Merry Christmas

Everyone

The newsletter is a couple of days early this week because of Christmas.

Mum Turned 97 Years Old

Family having a meal in an English local pub.

A three course meal for $19.00

My mum wanted to live longer than the Queen and she has.

Left to right:- Mum in the red & white top (97), my uncle Pete, mums brother (87), Pam a friend, Adrian, my sisters son, Megan, Adrian's daughter, Janet my older sister and Kath, my aunty and mums sister (90).

They might be old, but they all live in their own home and their memories are sharper than mine. 

I just hope I can be as sprightly as they are at that age, although I have to get to their age first!

The Lincolnshire life and good genes have treated them well. 

• Paddler of the Week - Josh Kippin
• It's Back - Training around the buoys.
• Denmark Getaway
• Convicts Fence Race
• Coming events
• Please note: Penguin Island is closed on Thursday 21 December 2023 due to hot weather conditions exceeding heat parameters.

It's Back

Training Around the Buoys is starting in the New Year.

I have been organising this training session for 20 years and it's still going strong and many paddlers have benefited from it, so why not give it a try.

Paddler of the Week

(Or is he Paddler of the Year?)

Josh Kippin 
is a complete paddler. 
He paddles slalom, wild water, marathon, sprint and the ocean at the highest level.
 (He is waiting to get older to try expedition paddling.)

Josh is an Australian Canoe Instructor and now he is heading into Coaching.

His Coaching Service is called PARIME

PARIME is a coaching service that works with two key groups, athletes seeking to elevate their performance where small margins make a big impact as well as paddlers striving to improve their technique and results in local races by maximising how they use the time they have to train. His coaching programs are fully customised to each paddler taking the details into consideration and the approach and advice is founded on decades of training and racing experience at the highest level across a range of paddling disciplines.

Josh, is the Current Australian Marathon Kayak National Champion, World #14, Avon Descent record holder and 11 x Australian National Marathon Champion. Driven by his love of the sport, Josh has competed in Slalom, Wildwater, Sprint, Marathon and River/Ultra-Marathon racing around the world over the past two decades. 

Josh has achieved consistent national and international results whilst balancing a career as a full-time professional Engineer. His experience has cultivated a detailed understanding that optimising performance with limited training hours is a nuanced skill. Josh is proof that exceptional results can be achieved with a considered approach that factors in the constraints of everyday life.

Would you like to be coached by one of the best to improve your paddling?

Check out his website:-

PARIME.com.au

PARIME Coaching | Instagram

Josh Kippin started his paddling as a Slalom Paddler at 10 years old and he took it to a high level coming 3rd in the 2009 Youth Olympics, he then became a Wild Water Paddler at a high level, then he became a Marathon Paddler at a high level. He is also a Sprint Paddler at a high level. 
He is working on his ocean racing, but he is still pretty good at that.

Whatever discipline that Josh takes part in, he does extremely well. 

As a junior Josh was one of WAs and Australia's best slalom paddlers competing locally, nationally and internationally.

International Slalom
2009 Youth Olympics – 3^rd MK1 - 2008 Australian Junior Slalom Team – MK1

Josh has been one of WAs best Wild Water paddlers for many years and more recently he won the 2022 Australian Wild Water Championships.

Josh, Darryl Long and myself. 
There is a lot of paddling experience between us.

When Josh started paddling marathon he became one of WAs best very quickly.

Josh's dad, Greg looks on as Josh sprints through the portage area.

Greg was a very important in Josh's early paddling years. 

 Josh was the WA Slalom, Wildwater and Marathon Champion in the same year. 

