It is with great pleasure that I present the Canoe Slalom 2025 annual report to the Hawke’s Bay Canoe Club AGM.

This year has been fantastic for our Canoe Slalom athletes, with remarkable individual and team performances. I will highlight the events in chronological order. Before that, I reviewed last year's report where I set some goals, and I am pleased to say all of these were achieved:

Goals:

• Streamline the entry and payment process for events and trips: This is now working much more effectively thanks to Rachael,Shelly and Kay.

• Organize another international coach for the coming season: Achieved with Elena making a real positive influence on our paddlers.

• Get funding for at least one new C2 boat: Achieved with the Finn Butcher event and successful gaming fund applications. Unfortunately, we didn’t have it available for the Secondary Schools, but it should arrive by the beginning of the new season.

• Upskill our slalom parents on judging and officiating at events so Hawke’s Bay does its fair share at events: Thanks to Debra Nicol for organizing a training course for our parents, which was well run by Liz Fowler.

• Continue to achieve personal bests for our athletes and help them achieve the goals they set themselves while ensuring they are in a safe, supportive, and fun environment: I believe we strive to do this every day.

Before I highlight the events and activities over the last year, I want to acknowledge the great communication channels we have set up for Canoe Slalom, namely the FB HB Canoe Slalom – Members chat, which was the brainchild of Leanne Webster. When writing this report, I referenced the page a lot, and looking at the photos, videos, and posts, we are a very active and engaging group. For those who couldn’t attend Tekapo, the posts/videos that Leanne created were outstanding.

May 2024 – August 2024: Myah Dooney, Jayden Parker, and Jaimee Wilson travelled to Europe where they trained and attended the Worlds in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia. What an experience they had, not only on the water but socially as well. The successful pathways they are on are a real inspiration to our younger paddlers to follow in their footsteps.

September: Kirsten’s DW work with intermediate kids to get them entering and competing at the annual AIMS games in canoe slalom is why our numbers continue to grow. Again, Hawke’s Bay was well represented on the medal podium with Taradale Intermediate (TIS) coming second in top schools, just being beaten by Matamata Intermediate. It was great to have paddlers from St Patricks, Hastings, and Havelock North Intermediates competing as well.

• KI Girls Yr 7 Head to Head: Gold – Willow Hambleton (TIS)

• KI Boys Yr 8 Head to Head: Gold – George Hamlett (TIS), Silver – Murray Mason (TIS)

• KI Boys Yr 7 Head to Head: Silver – Ollie Apatu (HIS)

• Teams – Yr 7 Girls: Bronze – TIS

• Teams – Yr 8 Boys: Bronze – TIS

November 2024: Through Nick Collier’s (COW) contacts, we were very fortunate to secure the services of Elena. Elena, her husband, and young daughter were in NZ on a working holiday and spent the slalom season here in the Bay. Her coaching was outstanding, and this showed in Hawke’s Bay's dominance in all the slalom events, particularly down in Tekapo at the Secondary Schools and Nationals. How she managed to coach, take some awesome photos, and be a mum to a young toddler was truly inspirational! It was so nice at the end of the Tekapo trip when the paddlers gave her a greenstone gift, and it’s great her husband has secured full-time work in IT in Wellington.

The highlight for me was the very successful Finn Butcher fundraiser evening we ran to raise funds for a C2 and help with the Tekapo costs. It was a pleasure to host Finn Butcher for the weekend, where he spoke to a full assembly at Taradale Intermediate and then at a HB Canoe Slalom - Members Chat fundraising event where we raised over $5k for a new C2 boat. Thanks, Finn, for coming down to the Hawkes Bay, and a special thanks to all the parents behind the scenes that did the mahi to make this event such a success. I also must mention Nigel Avery, who gave up his time to speak about being the chef de mission at the games and congratulations for being selected for the same role for LA.

Jan-Feb 2025: The start of the selection races began at Mangahao and finished at Wero. All these events were well supported by our athletes and parents. What is particularly pleasing is seeing our parents and supporters stepping up and taking on the various roles needed to run these events. I helped at Wero, and it was great to see the Chinese National Team there as well as some of our top Australian cousins competing. Such a great experience for our paddlers to see and compete against the best. Congratulations to Jaimee Wilson, Jayden Parker, Myah Dooney, and Lachie Harkness, who made selection for the various age group NZ teams.

