & 200 metres.

WA CANOE SPRINT NATIONALS RECAP

The 2023 National Championships were held here in Perth at Champion Lakes between the 21^st and 25^th March 2023.  WA athletes were well represented amongst the medals in each age group/category. We have incredible depth in WA Sprint Kayaking.

Open 

Gold – Yale Steinepreis (WK2 500m, WK4 500m, WK1 200m, WK2 200m)

Luke Egger (MK1 200m)

Matthew Greed (MK2 200m)

Gary Nagy (MC2 500m, MC4 500m, MC2 200m, MC2 1000m)

Silver -  Yale Steinepreis (MixedK2 500m) 

Gary Nagy (MC1 500m, MC1 200m, MC1 1000m)

Bronze – Stephan Weyers (MK2 1000m)

Paracanoe

Gold - Kathleen O’Kelly-Kennedy (WK1 200m, WK1 500m) 

Ben Sainsbury (MV1 200m, MV1 500m, MK1 200, MK1 500)

Silver - Mark Daniels (PC MV1 200m, PC MV1 500m)

Amy Ralph (PC WV1 200m)

Joe Gianatti (PC MK1 500)

Bronze - Amy Ralph (PC MK1 200m, PC WK1 500m)

12&U and Mini

Gold - Hugo Marsden (MK2 500m, MK1 200m, MK1 1000m, MK2 1000m, MK1 100m Mini, K4 Island) Gregory Small (MK2 500m, MK2 1000m, MK1 100m Mini, Mini K2 200m, K4 Island)

Silver - Hugo Marsden (MK1 500m, K4 500m, MK2 200m)

Gregory Small (MK4 500m, MK2 200m)

Finlay Pentland (Mini K2 200m, K4 Island)

Patrick King (Mini K4 200m, K4 Island) 

Zoe Cobley (WK1 100m Mini, Mini K4 200m)

Bronze - Gregory Small (MK1 200m, MK1 1000m, Mini K4 200m)

Finlay Pentland (MK1 100m Mini, Mini K4 200m)

Patrick King (MK1 100m Mini)

Jett Lewis (Mini K4 200m, K4 Island)

Zoe Cobley (K4 Island)

14&U

Silver - Orlando Fonseca (MK1 500m, MK4 500m, MK2 200m, MK2 1000m), 

Beau Jacob (K2 500m), 

Levi de Souza (MK4 500m, MK2 200m, MK2 1000m), 

Sophie Dickson (WK4 500 m), 

Isabella Florisson (WK4 500m)

Bronze - Orlando Fonseca (MK1 200m), 

Beau Jacob (MK4 500m 16&U), 

Sophie Dickson (WK2 500m, WK2 200m, WK2 1000 m), 

Isabella Florisson (WK2 500m, WK2 200m, WK2 1000m)

16&U

Gold - Connor Jacob (MK1 500m, MK1 200m, MK2 200m)

Finnlay Caruana (MK2 200m)

Adelaide Hilton (WK2 500m, WK4 500m, WK2 200, WK2 1000m)

Stella Dark (WK1 500m, WK2 500m, WK4 500m, WK2 200m, WK2 1000m)

Taya Cassidy (WK4 500m)

Claudia Ketteringham (WK4 500m, WK1 200m)

Silver - Finnlay Caruana (MK4 500m) 

Connor Jacob (MK4 500m)

Zenn Salisbury (MK4 500m)

Josh Pitts (MK4 500m)

Zoe Moore (WK1 500m, WK1 1000m)

Taya Cassidy (WK1 200m)

Bronze - Finnlay Caruana (MK2 500m), 

Connor Jacob (MK2 500m, MixedK2 500m)

Stella Dark (WK1 1000m)

18&U

Gold – Mitchell Tamblin (K4 500m, K2 200m)

Silver - Sammy Lourey (WK2 500m, WK4 500m, WK2 200m)

Sarah Major (WK4 500m)

Belle McBennett (WK4 500m)

Sophia Dark (WK4 500m)

Bronze - Mitchell Tamblin (MK2 500m, MK1 1000m) 

Sammy Lourey (WK1 1000m)

21&U

Gold - Luke Egger (MK1 500m) 

35+

Gold - Nathan Vartesi (MK1 500m, MK4 500m, MK1 1000m), 

Marco Grilletto (MK1 200m, MK4 500m)

Sharon Cobley (WK1 500m 35+ WK2 500m, WK2 200m), 

Kate Martin (WK2 200m)

Silver - Marco Grilletto (MK1 500m, MK1 1000m, Mixed K2 500m), 

Nathan Vartesi (MK1 200m), 

Sharon Cobley (MixedK2 500m)

Bronze - Marco Grilleto (MK2 500m, MK2 200m, MK2 1000m) 

45+

Gold - Nicole Jahn (WK1 500m, WK1 1000m)

Silver - Agnes Pajor (WK1 500m, WK2 500m, WK2 200m)

Sue McDougall (WK2 500m, WK2 200m, WK1 1000m)

Bronze - Sue McDougall (WK1 500m)

Nicole Jahn (WK2 500m, WK2 200m)

55+

Gold - Trevor Longwood (MK4 500m 35+, MK1 1000m)  

Nicky Taylor (WK1 500m, WK2 500m 45+, WK2 200m 45+, WK1 1000m)

Erica McKnight (WK2 500m, WK2 200m 45+)

Silver - Peter Caughey (MK1 1000m)

Marie Andesson (WK1 500m)

Erica McKnight (WK2 1000m)

Bronze - Trevor Longwood (MK1 500m 45+, MK2 500m 35+, MK1 200m 45+, MK2 200m 35+,MK2 1000m 35+)

Marie Andesson (WK2 500m 45+, WK2 200m 45+, WK1 1000m)

Erica McKnight (WK2 1000m)

Nicky Taylor (MixedK2 500m 35+)

65+

Gold - David Berglund (MK1 500m, MK1 200m, MK4 500m 35+, MK1 1000m), 

Terry Bolland (MC1 500m 35+, MC1 200m 35+, MC1 1000m 35+),

Silver - Terry Bolland (MK1 1000m),

Phil King (MK1 500m, MK1 200m), 

David Berglund (MixedK2 500m 35+),

Bronze -  Terry Bolland (MK1 500m, MK1 200m)

Ski

Gold - Jordan Hamer (Vets SKI 200m, Vets SKI 500m, Vets SKI 1000m)

Silver - Christopher Meadwell (Vets SKI 200m, Vets SKI 500m, Vets SKI 1000m)

State vs State

The 18&U women (B McBennett, S Lourey, S Major and Sophia Dark) won their State vs State K4 race! The U18 men (M Tambiln, J Wright, J Pitts and C Jacob) placed a very close third, gaining on second in the last few metres.   The Open men (L Egger, L Armstrong, N Boldy and M Greed) and Open women (Y Steinepreis, S Alibegovic, A Major and J Stanley) both fought hard to take fourth.

Birds Along The Way

It's surprising what birds I find on a Sunday evening. Evening paddles at the weekend are the best time to take photos. I don't have to rush around or race someone.

A Darter having a lie down.

A couple of love birds. Ravens.

A Red Tailed Black Cockatoo.

An Egret enjoying the last rays of the sun.

Nankeen Night Heron.

Looks like a young Ibis wanting something.

A Little Pied Cormorant.