It's been a big two weeks of racing, the Canning Canoe Club Race, the Team's Boat Race, the Sandy Beach race, the club race and the John Sims Race. We had great weather for the Canning Race, okay weather for the Teams Race and beautiful weather for the John Sims Race, then the wind returned.

The Teams Fundraising Race was a huge success and Nina, Harry and Dave thank everyone who took part or donated. Take it from me they are great people and serious in what they do. Unfortunately we don't have the water to train on like the Europeans do, but they will certainly do whatever they can to perform well.

I didn't realise that they have to go to Europe twice, in June they will be taking part in some World Cup events, then they will come home to work and then in August they have to fly back to Spain for the World Championship events. That means they will be doing two trips and up for twice the cost, so if you know how they can acquire more sponsorship I'm sure they would be happy to know.   

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I have started radiation therapy again (33 sessions) so with it being combined with hormone therapy that I'm on for six months hopefully my cancer will be eradicated. 

There are many different side effects with hormone therapy. The only one that I seem to be suffering with at this time are hot flushes and all over sweats which means I have to keep stripping off to cool down. 

So this winter if you see me at the river with my shirt and pants off, or I have jumped in the water whilst halfway through a race, you will know I'm having a hot flush.

The Little Black Cormorants are back.

Every year in May they return to the Swan River in their thousands to feed.
The feeding frenzy also attracts pelicans, egrets, and silver gulls.

It is quite a sight to watch them feeding.

This was this morning.

• Hooked
• Paddler of the Week - Maynard Gray
• Paddler/Coach of the Week - Demi O'Brien
• Swan Canoe Club Juniors
• Ascot John Sims Race
• Team Boat Race Fundraiser - for Harry, Dave & Nina
• Swan Canoe Club Social Paddle
• Coming Events.
• Double Barkers Race, The Ramon, Wild Water Races

Hooked

or should I say Engaged

I remember when I got engaged to Jenny. We were camped on a green pasture of a camp ground in the beautiful Lake District in England. We then drove to Blackpool to celebrate and I remember the mini pick-up truck that my friend had lent me stopped at the traffic lights and Jenny (I think with my help) had to get out and push it across the lights and down a slight slope so I could start it by having a rolling start. I might have to ask Jenny, but I can’t remember what we did in Blackpool after that.

Well Luke Dooley has bettered that. He and Clare Pankhurst are in their boat touring and fishing around the Montebello Islands at the moment. I don’t know if Clare has pushed the boat to get it started, but Luke got down on one knee and popped the question. Now they are officially engaged! 

I have known Luke since he was about 14 years when he came into the shop and bought a kayak. He was a country kid from Kalbarri. He soon got crazed with paddling and after teaching him a few things and loaning him boats he became a really good marathon and whitewater paddler.

When he moved from Kalbarri to Perth for his schooling he met Clare at the Ascot Kayak Club and he has never looked back. They were pretty young, but they were very suited to each other. Since then they have done a lot of different things together. 

When Luke came with John and I on a sea kayaking trip from Vancouver to Alaska he got so love sick and was missing Clare so much he nearly returned home. We had only been away a week. 

A birdy from the Montebello Islands told me that Luke designed the ring and got Clare’s uncle in Donnybrook to make it.

Congratulations Luke and Clare.

Alone and miles from nowhere - on the Montebello Islands Luke & Clare take the first step.

Happy moments.

As the sun sets on the Montebello Islands Luke & Clare spend the first night together as an engaged couple.

Hooked

On Friday evening Nigel was paddling through the slalom poles and got caught in some fishing line. He tried untangling it and the hook went into his hand and of course the hook had a barb on it so it wouldn't come out.

He went to visit the doc to get it cut out, had a tetanus shot and antibiotic gel and he is happy there has been no infection, so he will be back on the water soon.

Fishing people continue to cast their lines over the wires of the slalom poles and in the trees and never retrieve them when their lines break so the hooks and the bait get left. Not only is it dangerous for paddlers the birds go for the bait and get hooked and die. 

