Camille Prigent (France) has won New Zealand's 2023 national women's kayak single's title at Managahao White Water Park near Shannon.
French woman Camille Prigent won the 2023 New Zealand women’s kayak single’s title in 97.17 seconds. National champion Luuka Jones (102.88) came second, also having copped two penalty seconds on gate 16. Hannah Thomas came third in 103.58 seconds.
National and international kayakers had come to the remote Managahao white water park near Shannon, a place which is a favourite course of many, as it turns out.
Camille Prigent (25) is a native of Brittanny and trains on the Olympic course in Paris. She comes to Aotearoa New Zealand every year to train and loves it here.
“There is great training here and when I am here many races are held, which help me qualify. The K1 women’s competition here is good and I live the general atmosphere of the kayaking world, where everyone knows everyone.”
She has been kayaking since the age of 9 and has twice won the elite French Championship, was vice European champion and made fourth in the World Championships last year. She was also the youth U23 World Champ.
New Zealand silver medallist from the Rio Games and world cup medallist Luuka Jones said she started kayaking at the age of 11. “My parents and grandparents decided to move to a house next to a canoe adventure park. I have been coming to Mangahao since 2004, which is a great facility.”
She travels to Europe every year to train and compete and has done so for the past 15 years. “Kayaking has been a fulfilling and interesting career for me. It is a challenging discipline, where water levels influence the difficulty of the course.”
Image 1 of 23: Fletcher Lugton NZ Open Canoe Slalom 2023 Managahao White Water Park near Shannon.
She said the attraction of Mangahoa is the fact that it is a natural course and it is in the bush. “Most courses are concrete bunkers where water is being pumped to create flow. It is nice to be able to kayak in nature for once.”
She is hoping for a great weekend, even though her preparation is a bit behind due to Covid. “I missed the previous season in its entirety, and have only started training again in November.
“I think the whole facility is incredible and it’s really nice to be here with some strong international competition racing and the beautiful Manawatū and yeah, I hope it’s a good weekend of racing.”
River Mutton (6th at this year’s K1 women) and George Snook were just in bringing home silver medals in the World Extreme Kayak Championships in Norway (Open). Both have dads who embraced the sport and as a result, they have been kayaking for as long as they can remember.
“Slalom is challenging and different from white water. This course is very pretty and I have been coming here for years. I remember when I was a kid our family coming here for camping trips.”
George (19) said he lives near the Kaituna River and has been kayaking since he was about 5. “Mangahao is great. It is so remote and off the grid. There is a great change in scenery along the course and it is cool under the trees.” He said he also spend his younger years coming here camping and racing.
The final results:
Women’s Kayak Single (K1)
1 Prigent Camille FRA: 97.17 with 0 penalty secs, total time: 97.17
2 Jones Luuka NZL: 100.88 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 102.88
3 Thomas Hannah NZL: 103.58 with 0 penalty seconds, total time: 103.58
4 Kneblova Klara CZE: 107.75 with 0 penalty seconds, total time: 107.75
5 Williams Courtney NZL: 107.45 with 4 secs, total time: 111.45
6 Mutton River NZL: 111.25 with 2 secs, total time: 113.25
7 Costa Carmen ESP: 106.31 with 8 penalty secs, total time: 114.31
8 Cullwick Kahlia NZL: 114.70 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 118.70
9 Uhl Pipi NZL 116.50: with 4 penalty secs, total time: 120.50
10 Sheaff Holly NZL: 118.87 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 120.87
11 Hales Casey NZL: 123.65 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 127.65
12 Wilson Jaimee NZL 124.14 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 128.14
13 Dooney Grace NZL: 129.77 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 133.77
14 Hawthorne Kate NZL: 136.49 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 138.49
15 Rex Rosie NZL: 153.75 with 8 penalty secs, total time: 161.75
16 Dooney Mayah NZL: 153.67 with 52 penalty seconds, total time: 205.67
17 Lakner Zita NZL: 139.06 with 108 penalty seconds 247.06
8 Guccione Eva NZL: 141.69 with 110 penalty secs, total time: 251.69
19 Pateman Tess NZL: 224.15 with 112 penalty secs, total time: 336.15.
Men’s Canoe Single (C1)
1 Puchner Oliver NZL: 101.46 with 0 penalty secs, total time: 101.460.00
2 Anderson Finn NZL: 108.86 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 114.86
3 Senior James NZL: 109.88 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 115.88
4 Snook George NZL: 125.52 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 131.52
5 Nogaj Kadin NZL: 151.32 with 10 penalty secs, total time: 161.32
6 Bristow Blake NZL: 160.53 with 12 penalty secs, total time: 172.53
7 Lugton Fletcher NZL: 172.07 with 8 penalty secs, total time: 180.07
8 Bloor Vincent NZL DNS.
Women’s Canoe Single (C1)
1 Kaup Marisa GER: 112.42 with 8 penalty secs, total time: 120.420
2 Thomas Hannah NZL: 117.13 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 121.13
3 Kneblova Klara CZE: 123.66 with 8 penalty secs, total time: 131.66
4 Pateman Tess NZL: 165.05 with 16 penalty secs, total time: 181.05
5 Cullwick Kahlia NZL: 133.43 with 52 penalty secs, total time: 185.43
6 Rex Rosie NZL: 193.86 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 199.86.
Men’s Kayak Single (K1)
1 Butcher Finn NZL: 90.39 with 0 penalty secs, total time: 90.390
2 Puchner Oliver NZL: 95.49 with 0 penalty secs, total time 95.49
3 Uhl Michel NZL: 94.57 with 2 penalty secs, total time 96.57
4 Snook George NZL: 96.11 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 98.11
5 Aitken Callum NZL: 103.23 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 105.23
6 Bloor Vincent NZL: 99.68 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 105.68
7 Goldsmith Tom NZL: 103.2 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 107.24
8 Jefferies Matthew NZL: 104.47 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 108.47
9 Anderson Finn NZL: 109.27 with 2 penalty secs, total time: 111.27
10 Pilbrow Ben NZL: 109.38 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 113.38
11 Edwards Dai NZL: 114.51 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 118.51
12 Parker Jayden NZL: 134.67 with 4 penalty secs, total time: 138.67
13 Goldsmith Ollie NZL: 127.61 with 14 penalty secs, total time: 141.61
14 Lugton Harry NZL: 147.00 with 6 penalty secs, total time: 153.00
15 Firth Jack NZL: 141.63 with 18 penalty secs, total time: 159.63
16 Nogaj Kadin NZL: 152.07 with 10 penalty secs, total time: 162.07
17 Evans Charlie NZL: 111.29 with 58 penalty secs, total time: 169.29
18 Bristow Blake NZL: 152.64 with 54 penalty secs, total time: 206.64
19 Way Max NZL: 103.97 with 106 penalty secs, total time: 209.97
20 Lugton Fletcher NZL: 117.46 with 104 penalty secs, total time: 221.46
21 Nicol Joshua NZL: 161.41 with 66 penalty secs, total time: 227.41
22 Lugton Nick NZL: 164.80 with 208 penalty secs, total time: 372.80.
Men’s Canoe Single (C1)
1 Firth Jack NZL: 181.82 with 164 penalty secs, total time: 345.82.