Hello and welcome to the latest edition of our Paddle Australia Canoe Polo newsletter! We hope you enjoy reading updates from around Australia, as well as announcements on the exciting season we have ahead!
– John Moore, PACPTC Chairperson
Ballarat to host the 2023 Paddle Australia Canoe Polo National Championships
Paddle Australia and Paddle Victoria are excited to announce the 2023 Paddle Australia Canoe
Polo National Championships will be held in Ballarat on 7-9 April. 2023. This will be the first time
Ballarat has hosted the event, which is being generously supported by the Ballarat City Council
to promote the introduction of the sport to the region through Ballarat Canoe Club.
Stay tuned for a location spotlight in Edition #2!
2022/23 Summer Series Dates Announced
PACPTC is pleased to present the 2022/23 Summer Series dates and locations:
● Summer Series #1 – 22-23/10/22 – Penrith Whitewater Stadium, NSW
● Summer Series #2 – 26-27/11/22 – Damien Leeding Memorial Park, Oxenford, QLD
● Summer Series #3 – 21-22/01/23 – Northern Districts Canoe Club, SA
● Summer Series #4 – 25-26/02/23 – Burley Griffin Canoe Club, ACT
Regional Events
In addition to the core Summer Series events, there are a range of regional events across
Australia for those looking for some extra polo action, or maybe just a competition closer to
home:
● Spring Fling – 8/10/22 – Molonglo Reach, ACT
● Tintinara Canoe Polo Weekend – 19-20/11/22 – Tintinara, SA
● The Nagambie Cup – 11-12/02/23 – Nagambie, VIC
● Mudcake Challenge – 18/03/23* – Nowra, NSW (dates TBC)
● The Nambucca Header – 10-11/06/23 – Nambucca, NSW
Club Spotlight (Victorian Youth Polo Academy)
The Victorian Youth Polo Academy (VYPA) is a paddle club based in Victoria. The club is one of the youngest paddle clubs in Australia and focuses on engaging youth and young adults in paddling, predominantly through Canoe Polo. The club was founded in 2019 after observing a lack of both development pathways within Canoe Polo, and grassroots club-based opportunities to engage young children and adults in paddling. The club’s initial focus was on removing as many boundaries to the sport as possible, whether they were financial constraints around access to equipment, or appropriate opportunities to participate in the sport based on age, skill level, or geographical location.
Some of the achievements the club has garnered over the past 12 months include their
partnership with the Victorian Government’s ‘Change Our Game’ initiative to run female-focused sessions to increase participation and inclusion within the sport. The club has also engaged with other community organisations, most notably the Les Twentyman OAM Foundation, running some programs for their at-risk youth, and hosting celebrity matches that have included Federal MPs and AFL coaches and players taking to the water to showcase the sport. The club has had multiple articles on national television, including being involved in the Christmas Day national evening news in 2021.
Looking toward the future, the club is excited about the upcoming summer competition. With Victorian competitions seeing a significant increase in players, and the club receiving invitational offers to attend international competitions, the club is looking to translate their off-water success and growth onto the polo field by fielding teams in as many competitions as possible. The club is looking to establish more accessible facilities adjacent to the Edgewater field, while also exploring a second location to continue the development of the sport within the state.
Jade Kerber
President – Victorian Youth Polo Academy
Committee Spotlight
Laura Kleinrahm – Athlete Representative/ Communications Officer
What does your role involve?
– As Communications Officer, I run the Australian Canoe Polo Facebook page and send
information to State Chairs. This complements my Player Representative position, where
my role is to advocate for player interests by gathering player feedback and
communicating it to the Committee
When and why did you join PACPTC?
– I joined PACPTC in early 2021. I wanted to better understand decisions at the national
level, and our relationship with PA, as well as improve relations between players and the
PACPTC. Through my roles, I hope to improve our understanding of players' needs at all levels, from social players to Australian representatives. In addition, I’d like to improve
our reach when it comes to getting information out to players and advocating for transparency and accountability by the committee.
What event are you most looking forward to this season?
– It’s biased – but my favourite event is always The Nambucca Header as it combines a
great venue with a very social atmosphere. I’m also curious about going somewhere
new for the National Championships in Ballarat, it’s great to see the sport moving into
new territory and building relationships to better utilise government support.
2022 Paddle Australia Canoe Polo Technical Committee (PACPTC)
● Chairperson – John Moore (Chair) (VIC)
● Vice Chair & Development Officer – Matt Moore (SA)
● Athlete Representative & Communications Officer – Laura Kleinrahm (ACT)
● Financial Officer – Rob Watson (SA)
● Secretary – Anthea Courtney (SA)
● Coaching Development Officer – DJ Dubose (NSW)
● Equipment Officer – Don Steel (QLD)
● Refereeing Officer – Donald Leigh (QLD)
Look out for profiles coming out on these members through the Australian Canoe Polo
Facebook!
State Chairs
State Chairs act as a point-of-contact between players within their state and PACTPC. In
addition to PACPTC committee meetings and ongoing information sharing, we also hold State
Chairs meetings on a semi-regular basis to determine states’ positions on topics such as
Summer Series and squads.
● QLD – Don Steel – don@brookfieldwater.com.au
● ACT – Laura Kleinrahm – laurakleinrahm3@gmail.com
● VIC – James DuBose – jamesdubose123@gmail.com
● SA – Noel Holmes – noeldholmes@gmail.com
● TAS – Jethro & Chris Bates – batesmotel.au@gmail.com
● NSW – Craig Hutchinson – craighutchinson06@hotmail.com
● WA – Wing Lau – wlau2016@gmail.com
Event spotlight – Nambucca Header
When: June Long Weekend (10-11/06/23)
Where: Ingenia Holidays White Albatross, Nambucca Heads
Who: Primarily a regional event for QLD, NSW and ACT, this event is open to all, and includes Open and B Grade categories. In 2022 it even included a team from Tasmania, who were victorious in B Grade. We were also able to create three women’s teams, with the event focused on player development and creating a regional event for players in Northern NSW/ Southern QLD.
