The athletes include Fremantle Leisure Centre Swim School teacher Ali Lindley, alongside clubmates Ruth Dennis, Adam Dardha and Lorne Adger.
Fremantle Outrigger Canoe Club is based at Gilbert Fraser Reserve in North Fremantle.
Va’a, or outrigger canoe racing, is a fast-growing paddle sport with Pacific cultural origins. Athletes race specialised lightweight canoes fitted with an outrigger float for stability, competing in single-person (V1), six-person (V6) and twelve-person (V12) crews across sprint and distance events.
Adam will be representing Australia in the solo Elite Master Men V1 500 metre event. Lorne and Adam are competing in six and 12-person canoe events in the Men’s Masters division across 500 and 1,000 metre distances. While Ali will be competing in the Golden Masters Women V6 500 metre event and Ruth will compete in the 75+ years Women V12 500 metre.
All four Fremantle Outrigger Canoe Club members qualified for the World Championships via the National Championships held in Brisbane. The selection of four Fremantle paddlers highlights the strength of the local outrigger canoe community, with athletes ranging from seasoned veterans to emerging competitors.
Training from their base in North Fremantle, the athletes paddle 70 to 100km a week on the river and ocean in Fremantle, and also in the waters of Maylands, Coogee and Rockingham.
Ruth is a veteran of over 30 years paddling outrigger canoes, followed by Ali with 25 years’ experience, Lorne with 14 years, while Adam is a relative newcomer to the sport having paddled for two years.
For anyone interested in trying to paddle an outrigger canoe, the Fremantle Outrigger Canoe Club welcomes newcomers and currently trains from Gilbert Fraser Reserve, North Fremantle on Tuesdays and Thursdays (5.45pm to 7.30pm) and from Coogee Beach Surf Life Saving Club on Saturdays (6.45am to 9.30am). Paddles, canoes, life vests and guidance for beginners will be provided.
