Noosa Outrigger Canoe Club has their first junior paddler to ever represent Australia in the 16U V1 division at the upcoming Wold Championships in Rio, Brazil in August.
15yr old Lachlan Burnett joined the club when he was just 10 yrs old and started competing in the single craft races only 2 yrs ago. Lachlan has been part of the Noosa Outrigger canoe junior program that began nearly 8yrs ago and has continued to grow ever since with a fun environment for juniors to learn how to paddle on the river and race at events in the south QLD area and beyond.
The World Championship journey began a year ago when Coach Flea White mentioned to the juniors that were eligible in age to have a go at working towards qualifying. Lachlan said “I knew if I worked hard I could have a chance to represent Noosa and Australia in Brazil”. The qualifications were held in April on the Gold Coast and Lachlan qualified in the 16U Boys V1. Coach Flea said “The training plan is to build Lachlan’s speeds, technique and endurance ability to its very best. He is new to elite training and at 15 years of age, the focus required is much more than anything he has experienced in life yet. The competition will be fierce from Hawaii, New Zealand, USA to Tahiti and all the nations in-between. We’ve set challenging, but achievable training goals and Lachlan is hitting them every week”. Lachlan agreed “The training schedule was tough at the start to balance between year 10 studies at Sunshine Beach High School and working part-time. The early morning starts in winter are hard, but the Noosa sunrises are the best on the water. Our club has 4 people selected to go to Rio so there has been group training sessions which make it fun. I train on the water 4 times a week and 5 gym sessions at Integrated Rehabilitation Centre in Tewantin. I can’t wait to go to Brazil and represent Noosa and Australia. I am going to do my best and hope I make everyone proud.”
The costs involved to make it to Rio are completely self funded. Only very minor support comes from the governing body of the sport. Coach Flea mentioned “Lachlan comes from a single parent income household and the financial battle to get him to Rio is real. Lachlan’s Mum Nicola is super resourceful and has set up a raffle with paddling prizes for the paddling community to enter into and also a Go Fund Me page for friends, family and any kind members of the community who wish to help with the travel expenses. With only five weeks to go, Lachlan is 75 per cent of the way there.” If you would like to support Lachlan please go to the Go Fund Me link www.gofundme.com/f/support-lachlan-represent-australia-in-brazil