If a hook gets lodged in a paddlers eye that would be serious and it will probably happen one day. A no fishing zone around the poles would be helpful to reduce the risk.

Thanks to Geraint Maddison the poles and wires are now clear of lines because on Sunday morning whilst waiting for the John Sims Race to start he used his power boat, which had the height, and cut and removed all the fishing lines. 

It is clear at the moment, but it won't take long for it to collect again.

Paddler of the Week

Maynard Gray

Maynard Gray at the Australian Sprint Championships.

Maynard is a Swan Canoe Club member and an emerging sprint kayak paddler who originated from Surf Life Saving. He has had a very quick progression and within a season competed at the 2024 Sprint Kayak Nationals as an U18 in the top end of the age group. This is a particularly tough journey as the U18 field is so strong, but Maynard has used this as a drive to become better and faster.

I met and paddled with Maynard on the Anzac Day Team Boat Race at Ascot.

We paddled together in a K2 and we flew around the course.

Maynard won the WA U18 sprint paddler of the year recently so I was lucky to be paddling with him .

Maynard took part in the John Sims Race last weekend so he is not only a good sprint paddler but a good marathon paddler coming first in the U18 K1s.

Photo Selena Lloyd

Maynard taking on our best C1 paddler Gary Nagy.

Photo Selena Lloyd

Female Paddler/Coach of the Week

Demi O'Brien

Demi’s paddling journey started when she was 8 years old. Her first lesson was with Canoeing Down Under instructor (T2) Terry Brooke. She then joined Ascot Kayak Club to paddle in the guppy program and then began slalom at Swan Canoe Club. Demi then went on to compete for Australia in sprint and downriver for many years. She was also on the national talent programs for slalom and sprint for many years. 

Demi has enjoyed competing not only Australia, but on the big rivers in Europe and the USA.

Demi’s coaching pathway began at Swan Canoe Club working under Amanda Simper who took her under her wing to learn how to deliver a sprint kayak program. She then began coaching with WAIS in 2019 under Ramon Andersson and was given many opportunities to further her skills with the AIS. Demi has also coached Para Paddlers Amy Ralph, Kathleen O’Kelly Kennedy, Mark Daniels and Joseph Gianatti. She is now also working for Paralympics Australia to strengthen pathways in parasport.

Demi also leads a Swan Canoe Club junior program which has been very successful and she hopes to see the sport grow for year and years to come. Some of her students are in a below article.

Demi has a 'Learn to Paddle Program' which is starting on Sunday and she still has one or two spaces left in the younger group and 3 in the older group. She hopes to accelerate their learning progress and get them involved in the regular squad sessions at SCC. 

Swan Canoe Club  juniors have also been taking up slalom sessions with coach Zlatan and also participating in marathon events wherever possible.

Demi paddling on the Blackwood River.

Happy times in a Wildwater Kayak.

I think she had a good run!

Demi has paddled on many wild water courses in Europe and the USA.

Above: Paddling at Solkan, a settlement in the Municipality of Nova Gorica in the Gorizia region of western Slovenia, at the border with Italy. 

Paddle Australia Team of the Year 2019.

Congratulations to Madison Wilson, Demi Elise O'Brien and Genie Collin winning Australia’s first U23 medal at a Wildwater World Championships. The girls won bronze in the WK1 team event at Banja Luka in Bosnia. 

Paddling coach Demi O'Brien has been selected as part of a new Australian Institute of Sport program helping to Elevate women coaches.
A total of 33 women will participate in the professional development programs!

Demi said, it's such an awesome opportunity! Coaching is something I am really passionate about and I am so excited to keep learning and improving with the help of the AIS and the coaching cohort!

21st March 2021. Demi with the WA Para Team and coaches at Penrith.

2023 WA Club Coach of the Year

Demi said, she was so incredibly stoked to get this award, but the truth is that none of my work would be possible without committed parents, club committee and of course the kids that come down every session and put in the work! I’m so lucky to have such an amazing group of athletes to work with, they inspire me every day! Never a dull moment either.

Demi has a 'Learn to Paddle Program' which is starting on Sunday and she still has one or two spaces left in the younger group and 3 in the older group. She hopes to accelerate their learning progress and get them involved in the regular squad sessions at SCC. 

