Australia’s Canoe Slalom community will descend on Bradys Lake in Tasmania this weekend for the 2024 Paddle Australia Canoe Slalom Championships.
The 2024 Canoe Slalom Championships will be the third and final event of the domestic season, after the 2024 AUS Open and 2024 Oceania Championships were held in Penrith earlier this year.
Paris 2024 Olympic team members Tim Anderson and Tristan Carter will headline the contingent heading south for the event, with more than 40 paddlers set to take part.
2023 World Championships gold medalist and Tamsanian local Kate Eckhardt will also compete, and is looking forward to welcoming the Slalom community back to her home state.
“I always look forward to getting on a start line, but it’s not often I get to race on my home course of Bradys which is one of my favourite places to paddle in the world,” Eckhardt said.
“There has been a lot of growth in the local Tassie paddling community with lots of kids coming through the programs here and to have some of the best paddlers in Australia to compare to and watch is so great to motivate and develop the next generation.
“My main goal is to enjoy the weekend being immersed back into the local paddling community, get lots of time on the water, as well as deliver some race runs that I am happy with.
“It’s awesome to have some of the Olympic boats racing this weekend and I can’t wait to see so many people racing and enjoying the best of Bradys,” she said.
Fellow Tasmanian Roland Hemer will be one of the youngest athletes competing this weekend, at only 13 years old.
“I’m really looking forward to having fun at Brady’s and just paddling,” Hemer said.
“I’ve done a couple of age nationals but this will be my first actual nationals competition so I’m a little overwhelmed but pretty excited.
“It’s always good to paddle with people you know but I’m looking forward to meeting new people too.
“My family will be there supporting me this weekend and my older brother will be competing too. It’s really helpful having them there cause they do a lot for our paddling,” he said.
The 2024 Paddle Australia Canoe Slalom Championships will get underway on Friday 5 April through until Sunday 7 April.
The Paddle Australia Canoe Slalom Championships is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania.
