Oceania Canoe Association activities Q3 2025

Warm welcome to Penrith

At this time of year, slalom athletes representing Oceania’s National Federations are typically far from home, competing in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, however, we were delighted to welcome the slalom family down under for the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships.

Paddle Australia had a holistic vision for this event that was evident to all who arrived at the venue. The purpose-built course from the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games had received significant infrastructure upgrades. Event branding and signage were seamlessly integrated into the banks along the water’s edge, the natural amphitheatre offered spectators excellent views of the action, and VIPs enjoyed a sophisticated hospitality experience. All of this, combined with the warmth of the many local volunteers and the natural beauty of the Penrith Lakes setting, ensured a spectacular event.

Paddle Australia aspired to deliver more than just a first-class competition, however. A thoughtfully designed suite of legacy activities complemented the racing. While the athletes showcased formidable kayak cross and slalom talent, Paddle Australia artfully connected elite paddling with culture, community building, social and economic impact, and the natural environment.

Women’s Symposium

Highlights included the second ICF Women’s Symposium, where women (and men) leading sport and business gathered to share values-based leadership practice, hear current research on women’s coaching and leadership, network, and reflect on the keynote “Re-Author: Your Leadership Story for Influence and Impact.”

The Sydney 2025 Gala Dinner brought together sport leaders, local Government, and commercial partners in celebration of the 2000 Games, while elegantly amplifying Paddle Australia’s reach and influence in 2025. A Q&A with star athlete Jessica Fox was arguably the highlight of the night. Despite a challenging few months, Jess was typically gracious and humble, shining as an exceptional ambassador for the paddling community.

Flatwater racing returns and development camp

In the coming months, our attention turns to flatwater racing as we look forward to the Oceania Canoe Marathon Championships, to be held in Motueka, New Zealand, later this month. In early December, athletes and coaches from Samoa, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, and Fiji will attend a Canoe Sprint development camp held alongside the Blue Lakes Regatta in New Zealand. This week-long programme will feature a four-day development camp followed by the regatta, enabling athletes to compete in multiple events and gain valuable race experience.

Athletes will benefit from high-performance coaching delivered by the Oceania Canoe Association, while a parallel “Coach the Coach” programme will build coaching capacity across Oceania. This event forms part of the development pathway toward the Oceania Championships to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2026 and 2027, and ultimately the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.

This camp is being delivered by the Oceania Canoe Association with support from New Zealand. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Australian Government via the Australian Olympic Committee and the DFAT PacificAus Sports programme, as well as from the International Canoe Federation.

Paddling development in Oceania is most effective when supported by these multi-party collaborations between National, Continental, and International Federations, National Olympic Committees, and Government partners. We thank all our partners and participants for their commitment to advancing paddling in Oceania, and look forward to building on this momentum in the months ahead.

By Maree Burnett, Chair of the Oceania Canoe Association