Whanganui paddlers strike gold

PADDLE POWER: WHS students, Lucas Thompson (left) and Jack Clifton had the power on the water to bring home the bulk of Whanganui's medals and national titles.

The squad of Whanganui paddlers proved serious players at last week's NZCT 2017 NZ and Oceania Canoe Sprint Championships on Lake Karapiro.

The 17-strong squad travelled north on Thursday and raced Friday, Saturday and Sunday under the auspices of the Kayak division of the Wanganui Multisport and Triathlon Club, although 12 of the team were current Whanganui High School students and one was from Whanganui Girls College.

All were coached by Brian Scott from the Multisport and Triathlon Club.

They returned home with six gold, four silver and seven bronze finishing up fifth on the regatta medal tally.

Two of the gold were won by club paddlers and former WHS students Max Brown (open men K1 200m) and Erica Tanner (open women K1 500m), but the majority of the remaining medals won were claimed in age group events by the WHS students.

The golds won by both Brown and Tanner were in B Finals, but the remaining gold meant New Zealand titles.

Jack Clifton topped the medal count for the squad with four gold, two silver and a bronze. His four national titles came in the U16 men's grade including the K1 5km, the K1 500m with team mate Lucas Thompson, the K4 200m with Thompson, Cameron Russell and New Plymouth ring-in Nedas Gavutis and the K4 500m with the same crew.

Clifton's silvers came in the U16 K1 200m and 500m events while his bronze was in the U18 men's K4 1000m alongside Liam Lace, Campbell Tanner and Ethan Ross.

Lucas Thompson won the two national titles alongside Clifton and co, but also claimed silver in the K1 500m and bronze in the K1 5km and U18 K4 200m with Lace, Tanner and Ross.

In the U16 K4 women events Sophie Brooke, Katie Foster, Nanea Schurhammer and Jess Thompson teamed to take bronze in the 200m and 500m.

Max Brown also teamed with Campbell Tanner, Sophie Brooke and Anna Clifton to win silver and the Fun Mixed K4 200m.