Year 11 BSSC student, Piper Downing-Mooney, has recently achieved a personal best in canoeing/paddling a marathon distance.
She’s reduced her time from around 60 minutes to just 25 minutes to complete the course. Her time qualifies her to compete at nationals.
It’s a great achievement for the young paddler who had tried a number of sports that didn’t engage her. At the end of Year 9 Piper went to a ‘Girls Can’ day canoeing on Crusoe Reservoir and has never looked back.
“I just love it and wish I’d started it earlier,” she says. “It’s not only great exercise—and builds excellent core and upper-body strength—the competition side is great too. I love winning medals!”
The beautiful Crusoe Reservoir is the home base of ‘Goldfields Paddlers’ and Piper’s coaches, Michelle and Raymond Creed, have been a constant source of inspiration for her.
Training almost weekly since October 2023, Piper initially used one of the club canoes. However, last Christmas she was given her own canoe.
Gold-medal winner Jessica Fox who wowed Australia with remarkable achievements at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics is an important role model for Piper.
Like any sport, once you get into the more competitive space, there are inevitable costs associated with pursuing excellence.
Piper is gaining a certificate in childcare through BSSC’s Headstart program and does childminding to build her funds—and her experience.
She needs to work out how to best display her medals and what she will name that beautiful sleek canoe that is helping her to be an even more formidable competitor!
BSSC wishes Piper great success.
