Members of the Bendigo Canoe Club paddled their way to success at the Goulburn Classic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bec Mann and James Humphry joined a field of around 41 kayakers and canoeists to take on the mighty Goulburn River.
The Goulburn Classic involves three separate races from Kerrisdale to Seymour with a total distance of around 31kms and is renowned as one of the region's best annual canoe races.
Humphry, 17, was the fastest junior at the race, with a finish time of two hours, nine minutes and one second.
He has only been involved with the sport for around three years, but is already determined to make a career for himself on the water.
“I spend most of my time training at Lake Weeroona doing sessions with my fellow squad mates,” Humphry said.
“I enjoy being out on the water because kayaking takes you places that you wouldn't normally go.”
Humphry said the key to success at the Goulburn Classic was to push yourself to the limit while out on the water.
“You have to keep focused even in moments when you feel like you want to give up,” he said.
“Just keep thinking about the finish line.”
Humphry’s main passion is another form of water sport, wildwater kayaking.
His goal is to qualify for the Australian under-18 team to compete at the National Wildwater Competition at Tasmania in January 2019.
Wildwater kayaking involves racing vessels that are long and narrow which enables them to move rapidly through water but difficult to turn, requiring physical strength from the paddler.
Fellow club member Mann, 23, has competed at the Goulburn Classic “countless times” and was the overall winner of the event, completing the race in two hours, three minutes and seven seconds.
“Training wise I’m still in my off season and should only be doing light training sessions, but I just can’t help myself from racing,” Mann laughed.
In addition to the mental and physical preparation that’s required for races of this calibre, competitors are also faced with logistical challenges.
“We start at the top of the river and paddle down, there’s a lot of challenges such as getting your boat to the starting position,” Mann said.
“There was a lot of organising of the logistics.”
But once Mann is out on the water, she goes into the “zone”, a place in her mind where she can stay sharp and focused on the task ahead.
“One minute I will be starting the race and before I know it I’m finishing, in saying that I know the Goulburn River very well,” Mann said.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
