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Drobot dominates Paddle Australia Awards

Paddle Australia

Sprint kayaker and rising star Natalia Drobot took home three awards, including the coveted ‘Overall Paddler of the Year’ crown, at the 76th Paddle Australia Awards in Sydney.

Drobot, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete, headlined the awards with a successful 2024/2025 season, where she won four medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups in Hungary and Poland across K1, K2 and K4 boats.

She continued her medal-winning streak into the 2025 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships where she won gold in the U23 K1 500m. Capitalising on the momentum, she won two silver medals in the K1 500m and K2 500m events at the ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in Milan.

“I feel really ecstatic and excited. It’s nice to be able to be recognised for all the hard work that’s been put in over the year,” Drobot said.

2025 ICF Slalom World Championship bronze medalists Kaylen Bassett (NSWIS) and Kate Eckhardt were joint winners of the Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross Paddler of the Year award. Four-time World Champion Cory Hill won Canoe Ocean Racing Paddler of the Year, while 2024 Paralympic silver medalist Dylan Littlehales (NSWIS) and Kathy Mallory both took home Paracanoe Paddlers of the Year award.

The biggest night on the Paddle Australia calendar welcomed the paddling community to celebrate the great achievements of athletes, volunteers, coaches and members.

2025 PADDLE AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS

Overall Paddler of the Year: Natalia Drobot
President’s Award: Brian Cork
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Slalom / Kayak Cross: Kaylen Bassett
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Slalom / Kayak Cross: Kate Eckhardt
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Sprint: Natalia Drobot
Paddle of the Year – Stand Up Paddling: Tashka Goswell
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Ocean Racing: Cory Hill
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Polo: Adam Hofmeyer
Paddle of the Year – Canoe Marathon: Rebecca Mann
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Freestyle: Richard Cass
Paddle of the Year – Paracanoe: Dylan Littlehales
Paddle of the Year – Paracanoe: Kathy Mallory
Paddle of the Year – Masters: Daniela Angela Torre
Paddle of the Year – Masters: Gary Nelson
Paddle of the Year – Junior: Orlando Fonseca
Coach of the Year: Laurence Fletcher
Team of the Year: Women’s K2 500m (Natalia Drobot & Kailey Harlen)
Technical Official of the Year: Laura Kleinrahm
Services to Paddling: Sue McDougall, Nick Naughton, Margaret Naughton
Excellence Award: Susan Seipel, Brodie Crawford, Yale Steinepreis, Gary Nelson
Award of Merit: Bob Turner, Rebecca Jennings, Dave Peters
Volunteer of the Year: Darragh Downey
Club Coach of the Year: Scott Dunbar
Instructor / Guide of the Year: Allana Bold
Encouraging Participation Award: Can Paddle Program (Shepparton Canoe Club)