Olympians, Paralympians shine on final day of Canoe Sprint Grand Prix II

The blue ribbon K4 races rounded out the 2026 PA Canoe Sprint Grand Prix II in Penrith.

Cool and calm conditions greeted competitors at Sydney International Regatta Centre, but it was long and strong racing in the 1000m races that started the day, before moving into the shorter and sharper 200m and 500m distances to wrap it up.

Olympic gold and bronze medallist Tom Green and 2025 Paddler of the Year Natalia Drobot, a New South Wales Institute of Sport(NSWIS) scholarship holder, backed up their performances in Saturday’s K1 500 to take out the K1 1000 races.

South Australia’s Emily McMullen and Olympian Josie Bulmer dominated the women’s C2 500, in a time of 2:11.10.

Four-time Paralympic gold medallist Curtis McGrath was the fastest paddler in the men’s multiclass K1 500, ahead of Griffin Angelatos (SA) and Austria’s Mendy Swoboda. Ella Paix was the first across the line in the KL1 and women’s KL2 and KL3 500 race.

Before the final races of the day, athletes put their pedal to the metal in the fast and furious K1 200m races.

Paris Olympian Ella Beere (NSWIS) took top honours in the Open Women’s K1 200, before Olympic gold and bronze medallist Jean van der Westhuyzen powered home to win the Open Men’s K1 200.

“Really good to be back racing with the boys – we’ve had a couple of really, really hard races this weekend but that’s what we love,” van der Westhuyzen said. “I’m just looking to get the best out of myself and put myself in a good position for the team this season,” he said.

In the K4, some new combinations were put to test under peak racing conditions. Olympic medallists Riley Fitzsimmons (NSWIS, pictured above), Jackson Collins, Jean van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green took out top honours.

In the women’s race, it was the team of Beere, World Championships medallists Kailey Harlen (NSWIS) and Drobot, and Claudia Bailey that crossed the line in first.

Australia’s sprint kayakers will have one more domestic racing opportunity before the international season, with the 2026 Canoe Sprint National Championships to be held at Champion Lakes in Perth from 11-15 March 2026.

For all results from Canoe Sprint Grand Prix II, click here.

Paddle Australia

Images JRG Images