The Asia Pacific Cup wrapped up over the weekend with an exciting three days of racing between Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore across the U16, U18 and U21 age groups, and West Australian paddlers were firmly at the centre of the action.
Australia finished the regatta with an impressive overall medal haul of 8 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze, with WA athletes playing a decisive role in that success. Of Australia’s eight gold medals, seven included West Australian representation, underlining the strength and depth of the WA pathway.
WA-Driven Gold Medal Success
A standout theme of the event was Australian dominance in K1 racing, with six gold medals coming from single kayak events, plus gold in the K4 and mixed K2. WA athletes featured prominently across all of these performances.
U21 Success Led by WAIS Athletes
WAIS athletes Belle McBennett and Claudia Ketteringham led the charge in the U21 category with a series of outstanding performances.
Belle claimed gold in the U21 Women’s K1 500m, backing it up with silver in the K1 200m. Claudia delivered a powerful sprint to secure gold in the U21 Women’s K1 200m.
Together with fellow WA athlete Zoe Moore and NSW’s Xanthe Calov, Belle and Claudia combined brilliantly to win gold in the U21 Women’s K4 500m. Belle and Zoe also added silver in the U21 Women’s K2 500m, completing a dominant U21 campaign for WA.
Orlando Fonseca Dominates U16 Racing
In the U16 division, Bayswater Paddlesports’ Orlando Fonseca produced one of the most dominant performances of the entire regatta, not surprising from our own Paddle WA and Paddle Australia’s Junior Paddler of the Year.
Orlando claimed gold in both the U16 Men’s K1 1000m and K1 500m, winning by commanding margins of six and five seconds respectively. His 1000m time was fast enough to win the U18 event, highlighting the exceptional level of his performance.
Orlando also teamed up with fellow WA athlete Ellie Neervoort to win gold in the U16 Mixed K2 200m, further contributing to WA’s strong medal tally.
U18 Highlights and Resilience
Zen Salisbury delivered a standout performance in the U18 Men’s K1 500m, claiming gold in a strong response after narrowly missing selection for the Junior World Championships. His result reflected resilience, focus and race-day execution.
Emerging Talent: Griffin Angelatos
A special mention goes to emerging Para athlete Griffin Angelatos, who made his Australian debut competing in able-bodied U16 events. Griffin delivered an impressive performance, earning silver in the U16 Men’s K4 500m and bronze in the U16 Men’s K2 500m, showcasing his versatility and future potential.
WA Medal Results by Day
Day 1
Gold
- Orlando – U16 Men K1 1000m
- Belle – U21 Women K1 500m
Silver
- Zen & Alasdair – U18 Men K2 500m
- Finlay, Orlando, Griffin & Beau – U16 Men K4 500m
- Belle & Zoe – U21 Women K2 500m
Bronze
- Ellie & Emma – U16 Women K4 500m
Day 2
Gold
- Orlando – U16 Men K1 500m
- Zen – U18 Men K1 500m
- Claudia – U21 Women K1 200m
- Claudia, Belle, Zoe & Xanthe (NSW) – U21 Women K4 500m
Silver
- Belle – U21 Women K1 200m
Bronze
- Zen & interstate athletes – U18 Men K4 500m
- Griffin & Hugo – U16 Men K2 500m
Day 3
Gold
- Orlando & Ellie – U16 Mixed K2 200m
Silver
- Zoe & interstate crew – U21 Mixed Relay 200m
- Hudson, Finlay, Emma & Abigail (VIC) – U16 Mixed Relay 200m
- Zen, Orlando & interstate athletes – Mega Mixed Relay
Coaching Impact and Strong WA Representation
Also worth acknowledging is Demi O’Brien, who was part of the Australian coaching staff at the regatta. Her involvement is a testament to the quality work being delivered through her program based out of Swan Canoe Club, with several athletes from that squad selected as part of the national team.
Western Australia was the largest contributing state, with 15 athletes selected, compared to NSW (13), Queensland (4), Victoria (3) and South Australia (3). This level of representation further reinforces WA’s standing as a leading performance pathway within Australian paddling.
WA Athletes Representing at the Asia Pacific Cup
U16
Ellie, Emma, Orlando, Hugo, Griffin, Hudson, Sam, Finlay & Beau
U18
Alasdair, Zen & Camilla
U21
Belle, Zoe & Claudia
A Powerful Reflection of the WA Pathway
Overall, the Asia Pacific Cup delivered a clear message: Western Australia continues to produce athletes and coaches capable of excelling on the international stage. From emerging juniors through to established U21 competitors, the depth, quality and connection of the WA paddling community was on full display.
Congratulations to all athletes, coaches and support staff on an outstanding campaign.
Full results available:
https://liveresults.co.nz/competition/515