April 2025: Hawke’s Bay had 20 athletes compete at the Canoe Slalom National Secondary Schools in Tekapo. It’s hard to believe, but 5 years ago we had only 5 HB paddlers attending this event. The cost to get 20 paddlers and 4 adults down there is over $40k. The financial burden on parents was significantly reduced due to the club securing Gaming Trust funding of around $20k. Thanks to the following for their donations:

• Pub Charity: $4,000

• Grassroots: $2,000

• Trillian Trust: $4,000

• Four Winds: $900

• NZ Community Trust: $4,000

• Lion Foundation: $4,000

When you get an opportunity, please support those premises that have those gaming machines on site and even mention to the owners you were grateful for their support. The other benefactor for the trip was Rodney Green, who generously donated $6,000 towards the trip through his Foundation. If you see Rodney, please remember to acknowledge his generosity. We now have a specific award with his name on it. Elena’s coaching over the summer and her presence at the Secondary Schools was why Hawke’s Bay performed so well, along with the fantastic support she had from the parents both on and off the water.

Finally, a big thank you to our “Camp Mothers” Shelley and Rachael, as well as Mark Tasker, Glen, and Leanne Harkness, who served as our designated officials. Charlie Evans was also involved in the coaching of our paddlers during the Secondary Schools. I know they all put in long hours to make this trip such a success. Thanks also to all the other parents, grandparents, and siblings who helped out when needed. Thankfully, Tekapo is only every second year, so the 2026 Secondary Schools and Nationals in the North Island won't be such a financial commitment and logistical effort.

Secondary School Results: Congratulations to medal winner Keria Hodgson and Taradale High for taking out top school in all categories. See appendices for all the results.

National Results: Congratulations to trophy and medal winners Blake Bristow, Lachie Harkness, James Holman-Smith, Greer Hambleton, Keria Hodgson, Jayden Parker, Ollie Fritchley, Jack Firth, Cooper Egan, Sophie Tasker, and Kalan Wedd. See appendices for all the results.

April 2025: End of Season Prize Giving: This was the second year we have run this, and by all accounts, it was a success. A good turnout from paddlers and parents, and it was good to see the main committee of the HBCC well represented. We now have trophies which have been kindly donated by various families but are still in need of a few more. Clive Hotel is a great central venue, and they have NZCT gaming machines, so it’s good to support their business. The evening had a great vibe, and it is so good to witness the camaraderie and friendships that are created on and off the water by not only the paddlers but the parents and supporters as well. Here were the following prizes and recipients:

• Best Senior Paddler: Lachie Harkness

• Webster Cup - Best Junior Paddler: Rebecca Hay

• Coaches Choice: Male: Colter Yuile, Female: Kaitlyn Deprose

• International Representatives: Jaimee Wilson, Myah Dooney, and Jayden Parker

• Harkness Cup Paddlers Choice: Kalan Wedd

• Charlie Evans Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canoe Slalom: Glen Harkness

• Rodney Green – Outstanding Performance of the Year - Female: Keria Hodgson

• Outstanding Performance of the Year – Male: Jayden Parker

International Honours: After their hard work and dedication during the year, Jayden Parker and Mayah Dooney made percentages and are representing New Zealand U18s at the Worlds in Europe. While now living and working in Hamilton, Jaimee Wilson made percentage for the NZ U23 and the Senior team and will be competing as well. We are all very proud of their achievements and know that they will have plenty to offer our young paddlers when they return home. We will all be following and cheering them on the YouTube channel when they are competing. It’s great that Lachie Harkness's achievements were recognized as well, as he is a non-traveling reserve for the NZ team.

Sub-committee and Help Required: Our subcommittee has worked very effectively and cooperatively over the season, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Glen, Shelley, Rachael, and Dave Thompson. During the year, Dave Hodgson and Charlie Evans stepped down; thanks for their contributions. I’m delighted to announce that Lachie Harkness is the new athlete rep on the committee. However, for the rest of the slalom parents, please don’t be surprised to be asked to do a specific role for an event or a trip. As we all know, as slalom parents, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to make an event or trip run smoothly.

Paul EvansChairman of the Canoe Slalom Sub-committee