Egger Gains International Experience on Olympic Hopes Touring Team

16 year-old paddler Luke Egger has gained invaluable international experience as a member of the Australian team that competed at the 2019 Olympic Hopes canoe sprint regatta in Slovakia.

Egger was the only WA representative and had the opportunity to train and compete under the eye of sprint canoe legend – 2008 Olympic gold medallist Kenny Wallace – who travelled with the squad as lead coach.

The emerging WA talent paddled in four events in Bratislava, consisting of two individual races and two team boat races.

Across his series, he managed an A-Final, a B-Final and two semi-final berths. His best result came via the U17 K1 200 race in which he posted a seventh place finish.

This was supplemented by a second place finish in the B-Final of the U17 K1 500 while he was a member of Australian teams that raced in semi finals of the K4 200 and K4 500 events.

The state has a proud history in sprint canoe, with the WAIS program currently led by Barcelona 1992 Olympic bronze medallist Ramon Andersson, whilst Lisa Russ (nee Oldenhof), Jesse Phillips, Alana Nicholls and Steve Bird are other names to have competed at Olympic level out of WA since 2008.

Earlier this year, current Australian senior star Jaime Roberts helped the women’s K4 500 crew secure the nation a boat quota for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.

An opportunity exists this month, for Western Australians born between 2001 and 2005 to come and trial for the Olympic sports of canoe, cycling and rowing. No experience is required, and testing is 100 per cent free of charge.

Further details and booking availability can be viewed here: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=518943&fbclid=IwAR1PxJj64SP7PjvcQSvbePSYlfpB19SUXZzymQ_O-HlSZaNlBqRdOcO85lA