Sport
12 May, 2023
Samoa is target of paddlers
Four Cassowary Coast teenagers representing Australia at international titles in the Pacific
A GROUP of inspiring Mission Beach teenagers are living and breathing paddling as they prepare to represent Australia in an outrigger canoe paddling competition in Samoa this August.
Four Mission Beach teens, Charlotte Sharpe, Angie Anderson, and sisters Azariah and Eliana Wigley-Gill have been selected for the under-19 Australian team to compete in the International Va’a Federation Distance Championships in Samoa.
The girls will take on a 24-kilometre course against paddlers from all over the world this August.
Since the announcement, the teens have not only been training hard every day, but have started fundraising to pay for their training camps in southeast Queensland and a trip to Samoa. Ms Sharpe said excitement was building.
“It still feels unbelievable that we’ve been given the chance to go to Samoa and represent Australia,” she said.
“The next few months will be more hard work, and we’ll be there before we know it. “What an amazing opportunity.”
Part of the Mission Beach Outrigger Canoe Club, Ms Sharpe and Ms Anderson took up paddling three years ago, while the Wigley-Gill sisters have been paddling for two years.
The quartet has spent the last two months training six to seven days a week on the water, in the pool, running and at cardio and strength workout sessions.
The girls are following a program set out by a southern coach, with the help of club coach Michelle Lloyd and on-land fitness trainer Jamie Harris. They’ll be racing in a crew of six, with two southern juniors.
“It’s paddling, schoolwork, eating and sleeping at the moment. And a job’s in there as well,” Ms Anderson said.
“You come home tired, but it’s also fun – and it’s going to be a memorable experience.” Ms Anderson will be steering for the crew.
“The swells in Samoa are going to be bigger than here,” she said.
“Every time I’m in the six, I try things and learn. Mooloolaba was very windy, even in the river. Experiences like that will make it easier later on.”
Ms Anderson, Ms Sharpe and Ms Azariah Wigley-Gill are taking on the challenge in their final year of school.
“It’s not just the race. It’s the journey as a whole. We’re all motivating each other to train and fundraise together as a team,” Ms Wigley-Gill said.
“In Samoa, they’re so into paddling that the culture will be amazing too. And the chance to represent women, and younger girls, in sport.”
The girls have been organising raffles and now have a Go Fund Me page.
To support, visit www.gofundme.com and use the search words ‘outrigging samoa’.
