Families that paddle together stay together, at least for the Florisson siblings, after they won four gold medals and one silver at a Paddle WA competition this year.
Thornlie Christian College students Hunter, Scarlett and Isabella Florisson have something in common and it is their strong love for kayaking.
Thirteen-year-old Hunter started competing in the Paddle WA marathon series when he was eight and hasn’t stopped since.
“One of the most challenging parts is getting up at 5am to go training especially on a cold, wet winter morning in
the dark,” he said.
He has also represented WA in the 2018 Paddle Australia National Marathon Championships which were held in South Australia and in WA this year.
On this year’s state marathon he took one gold and silver medal home for the mixed under 14s, K2 and K1 classes.
“It is a great feeling to win those medals, we have been trying to win the schools awards for many years,” he said.
“I would like to compete in the next national competition but ultimately I would like to compete at the Olympics.”
For 11-year-old Scarlet it was the kayaking that she found was fun.
“Hunter started paddling and I was bored waiting around for him while he was training so I decided to join in and I liked it,” she said.
Scarlett has also competed at the Australian Sprint Championships and was a finalist for the 2018 WA Junior Paddler of the Year Award.
“I would like to compete in the 2020 Marathon Nationals in Geelong,” she said.
The youngest of the family Isabella, 9, started kayaking on and off a few years ago and competed this year.
“I feel happy and great because I have been awarded something,” she said.
She said her family was the motivation behind her passion.