Course starts This Weekend 5th May

Contact Demi on 0411338066

Swan Canoe Club Juniors

by Demi O'Brien 1st August 2023

If you had told me that I would have 20 kids in the program at Swan Canoe Club, I probably wouldn’t have believed you… but here we are and it’s been amazing! Incredible kids across a massive span of ages all working together on the water. They have raced sprint, marathon, surf and wildwater events and have enjoyed every second of it. My biggest thanks to coaches (both past and present), parents, club and committee members at the club and everyone else who has helped find boats and other resources. Now to keep the momentum and keep building it takes a village and boy is this village great!

Some of the juniors paddlers at the Swan Canoe Club.

They are always excited to get on the water.

Future champions.

Heaps of medals won at the WA Sprint Championships.

Another successful day for the SCC athletes at the John Sims marathon race. Maynard Gray got 1st in U18. Sasha Small 2nd and Alasdair Marsden on right 3rd in U16. With Emrys Connell red shorts.

Ascot John Sims Race

April 28th 2024

Over the years I have paddled the John Sims race in a Double Canoe, a single Canoe, a K1, a WWK1, and a K2 so I thought I might see what it was like to paddle it on a Stand UP Paddleboard.

Unfortunately there weren’t any other SUPs entered so whatever was going to happen I was going to win. But it wasn’t a win I was after, it was a time, a good time. I don’t race just to win, I race to win, but by doing so I also race to do the best time that I can physically do.

The weather was near perfect. The tide was heading upstream, but not too fast and there was little wind. With the high tides and little wind though, there was quite a bit of weed and leaves off the trees to collect on rudders and noses of boats. 
For a SUP paddler the wind is the worst. By standing up we are like a sail and paddling into it can be painstakingly difficult. 

I was on the first grid as I would be the slowest paddler on the water so it was good to get a few minutes head start and it would be nice to get back before everyone went home. Stuart on a single outrigger was also on the first grid as he was the only outrigger, but an outrigger is much faster than a SUP and when we took off he was gone. 

I got as far as the jetty at Sandy Beach Reserve before the doubles started passing and urging me on. They will all be home before I reach Barkers Bridge, the halfway point. About 300 metres later a fast group of K1s zipped by. I noticed that Josh Kippin wasn’t with the group and had thoughts that he had missed the start. Some minutes later and a long way behind he came by and he had a lot of catching up to do. I found out later that he was caught by a fishing line and it had dislodged his Garmin watch into the water so by the time he turned around to pick it up the others were gone.

With three other grids behind there were still a lot of paddlers who would pass me and create wash. Concentration is paramount when standing on a SUP not only are you under extreme physical pressure and working hard, your breathing is so laboured that one missed stroke, a wobble on a small wave, or just the glare from the sun can have you overbalancing and in the water. In a kayak it’s easy to do a support stroke, but the effectiveness of a support stroke on a SUP with paddler being so high up is not nearly as good as being close to the water like being in a kayak. 

The masters kayak groups pass me.

I try to keep clear of the other paddlers racing at a faster pace.

The only good thing about being passed is that on the way back all the paddlers should have gone by me and I should have a clear river.

Just after Fishmarket Reserve a social paddler in a small sit-on kayak coming towards me said, that one of the paddlers ahead told her to say hi to me and where had I got to! I was wondering which cheeky soul had said that. 

It was around this point that I met the fast K1s, and believe it or not Josh had caught up and was part of a pack of three. He must have burnt a few calories trying to catch up. It was on this last kilometre to the bridge that I met most of the boats going back. Turning at the bridge is always good for the mind, I’m headed home and there were still about 5 boats behind me which included a young guy and Julie McDonald who had apparently capsized from all the wash at the start. I told them both to put the pressure on and catch me, but they never did.
Back at Fishmarket Dave Brown and Sue Collins paddled by and about 50 metres behind them Kirsten gave chase. A young guy who had passed me earlier was floundering a bit in front of me and if he didn’t lift his pace I would be passing him. Every so often he would look back and start padding harder again. I eventually caught him about 1 kilometre before the finish and I told him he didn’t have far to go and with that he put more effort in and beat me by 100 or so metres to the finish line. The timers were still there and I was pretty happy with my run. My watch said 1.27.15 and as I started it when the timers said 1 minute to go and I didn’t press the stop button until well after the line, my time ended up being 1.26.08. Now I had establish a time I have something to beat. 

