A top 10 result by Kalani Gilbertson on Sunday concluded a strong, hot week by our next generation of performance sprint paddlers at the 2024 ICF Junior and Under 23 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Heat was the biggest challenge for the young athletes and their coaching team, with many days topping 40 degrees Celsius. While learning and gaining experience is the ultimate goal with this campaign, the U23 team made it to 3 A-finals, as well as achieving some promising results across the board.
New Zealand sent the largest U18 team ever, which included two K4 crews, as well as a strong U23 squad who have some vast experience racing at this level.
RESULTS
8th -Kacey Ngataki U23 MK1 500m
8th – Julia Padrutt, Kacey Ngataki U23 Mixed K2 500m
9th – Kalani Gilbertson, U23 MK1 1000m
11th-Kaiha Gilbertson Junior MK1 1000m
12th- Tiago Chamberlain, Kaiha Gilbertson, Angus Sewell, Liam Rogers – Junior MK4 500m
15th – Natasha MacGibbon U23 WK1 1000m
16th– Julia Padrutt, Christy Tate U23 WK2 500m
16th- Christy Tate U23 WK1 200m
17th – Kalani Gilbertson, Thomas MacGibbon U23 MK2 500m
21st -Tiago Chamberlain Junior MK1 500m
22nd- Jacqueline Kennedy Junior WK1 500m
9th in Semifinal – Junior WK4 500m- Stella Crossan, Jacqueline Kennedy, Poppy Barnes, Hannah Baxter
9th in Semifinal– Junior WK2 500m- Stella Crossan, Poppy Barnes
7th in Heat– U23 WK1 500m Natasha MacGibbon
8th in Heat- Junior Mixed K2 500m – Liam Rogers, Hannah Baxter – 8th
Unfortunately due to illness, Dylan Monk was unable to race at this event.
Well done to these young paddlers!
