Canoe Club HP athletes using the club
There has been some exciting progress next door, with the canoe club’s upgraded facility beginning to take shape. Over recent months, North Shore Rowing Club Lake Pupuke facility users have supported the canoe club while this work has been underway. A number of their athletes have been based out of our clubhouse, making use of our spaces as part of their daily training environment.
It’s been a relatively unique period, with two paddling disciplines sharing a building. A regular debate has been the best way to get around the lake - backwards or forwards! Unsurprisingly, the verdict is still out.
Among those training out of the club have been multiple Olympic medallists, including Lisa Carrington, alongside a wider group of high-performance athletes and aspiring Olympians working their way through the canoe pathway. Having athletes of this calibre regularly moving through the club has been a great reminder of the level required to compete on the world stage, and the hard work that underpins it.
Sharing the facility has required existing users to make space, and we’re proud of how accommodating our members have been in supporting the canoe athletes. It has also been an opportunity to contribute to those at earlier stages of their New Zealand representative journey, and playing even a small part in that process is something the whole club can take pride in. The clubhouse has once again proven to be an environment where athletes can not only train, but also recover and prepare effectively for the highest levels of sport. A huge thank you needs to go to Bronwyn and Nat, who have been the key hosts for the Canoe athletes.
As the canoe club prepares to transition into their upgraded facility later in the year, we wish them all the best for this next phase. We look forward to continuing the relationship in some capacity and following the progress of the athletes we’ve had the chance to host.
It has been a positive period for North Shore Rowing Club, reflecting the strength of our facilities, our community, and our willingness to support high performance sport in New Zealand.
Author: Michael Brake, Vice-President NSRC
