Starting Out
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In the beginning we participated in the sport recreationally with our family, packing food and camping gear into our boats for overnight
canoe trips down the Clarence River. Once each of us reached high school (where our dad Laurie is a Science Teacher
and also coaches the school Canoeing Team), we began competing.
We were hooked. The exhilarating, vibrant sport of Canoe Slalom soon became a passion we all shared.
We grew up on a beef cattle property near a tiny country town called Old Bonalbo in northern NSW. In an often
drought-stricken area, the closest slalom course was 3.5 hours drive away near Grafton, and it was here our parents took
us for countless happy weekends of training and racing. When weekend training became insufficient, we made slalom gates
out of bamboo and set them up on the farm dam, spending hours each week working on our technique and fitness, hanging out
for some more whitewater!
Now
Paddling has become a way of life. We all live in Emu Plains, Sydney - a big change from Old Bonalbo! We
train at the World-class Penrith Whitewater Stadium, built for the Sydney Olympics.
As elite athletes we are committed to performing at our absolute best in training and competition, which has allowed us to represent Australia. Our sport takes us to Tasmania, New Zealand and Europe to compete and train - gaining valuable experience on a variety of rivers and slalom courses. A great part of this sport is training and competing at amazing places: nature, adrenaline and great people. No river or artificial slalom course is the same. The sport is incredibly dynamic, and is technically, physically and mentally challenging.
For more photos from the early days click here