The 20-year-old NZ Kayak squad member is one of crop of young, emerging paddlers. We take a look at Lucy\u2019s kayak development and hopes for the future.<\/b><\/p>\n
Sporting chance<\/b><\/p>\n
Born and raised the eldest of three sisters in Dunedin, sport has been an important part of her life for as long as Lucy can remember. Her father, Brent, is coach to National Basketball League team Otago Nuggets, while Lucy joined St Clair Surf Life Saving Club from the age of six. She later represented Otago as an age-group basketball representative but at the age of 14 she decided she wanted to pursue a new sporting avenue.<\/p>\n
And given her standing as a national ski medallist in the sport of surf lifesaving, kayaking was a logical choice on several levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to do something individually, where I could really test myself,\u201d she explains. \u201cI wanted to do something on the water and I felt kayaking really suited these requirements. I liked the fact that it was all on me, that accountability really attracted me to kayaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Big splash<\/b><\/p>\n
Lucy recalls it was a challenge initially adjusting to life in a K1. In the early months she took a regular drenching and recalls one embarrassing incident in front of the watching two-time Olympic kayaker Erin Taylor.<\/p>\n
\u201cErin, who was studying at Otago University at that time, come down to the club and I was super excited,\u201d she recalls. \u201cBecause of the cold I was wearing a wet suit, although all I was thinking was, please don\u2019t fall in, Erin Taylor is here. I went to tuck my wet suit down the side of the kayak and then, of course, I tipped straight out of the boat!\u201d<\/p>\n
Early competition<\/b><\/p>\n
Recalling it took more than three minutes to complete her first K1 500m race at a low-key South Island regatta in 2016 she made her maiden appearance at the New Zealand Canoe Sprint Championships.<\/p>\n
Making finals of the U16 K1 200m and K1 500m events acted as a confidence boost, although she laughs at the memory of meeting current NZ Kayak Squad members, Alicia Hoskin and Danielle Watson for the first time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember being in awe of Alicia and Danielle, I paddled past them and asked both \u2018how long have you been paddling for\u2019? I just wanted an excuse to talk to both girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
International breakthrough<\/b><\/p>\n
Under the coaching of Brendan O\u2019Neill \u2013 of whom Lucy describes as being \u2018fundamental in taking me from a complete beginner through to New Zealand team level\u2019 – the Otago Girls\u2019 High School Deputy Head Girl made steady progress.<\/p>\n
Adopting a more structured training programme with greater focus and motivation she was recruited as part of the Otago Academy of Sport \u2013 which gave her access to more quality high performance sport resources.<\/p>\n
In 2018 she was called up to compete for New Zealand at the Asia Pacific Cup in Adelaide, where she enjoyed a breakthrough performance in the K1 500m.<\/p>\n
\u201cI set a significant PB, which felt really quick,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Global gains<\/b><\/p>\n
Later in 2018 she secured selection for New Zealand to compete at the Junior World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Describing the achievement as \u201can honour\u201d and something she had been working towards from a young age she relished the experience of being part of a global competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found the scale of the event was awesome,\u201d she says. \u201cTypically, I feel nervous the night before a regatta but in Bulgaria I felt comfortable and relaxed because I was part of such a good team environment \u2013 which was definitely credit to my team-mates and the whole squad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Competing alongside Alex Bermingham, Pieta Luthi and Brooklyn Saunders in the K4 500m the team reached the semi-finals but did not progress. While disappointed not to advance to a final, Lucy believes she coped very well with a late seating change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ended up being moved from the back to the front of the boat the week before the regatta, even though I\u2019d never paddled at the front of a boat \u2013 not even in a K2. That could have mentally thrown us but we coped well.\u201d<\/p>\n
In fact, Lucy was so motivated by her Bulgarian experience she adds: \u201cAfter the regatta, I didn\u2019t want to go on a break, I just wanted to keep on training.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Asia rising<\/b><\/p>\n In 2019 she took up an academic scholarship to study a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Otago. Living in the halls of residence and close to both the gym and harbour for training she continued to progress and won a sackful of five medals for New Zealand at the Asia Pacific Cup at Lake Karapiro \u2013 a location close to her M\u0101ori whakap\u0101p\u0101 (ancestory).<\/p>\n \u201cMy marae is just down from Lake Karapiro and my maunga (mountain) overlooks the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n Elite squad<\/b><\/p>\n After earlier this year placing seventh in the K1 200m and sixth in the K1 500m at the New Zealand Nationals she was called up to join the Auckland-based New Zealand women\u2019s squad, which includes two-time Olympic champion Lisa Carrington.<\/p>\n Lucy transferred to the University of Auckland \u2013 where she continues to study a Bachelor of Science specialising in Biomedical Science \u2013 and while juggling her academic and sporting commitments can be challenging she is delighted to be given the opportunity to train in Lake Pupuke.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can sometimes feel like eat, sleep, train, study, repeat,\u201d explains Lucy of her demanding daily life. \u201cBut being part of the elite squad allows me to do far more quality training with far greater precision. I\u2019m coached my Jasper (Bats) but with coaching input from Gordon (Walker) and Nathan (Luce) – there is always something to work on.<\/p>\n \u201cTo have that support from other girls is awesome. I remember Caitlin (Ryan) helping me out in the gym and pointing out I was doing an exercise with my arms only and I that I should also use my body. She talked me through physically how I should be doing the exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s be honest, if you are a kayaker the best place in the world to be is here in New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n Future ambitions<\/b><\/p>\n Boasting good natural strength with an \u201cattention to detail\u201d, Lucy continues to go quietly progress. Living for much of lockdown with her training partner, Danielle Watson, she has some clear goals for the future.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is hard to know what is going to happen internationally in the future but I\u2019m chasing some big PB\u2019s at nationals next year.\u201d<\/p>\n In the longer term the 2024 Paris Olympics is the target.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The all-rounder<\/b><\/p>\n A natural busy person, Lucy is also helping out on an Otago University research programme for Maori Communities and Climate Change while she also has passion for music.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always written my own songs since I was young, and more recently I\u2019ve produced about eight songs,\u201d explains Lucy, who plays guitar, flute and piano. \u201cI use the song writing as an emotional outlet and when something comes to mind to write, I just go for it!\u201d<\/p>\n Image Credit: Sharron Bennett<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 20-year-old NZ Kayak squad member is one of crop of young, emerging paddlers. We take a look at Lucy\u2019s kayak development and hopes for the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n