Paddler on a mission to level playing field

DURBAN North’s Hayley Nixon has won every accolade you can think of. She is an unstoppable force on the rivers and oceans around the world competing at world champs and national competitions where she has dominated results. Her drive and passion for the sport of surfski and river paddling has never wavered or waned, nor has another cause close to her heart, getting more women involved in the sport of paddling.

At the beginning of this year, Nixon partnered with Jacqui Boyd of the Paddling Academy Durban to offer free coaching clinics to women interested in the sport. Already the clinics have borne results with the duo also linking up with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sports and Recreation where we helped development paddlers.

Read also: Paddlers aim for world champs glory

“This has been part of a bigger movement to get women’s paddling recognised and to have equal prize money for men and women. That has been something we’ve strived to rectify. Another aspect was to get more women involved in paddling. Often when we paddle on the river I would see women sitting on the banks of the uMngeni River watching their friends and family compete and I wanted them to get involved,” Nixon explained.

The free clinics are aimed at novices and encompasses both river and surfksi paddling.

“The reaction and help I’ve received from other female paddlers like Bridgette Hartley and Sabina Lawrie has been phenomenal. We wanted to actively give back and they’ve been great in promoting the sport. The reaction from those taking part in the clinics has also been positive and going forward I would love to see more women involved,” she said.

To find out more contact the Paddling Academy Durban Facebook.

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