Canoe Sprint GP: Bailey Clues creates splash, Tom Green, Ella Beere wins, Aly Bull injury
He’s a schoolboy and plumbing apprentice asked to give kayaking a go eight months ago. Now he’s creating a splash in the sport with a great mate from surf life saving.
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When Bailey Clues was approached to give kayaking a go after multiple success in events at the Australian surf life saving championships last year he thought “why not’.
Eight month on the northern beaches schoolboy and apprentice plumber has two major wins to his name and the prospect of cracking his first Australian kayaking team on the horizon.
The 17-year-old who attends Narrabeen Sports High and also works, won the Under 18 K1 1000m event at the Paddle Australian canoe sprint GP at Penrith on the weekend.
He beat his K2 partner and Newport surf club teammate Jake Morris for the title.
The pair had earlier in the regatta won the K2 U18 crown together.
“I jumped at the chance,’’ said Clues of being approached to try his hand at kayaking after winning the U17 ski titles at the Aussies.
“Then a couple of months Later I asked jake if he wanted to jump in the K2 with me and its gone form there.
“People said I might have some potential so I just put my head down and went for it.’’
His dedication has paid big dividends with the teenager now chasing Australia selection at the upcoming Australian championships, also being raced at Penrith.
TOM GREEN SWEEPS HIS EVENTS AT PADDLE AUSTRALIA GP
Olympic gold medallist Tom Green is back and ready for a big season.
The K2 Tokyo Olympic champions said he is pleased with where his form is at after he completed his first major regatta since winning gold with partner Jean van der Westhuyzen at the Games.
On Sunday Green won the K1 1000m ahead of North Bondi paddler Jackson Collins.
“It’s always good to come out and see things are working,’’ he said.
KAYAKER OVERCOMES COVID, FREAK INJURY FOR WIN
FEBRUARY 19: Her training has been hindered by Covid and a foot injury sustained during a game of paint ball but kayaker Ella Beere has still paddled to success and the Canoe Sprint GP at Penrith.
On a day Olympian Aly Bull returned to Queensland to seek treatment on a wrist injury she fears was injured during the recent Nutri-Grain ironwoman series, Beere raced off with the K1 200m title.
It follows on from a long recovery from a severe ankle sprain and Covid which saw her receive hospital treatment for inflamed ribs in its aftermath.
The Avoca kayaker, who finished second in Friday’s K2 race with Yale Steinpreis, has relocated to the Gold Coast on January 3 to further her paddling career.
“I got Covid a day later,’’ said Beere, who still plans to race surf ski events for her Avoca club at the upcoming NSW and Australian surf life saving championships.
“I think moving has seen me grow up a bit.’’
She also believe her technique has improved as her paddling was limited by injury.
SURF LIFE SAVING MATES CREATE A SPLASH
Six weeks ago Jake Morris decided he wanted to have a crack at paddling with a mate from his Newport surf life saving club.
Now the 17-year-olds have a major title under his belt.
Morris and Clues, part of Newport’s Australian under 17 Taplin winning team, won the U18 K2 500 at the canoe sprint HP at Penrith on Friday.
It was a result which surprised even Morris who was inspired to give kayaking a go by his love of surf ski paddling and the gold medal won by the Tom Green and Jean Van de Westhuyzen at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
“I saw my mate do it and wanted to give it a go as well,’’ said Morris, who was a standout young gun at the Australian surf life saving titles last year with twin brother Mitch and whose older brother Zac recently competed on the Nutri-Grain Ironman surf series.
“This has surprised us. I didn’t expect anything much.” Br
Morris, who attends Narrabeen Sports High, said he has found the transition to kayaking from ski paddling a little tricky but has loved the new challenge.
The northern beaches pair beat Callum Elliott from Illawarra and Sean Ryce from Manly Warringah for the K2 title with Adelaide pair Maguire Reid (SA) and Oliver Tucker (West Lakes) third.
The Australian Junior team will be selected following the national championships at Penrith in April.
LACHLAN ARMSTRONG’S BRUSH WITH OLYMPIC GOLD
WA paddler Lachlan Armstrong got the experience of a lifetime when paired with Olympic gold medallist Tom Green in the K2 500m at the canoe sprint GP at Penrith on Friday.
With Green’s Olympic partner Jean van der Westhuyzen unavailable this weekend., Armstrong got the call up with the pair racing just once before their win on Friday.
“That was unreal, I had a great time out there,’’ Armstrong said.
“A few late withdrawals threw a spanner in the works with partners, so Tommy (Green) and I came together yesterday,’’ Armstrong said.
“We spent a bit of time in the boat, and I’m just very grateful to have been partnered with
North Bondi’s Jackson Collins and Fletcher Armstrong finished second with Avoca’s Riley Fitzsimmons and North Bondi’s Noah Havard third.
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST TOM GREEN RETURNS WITH A BANG
FEBRUARY 18: Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Tom Green has kicked off his campaign to make two Australian teams this year with a win he described as “tough’’
Green, who won K2 gold in Japan with Jean van der Westhuyzen, did it alone on Thursday in searing temperature at the Penrith regatta centre, claiming victory in the non-Olympic K1 500m
“It was a good one to get back into the season,’’ said the 22-year-old who has already mapped out a plan to defend his K2 gold in Paris in 2024.
“The K1 500 isn’t an Olympic distance but its good to measure ourselves.’’
Green finished ahead of Sydney’s Jackson Collins, like the Olympic champion a surf lifesaver who also competes in surf ski races for the North Bondi club.
Avoca kayaker Riley Fitzsimmons, who is based with Green on the Gold Coast, finished third.
Green wants to secure selection in both the senior and under 23 teams competing at world championships in 2022 as he amps up his preparations for the Paris Olympics.
IRONWOMAN ALY BULL WINS K1 WOMEN’S
Olympian Aly Bull has returned from her time out in the Nutri-Grain ironwoman series with a bang.
The two-time Olympian claimed victory in the women’s K1 500m on the opening day of the Paddle Australia GP event at Penrith.
Earlier this month Bull was turning heads in the professional ironwoman series despite having not been involved with it for over a decade.
But despite her form, Bull said it was great to be back in kayaking.
“It is super nice to be back. It is timely,’’ Bull said.
“I was starting to get the itch to be back in the kayak.’’
Bull is racing multiple events at Penrith, including K2 and K4 events.
But her Olympic K2 partner Alyce Wood is not competing as she and fellow paddler Jordan Wood are expecting their first child.
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