Canoe polo: Junior Paddle Ferns net bronze at worlds

The Junior Paddle Ferns are (from left) Stephanie Dryfhout, Sian Fendall, Jordyn Pfeiler, Lara Pritchard, Sarah Ralton, Ella Richardson, Britney Rolston and Sophie Winton (captain). Photo / File

Sophie Winton, of Hawke's Bay, has spearheaded the New Zealand women's under-21 team to a bronze medal at the canoe polo world championship in France.

The 21-year-old from Clive captained the team of eight Kiwis in Thury-Harcourt last month to the champs where Germany clinched gold and the hosts took silver in an eight-team competition where everyone played each other to pick the semifinalists.

"It was my first win overseas and it was amazing to do it in front of so many people," says the second-year Eastern Institute of Technology nursing student, claiming 8000 fans watched their third-fourth playoffs win over Great Britain to the tune of 7-5 goals. "It was also live streamed around the world."

The side beat Singapore 7-1, the Netherlands 7-0 and Canada 12-0 on the way to the playoffs, but lost 7-1 to France in pool play.

Ella Richardson, of the Bay, and Bay-born Sian Fendal, who now attends high school in Palmerston North, were part of the team.

The Junior Paddle Ferns started the competition as underdogs, Winton told the official website.

"We're a new team and being here in these surroundings in France, winning the bronze medal, with so much pressure, is just amazing.

"The crowd was so loud I kept telling myself, there is no sound, it's all right," she says, delighted to have clinched the game that counted most against Great Britain. "In Europe the teams have so many tournaments throughout the year compared to us, we've got [fewer] than five. In the end it was a great experience."

New Zealand competed at three warm-up tournaments in the Netherlands, Belgium and France en route to the champs.

"I want to make the senior women's team to the Oceania in Australia," says Winton.

In the senior men's grade, the Kiwis finished seventh among 24 teams with France, Germany and Spain getting on the podium.

The senior Kiwi women had to settle for fourth among 20 contenders, missing out on a podium place to Germany, France and Great Britain.