Champion Lakes, Perth, WA – 1 February 2026
The Paddle WA LiveLighter Canoe Sprint State Championships lit up Champion Lakes over two days of fast, fierce, and highly competitive racing, bringing together Western Australia’s top sprint paddlers across junior, open and masters divisions.
This year’s championships also welcomed a strong contingent from the outrigger community, including paddlers from Hurricane, Rockingham, and Kwinana who joined the regatta as part of their build-up to the 2026 Outrigger Sprint World Championships.
From explosive 200m sprints to tactical 1000m performances, the weekend delivered nonstop action and showcased the depth and future of WA sprint paddling.
Open Division: Elite Athletes Shine
In the men’s open field, Luke Egger delivered a dominant performance, taking home state titles in both the K1 500 and K1 200. The Open Men’s K2 500 proved one of the closest races of the weekend, with rising U16 paddlers Tamblin and Fonseca stepping up brilliantly to claim the win, before backing it up with another gold in the K2 200.
Samantha Lourey showed her strength across the longer distances, winning the Open Women’s K1 500 and K1 1000, while Abbey Major powered to victory in the K1 200. The pair then teamed up to secure the Open Women’s K2 500 title.
The popular Splash and Dash K4 200 event capped off Saturday afternoon’s racing, with Egger, Tamblin, Alderson and Baker taking the men’s win. In the women’s sprint final, the crew of Ketteringham, Hilton, Moore and McBennett stood on the top of the podium.
Junior Divisions: The Next Generation Takes Centre Stage
Junior athletes delivered some of the most exciting and high‑energy racing of the championship.
U16 Standouts
- Orlando Fonseca stole the show in the U16 men’s category, winning the K1 500, K1 200, and collecting multiple K2 and mixed K2 gold medals.
- Ellie Neervoort completed a clean sweep in the U16 women’s K1 events before teaming up with Emma Jarvis to win the U16 K2 200 and mixed events.
U18 Power Performances
- Zen Salisbury dominated the U18 men’s division with victories in the K1 500, K1 200, K2 500, and the mixed K2.
- Stella Dark matched that pace in the U18 women’s division, securing titles in K1 500, K1 200, U18 K2, and mixed K2, alongside contributing to strong K4 finishes.
The impressive number of junior crews stepping into open K4 grids highlighted the strength of WA’s development pathway and the rising depth of young talent.
Masters Division: Experience and Endurance on Display
Masters paddlers continued to showcase why this division remains one of the most competitive and inspiring.
Standout performers included Jade Lane, Nicky Taylor, Amanda Simper, and Gary Clarke, who medalled across multiple distances and crew combinations. The Masters K2 500 featured several tightly contested races, with championship honours going to crews Lane/Simper and England/Marsden.
Team Boat Events: Big Crews, Big Moments
The championships wrapped up with high‑intensity K4 finals:
- The Men’s K4 500 title was claimed by a dynamic all‑U21 crew of Hood, Gray, Bean, and Monaghan.
- The Women’s K4 500 saw Major, Lourey, Moore, and McBennett take gold, finishing ahead of the strong lineup of Ketteringham, Hilton, Pausch, and Alibegovic.
Junior K4 crews also made their mark against open competitors, demonstrating the promising strength of WA’s athlete pipeline.
Club of Origin Cup: Bayswater Claims the Crown
The always‑anticipated Club of Origin Mixed K4 event – requiring a blend of open and junior male and female athletes highlighted club culture and development strength across WA.
Bayswater Paddling Club celebrated victory with Bayswater Grey securing the top spot, followed by Bayswater Blue and Ascot Green.
Fueling the Future of Speed
A special thank‑you goes to Bennett Paddlesports and Brenton Rose for donating a Guppy paddle to support the winning club’s junior development efforts.
A Heartfelt Thank You
The success of the 2026 Paddle WA LiveLighter Canoe Sprint State Championships is a testament to the incredible people behind the scenes, our dedicated volunteers and the Paddle WA Sprint Discipline Committee.
While athletes delivered unforgettable performances on the water, it was your hard work, professionalism, and passion that ensured the entire weekend ran seamlessly. From early‑morning setup to lane‑timing, marshalling, safety support, athlete coordination, and pack‑down, every moment reflected your commitment to making this event the best it could be.
You are the heartbeat of Western Australian paddling. You give your time, energy, and expertise generously, and the atmosphere you help create is what keeps athletes and families coming back year after year. Whether you were on the start line, in a rescue boat, recording results, organising clubs, or supporting logistics, your efforts were noticed and deeply appreciated.
To the Sprint Discipline Committee, thank you for your leadership, planning, and countless hours of preparation. The smooth delivery of such a large and complex regatta is no small feat, and your tireless work behind the scenes ensured everything ran with professionalism and precision. Your vision continues to elevate sprint paddling in WA.
Together, you created an event that celebrated community, competition, and the ongoing growth of our sport. Paddle WA is incredibly grateful for everything you do. We simply could not have delivered a championship of this calibre without you.
Thank you for helping our paddlers shine. Thank you for supporting our clubs. And thank you for making this championship one to remember.
A Championship to Remember
With incredible performances across all age groups, a vibrant community atmosphere, and support from athletes, volunteers and clubs across the state, the 2026 Paddle WA LiveLighter Sprint State Championships will be remembered as a standout event on the paddling calendar.
Our grateful thanks to all involved.
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