Thanks to Tim Edwaeds and all the volunteers - It was another great race.

Results here:

John Sims 2024 | Race results | Webscorer

Josh who got stuck in a fishing line had caught up with the leaders, Brendan Rice and Kent Jenkinson. Josh won, Brendan second and Kent third. 
Photo Chris Greed. 

Brett McDonald and Kelby Murray worked together and they both broke their class records.

Photo Chris Greed.

Charlie Hewitt, Lily Farrell & Scarlett Florisson and Peter Tomczak & Sharon Cobley. Peter and Sharon broke the class record.

Photo Chris Greed.

Ben Hewitt, Bronwyn Martin, Dave Berglund and Lawrence Greed and Alan Ribbons. Dave and Lawrence & Alan beat the class records.

Photo Chris Greed. 

Alexander (Sasha) Small U16. He came second to Connor Jacob, but Connor is a powerhouse. Another one to watch. 

Orlando Fonseca U14 & Alasdair Marsden U16.

Orlando another top gun in the making. Orlando was first in the under 14s with a time of 55.26.

Photo Christopher Greed.

Cameron Thurgate U14 looking a little relaxed.

Photo Selena Lloyd.

Julie McDonald unfortunately capsized on the start line.

She is being encouraged to catch up!

Teams Boat Race

Fundraiser

What a great night it was at the Wild Water paddlers, Harry, Dave and Nina fundraising teams race on Anzac Day evening. What made it even better was that I had the pleasure of paddling with 18 year old Maynard Gray and we were the third boat over the line, the first K2 and only two K4s beat us.

Apart from our great performance there was a buzz about the place. People were gathered and teamed up with people they didn't know. Then after the race we were treated with hot dogs, and heaps of salad, cake and drinks. Then Peter Ward & Ross Burdett were serenaded with birthday songs. And when everyone had eaten the raffle was drawn and many people won prizes.
It was a great night. Good luck to Harry, David and Nina in the overseas championship races.

They are still looking for sponsorship or donations.

It was one of the best fundraising ventures I have been to. We should have more of these to support our juniors going overseas and paddling for Australia.

Results here:-
Overall | 2024 WildWater WA Athlete Fundraiser | Race results | Webscorer

Harry giving the briefing.

Catch us if you can.

The K4 with Stephan, Izzy, Anita and Grant tried their hardest to pass us but we had them sussed and made sure they didn't. 

The K4s and K2s were paddled by paddlers who hadn't paddled together before which made it very interesting.

It was good to see some of the Swan Canoe Club juniors join in with the fun.

By the third lap the sun was setting.

There were plenty of prizes. 

Swan Canoe Club Social Paddle

SCC members ventured out for the City Lights paddle. It was a beautiful evening with glassy water by the end of the paddle. We enjoyed cheese and crackers in our boats at Claisebrook cove and then a delicious picnic supper on the South Perth foreshore after the paddle.

A circuit around Elizabeth Quay.

Then a paddle under Matagarup Bridge to Claisebrook Cove for cheese and crackers.

And having a picnic supper at South Perth.

Birds Along the Way

The Little Black Cormorants are returning in their thousands. 

They always return in May.

The pelicans having a feeding frenzy.

Shoals of fish must be moving up the river.

A Raven harassing an Osprey.

Wild Water Race on Flatwater 

19th May

The Ramon Race

26th May.

Bayswater.

Swan Canoe Club Evening Race

Starting Thursday 9th May.

Canning River Canoe Club Race

Every Tuesday

Ascot Kayak Club Races

PRG 4km handicapped race/time trial every Tuesday 5.00pm

Club 8km race every Wednesday at 5.30pm.