Canoe slalom: Hawke's Bay pair make national development squad

Hawke's Bay canoe slalom paddlers Grace Dooney (left) and Eva Ronberg have been selected in the New Zealand development squad. Photo / Paul Taylor

Positive experiences in a code at a young age are often all it takes to keep you in that sport for life.

Hawke's Bay canoe slalom paddlers Grace Dooney and Eva Ronberg are poised to become examples of this. The pair have been named in the Canoe Slalom New Zealand development squad and have set the 2021 under-23 and under-18 world championships in Auckland as long-term goals.

"It all started when Jaimee coached our winning Taradale Intermediate School team at AIMS Games a couple of years ago," 14-year-old Napier Girls' High School Year 10 student Ronberg explained.

She was referring to Taradale High School Year 13 student Jaimee Wilson who has coached at AIMS Games level for the past three years and last month was awarded Volunteer Coach of the Year at prizegiving after the New Zealand open nationals in Kawerau.

After those Games Ronberg and 15-year-old Taradale High School Year 10 student Dooney attended a national training camp for intermediate age paddlers and they have been monitored by the national selectors since then.

Like Dooney, Ronberg ranked the national development squad selection as the highlight of her time in the sport. They pointed out their canoe polo background - both have played canoe polo since Year 6 level at their respective primary schools, Taradale and Port Ahuriri - has been beneficial.

The first training camps for the national squad will be in Auckland in October and Ronberg and Dooney will continue to train as often as they can through winter until then. They play other sports which helps with their fitness base for canoe slalom.

Ronberg has netball, hockey and dance and Dooney has hockey and adventure racing. Dooney pointed out although Wilson is their main coach others including her father, Taradale High School teacher Phil Dooney, have plenty of input.

"Our club is very family orientated and that is one of the reasons why we do so well," Dooney said.

Dooney and Ronberg were among the Bay's medal winners at last month's national open and national secondary school championships in Kawerau. The pair and Wilson formed the Hawke's Bay under-18 girls K1 team which won gold at the open nationals.

Dooney also scored bronze medals in the under-16 girls K1 final and open women's extreme slalom final. Ronberg won silver in the under-16 girls downriver race at the secondary school nationals where Dooney won silver and bronze medals in team events.

The main objective for the national development programme is to introduce, educate and develop an understanding of performance environments. The programme is targeted but not exclusive to athletes aged between 14 and 18. It is intended to fast-track potential athletes through to national performance squad and high-performance programmes.

Placings at national secondary schools and open championships are used to help select national development programme members. After the two Auckland-hosted training camps at Vector Wero White Water Park in October Tekapo will host the next one from December 14-19.

Major international events for Dooney and Ronberg next year will include the January 18 and 19 New Zealand Open at Horowhenua's Mangahao White Water Park, the February 1-3 Oceania Championships in Auckland and the February 21-23 Australian Open in Penrith. They know some top performances at these events will enhance their chance of selection for the world championships the following year.