Many would associate the school holidays as a time for students to relax and rest up, but that is simply not the case for the young members of the Geographe Outriggers.
The training schedule for the young paddlers has doubled over the summer holidays to prepare them for Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association’s National Sprint Titles in Queensland.
The club will be represented by three seniors and nine juniors at the championship.
Geographe Outriggers will be the only WA contingent taking part in the competition.
Juniors head coach, Laurie Haynes, is racing in the nationals and training the juniors for the event.
He said he was excited for his young team to experience racing against 600 paddlers from 34 clubs.
For his daughter, Kara Haynes, 12, it will be her second national competition.
She said it was nerve-wracking when the competitors were called to the marshalling area and to the start line.
“Other than that, it is all really fun,” she said.
“At the end of the race everyone is really happy, it is a good sport because the community is really chill.”
It will be the first time Kara’s clubmates Shannon Lucas, 14, Lillia Triffitt, 13, and Lucia Kindt, 14, take on paddlers from around the country at a national titles.
The girls said they were nervous but excited for the three days of competition on Lake Kawana on the Sunshine Coast.
“It has been good to have something to aim for and work towards,” Shannon said.
“We don’t have weekly games like other sports so it is going to be really cool.”
The Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association’s National Sprint Titles will be held from February 1 to 3.