WAIS Canoeing Update

Olympic Gold Medallist Clint Robinson (Qld) once again showed that he is the greatest surf ski paddler the world has seen by decimating a World Class field in the Ocean Racing World Cup from Rottnest to Scarborough on the weekend.

His winning margin of 3 min 19 sec was substantial which included a four way tussle for second with WAIS’s Reece Baker (Marmion) continuing his resurgence with a very worthy fifth place and a mere couple of centimetres behind fellow Australian Kayak representative Murray Stewart from Manly.

The pace was hot from the start with two of the pre race favourites Tim Jacobs, winner of the Dubaii Shamaal Ocean Race in December and former World Marathon Kayak Champion from South Africa, Hank MacGregor finishing in eighth and 11th respectively.

In the second round of the Surf Lifesaving Premiership at Leighton Beach, Alana Nicholls (Dianella) comfortably won the women’s single surf ski event.

This week Reece Baker is attending a K4 training camp in Adelaide where he will also compete in a round of their local regatta competition which will feature a number of potential national team paddlers giving Baker a good opportunity to see how he is going in the lead up to Nationals in March.

Locally, the remaining WAIS paddlers will be competing in the fourth round of the local regatta series in front of National Team Head Coach Martin Marinov who is spending a few days in town this week checking on the progress of WAIS athletes that may be in line for National Selection this year.

Ramon Andersson