Kippin rewarded for hard work with top ten finish | Paddle Australia - Archive

WA Wins Interstate Challenge Trophy At 2019 Oceania And Australian Canoe Marathon Champs | Paddle Australia

National – Marathon Championships

·         2023 – 1^st Open K1 & Open K2  (Casey Haynes), 1^st Open Short Course 

·         2022 – 1^st Open K1 & Open K2  (Brendan Rice), 
                   1^st Open Short Course, Marathon Paddler of the Year

·         2019 – 1^st Open K1, 2^nd Open K2 (Jesse Phillips), 
                   1^st Open Short Course, Marathon Paddler of the Year

·         2018 – 2^nd Open K1, 2^nd Open K2 (Logan Dutton), Marathon Paddler of the Year

·         2017 – 1^st Open K1, 1^st Open K2 (Brendan Rice), Marathon Paddler of the Year

·         2016 – 1^st Open K1, 1^st Open K2 (Matthew Dean), Marathon Paddler of the Year

·         2015 - 4^th Open K1, 2nd Open K2 (James Morfitt)

·         2013 – 1^st U23 K1, 3^rd Open K1, 5^th Open K2 (James Morfitt)

·         2012 – 2^nd U23 K1, 6^th Open K2 (Simon Roll)

International – World Marathon Championships

·         2023 – Denmark, 14^th Open K1 Long Course, 16^th Open K1 Short Course

·         2022 – Portugal, 13^th Open K1 Long Course, 18^th K2 with Brendan Rice

·         2019 – China, 6^th Open K1 Short Course, 16^th Open K1, 13^th K2 (Jesse Phillips)

·         2018 – Portugal, 20^th Open K1

·         2017 – South Africa, 9^th Open K1, 14^th Open K2 (Brendan Rice)

·         2016 – Germany, 20^th Open K1

·         2013 – Denmark, 17^th U23 K1

WA Marathon State

·         2023 1^st MK1 Open

·         2022 1^st MK1 Open

·         2021 1^st MK1 Open

·         2018 1^st MK1 Open

·         2017 1^st MK1 Open

·         2016 1^st MK1 Open, 1^st MK2 Open (M. Dean)

·         2015 1^st MK1 Open, 1^st MK2 Open (J. Morfitt)

·         2014 1^st MK1 Open

Marathon kayaker named Sports Star of the Year

Marathon kayaker Josh Kippin was named 2018 UWA Sports Star of the Year. Commencing 2018 ranked inside the top 10 Marathon Kayakers in the world, Josh was announced as Australian Canoe Marathon Paddler of the Year (Open Male), and placed 2nd in Men’s K1 and K2 30km at the Australian Canoe Championships.

Locally, Josh is the WA State Canoe Champion in 10km K1 and K2, was awarded a UWA Convocation Award, and broke a decade-long state record in winning the single marathon kayak race at the Avon Descent. 154 kayakers, canoeists and paddlers finished the 124km race from Northam to Bayswater, with Josh finishing over 2 minutes ahead of second place.

Josh is currently studying Master of Business Administration, and over the last three years he has progressed from Top 20 to Top 10, and now chasing podium at World Championships for Men’s K1 Marathon Kayaking.

Avon Descent winner.

Josh Kippin (1st) gets a hug from Brendan Rice (2nd) at the finish of the Avon Descent

Josh Kippin – The Perth local who knows that only the sky is the limit! – Avon Descent

Avon Descent: kayak singles champion Kippin eyes back-to-back titles | Community News (perthnow.com.au)

Avon Descent

·         2022 – 1^st Team of 2 (Brendan Rice)

·         2021 – 1^st Solo K1 – Single Record (7:27:01)

·         2018 – 1^st Solo K1 – Single Record (7:34:14)

·         2017 – 1^st Team of 2 (Brendan Rice)

·         2016 – 1^st Solo K1

·         2014 – 2^nd Solo K1

·         2013 – 3^rd Solo K1

 Sprint National

·         2020 –7^th MK1 1000, 4^th MK2 1000 (J Phillips) 1^st MK2 200 

·         2019 –10^th MK1 1000, 5^th MK2 1000 (J Phillips) 1^st MK2 200              1^st MK4 500 (current Australian Record)

