Urwin happy to go with the New Zealand flow

KATIE FARMAN | 16th December 2004

Louise Urwin is happy to go with the flow.

After spending the last few months perfecting her paddling skills on the Kaituna River, the Rotorua-based accountant has been rewarded with a qualifying spot at next month's World Canoe Freestyle Championships in Australia.

Urwin will be joined by seven other Bay of Plenty paddlers at the five-day event beginning in Sydney on January 26, including Rotorua's Kenny Mutton, Nathan Ashmore, Donald Carter; Tauranga's Jared Meehan, Michael Dawson and Olivia Meehan, and Paengaro's Jo Lucas.

"It's awesome there are so many representatives from the province," she told the Daily Post before another mammoth training session on the Kaituna River on Tuesday night.

Originally from Hawke's Bay, Urwin became involved in kayaking three years ago after a friend suggested she'give it a go'.

"It's fair to say I was hooked immediately - I just loved it," she enthused.

Since then Urwin has represented Hawke's Bay, the Central Region and New Zealand in canoe polo and was part of the 2003 senior Kiwi team that finished second to the Aussies at the Oceania champs.

However, in October last year, Urwin moved to Rotorua to be closer to the renown Kaituna River to perfect her freestyle skills, and to the Whakarewarewa Forest where she can pursue her other love of mountainbiking.

Because there is no funding available to the sport or sponsors looming on the horizon, every penny counts.

"I had to do so much travelling in the Bay, whereas now I am so close to the Kaituna - it's one of the most popular, if not the best, river runs in the country."

January will be the first time Urwin has donned the black and white in a freestyle event, which is fast becoming one of the most popular and exciting kayaking disciplines.

The bubbly athlete said it is similar to freestyle skiing, whereby competitors perform tricks using the water to help manoeuvre themselves about.

"Freestyle encompasses a number of aerial moves and paddlers propel themselves into the air and rotate their kayak," she said. "They are marked on variety - the different kinds of moves you can make - and technical ability."

But she is also quick to point out there's no room for error.

"We're only given two 45 second rides at the Worlds - so all the months of training comes down to 90 seconds," she said.

"If you stuff up - you're off to the losers party."

Urwin and paddling buddy Lucas will travel to Australia on Boxing Day for a week of training, before returning to Penrith next month for the champs.

Unlike the last four World Championships, the 2005 event will be held at the artificial course at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, which was built for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

The New Zealand team to compete at the 2005 World Canoe Freestyle Championships in Australia is:

K1 women: Louise Urwin (Rotorua), Jo Lucas (Paengaroa), Ngaio Hart (Christchurch); women - junior: Olivia Meehan (Tauranga); men: Kenny Mutton (Rotorua), Jared Meehan, Michael Dawson (Tauranga), Daryl Barly (Te Awamutu), Richard Scott (Palmerston North); men - junior: Nathan Ashmore (Rotorua), Lawrence Simpson (Napier).

C1 - open: Donald Carter (Rotorua).