 International – River

·         2019 – Sella Descent, Spain – 15^th Overall, Open K2 (Brendan Rice)

·         2016 – Berg Marathon, South Africa – 8^th Overall, Open K1

·         2014 – Drak Marathon, South Africa – 5^th Overall, Open K1

·         2013 – Lowveld Croc Marathon – 2^nd Overall, 1^st U23 K1

·         2013 – Fish Marathon, South Africa – 13^th Open K2 (Simon Roll)

·         2012 – Fish Marathon, South Africa – 6^th U23 K1

Australian Wild Water Championships

·         2022 – Classic, 1^st MK1 Open.

International Slalom

·         2009 Youth Olympics – 3^rd MK1

·         2008 Australian Junior Slalom Team – MK1

Local Records

Josh has won too many local races, slalom, wild water and marathon to mention.

Josh in the 2023 Ocean Canoe Racing Championships.

Photo John Watson.

It's Back

Down River Training Around the Buoys.

Claughton Reserve, Bayswater

Friday mornings 6.00am to 7.00am

5th, 12th, 19th, 26th January & 2nd February 2014

If you want to be as good or a fraction as good as Nina Mueller, taking part in the DR training around the buoys will be a great help.

Nina, Kieran Simpson, Harry Langley and David Burdett are off to Victoria after Christmas to take part in the Wild Water Champs.

All four have paddled on the big rivers in Europe. 

Friday mornings at Claughton Reserve, Bayswater.

Kate Crossing has gained experience on the flat water to take on the rapids of the Avon River.

Kayaks don't have rudders so paddlers have to use boat tilt and paddle strokes to weave in and out of the buoys.

Steph Bedden-Smith calmly takes on a class 3 rapid.

Maya Verena having fun in some difficult white water.

A little training and this could be you.

Denmark Getaway

I had five days down south this last week in Denmark and a day in Albany with Jenny and guests, Jenny’s sister, Jean and husband Eric. The weather was cool compared to Perth. We rented a cabin at The Cove amongst the karri trees next to the inlet. The beautiful karri trees were huge and the area totally amazing. (I would hate to be in that spot if a fire broke out though).

I paddled 4 of the 5 days and twice on one day to make up for the day I lost. It was more of a relaxing paddle (well some parts were) to find some bird life and get a few photos. There are certainly a few beautiful outcrops in the inlet which I found.

Of course we did the usual touristy things. 

Checking out the local sights with Jenny, her sister Jean and husband Eric, who are over from the UK.

Tony (right) with 3 friends about to go for a paddle on the Denmark River.

It was good to accidentally bump in to Tony Choulding when I was down in Denmark this last week. He and his three friends were just getting ready to go paddling when I was just coming in from a paddle. 

Tony paddled with me on the 4000 km trip from Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, to the Arctic Ocean.

Enjoying a night out.

I also met up with Courtney Powys who moved down to Denmark many years ago. Courtney is the drummer in a local band. 
He was part of our CDU Avon Descent training group.

A Pelican and Pied Cormorant

A Silver Gull and a Pied Cormorant.

Silver Gulls and a White Faced Heron.

Beautiful coloured rock in the Cove.

Pelicans and Cormorants.

Two Black Cormorants taking in the view.

Pied Oystercatcher.

All oystercatchers have a bright orange-red bill, eye-rings and legs and a red eye. 

I saw a big splash 50 metres in front of me on the Denmark River. Seconds later a bird rises from the water and as I took my camera out and ready to shoot it was flying overhead witha big fish in its claws and a pelican not far behind. I thought it was an Osprey.

Some of the local Denmark residents have a row in a homemade skiff boat.

Apparently the man in the rear was the main maker of the skiff.

A few communities in the south-west have home made skiff boats.

Elephant Rocks.

The Magic Circle

Briefing time.

Convicts Fence Marathon Race

7th January 2024