Gisborne kayak paddler Jacqueline Kennedy has been named Canoe Racing New Zealand’s Junior Athlete of the Year.

It comes on the back of the Poverty Bay Kayak Club member smashing all her times and dominating the Under-18 female division in racing at Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) over the weekend.

Canoe Racing NZ held its annual awards ceremony on Saturday in Rotorua and Kennedy, Gisborne’s Olympic Games double gold medallist Alicia Hoskin and Poverty Bay Kayak Club head coach Liz Thompson were among the recipients.

Kennedy represented New Zealand at the International Canoe Federation Junior world sprint championships in Bulgaria last year.

Thompson said Kennedy had a “fantastic” first full year in the sport.

“Jacqueline won both U16 and U18 events at the nationals, and was outstanding, with excellent times.

“She learnt a huge amount with her experiences at the junior worlds and it will be great to follow her progress as she continues.

“She is an asset in the club environment, helping out and encouraging the younger paddlers,” Thompson said.

At the world champs, Kennedy raced in the junior (18 and under) K4 500m and K1 500m.

In her K1 500, she posted a fast second in her heat to advance to the semifinals and went on to finish fifth in the C final for a creditable 23rd overall considering her age.

Kennedy has two more years in this age group and is already looking to the next ICF junior world championships in Portugal in July.

CRNZ head development coach Emily Willock, originally from Gisborne, said Kennedy’s recognition was a reflection on her long list of excellent performances last season.

“Jacqs, at age 15, last season produced amazing performances against athletes who are two years older than her.

“She has come into the sport like a firecracker and has pretty quickly hit benchmarks that we normally see from athletes who have been kayaking longer.”

Poverty Bay Kayak Club president Andy Kinsella said the club was “incredibly proud” of her achievement.

“Jacqueline’s dedication, perseverance and passion have been key to her success,” he said. “This recognition is a testament to her hard work and commitment, and we look forward to seeing her continue to excel in the sport.”

The teenager has also proven to be an accomplished ski paddler and swimmer in surf lifesaving for Dawson Building Midway Surf Life Saving Club.

She won the U17 women’s ski at the Eastern Regional Championships at Mount Maunganui last month.

Kennedy said the CRNZ award was a surprise.

“The other athletes in the junior category also had excellent performances during the year. But it felt special to win it because I’ve only been competing for about a year and a half.

“Everything has progressed so quickly and all the work I’ve done is paying off.

“Also, all the support I have received has been incredible and that’s made this award even more special.

“As for the future, I would certainly like to aspire to the Olympics either in four years or eight years, but just paddling with our Olympians will be awesome.”

In other awards presented on Saturday, Dame Lisa Carrington was named Female Canoe Sprint Athlete of the Year, while the Team of the Year not surprisingly was the Paris Olympics K4-winning crew of Carrington, Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan.

All four and Aimee Fisher also received excellence awards for their Olympic Games and World Cup performances.

Liz Thompson was presented an Outstanding Service Award.

Her citation read: “Liz Thompson receives this award in recognition of her outstanding dedication to the sport of kayaking and their invaluable contributions to the Poverty Bay Kayak Club over close to 40 years.

“Liz’s commitment to fostering talent and love for the sport has made a profound impact on Poverty Bay’s kayak community.

“Liz has devoted numerous years to the sport of kayaking, demonstrating unwavering commitment and passion.

“Her extensive experience has inspired countless paddlers and enriched their journey of paddling.

“She has been a constant presence for paddlers and dedicates her time to coaching and mentoring, helping athletes refine their skills and become better paddlers.

“Her hands-on approach has fostered a supportive and nurturing environment and she consistently promotes the sport, encouraging participation at all levels and sharing her love for the water with everyone in the club.

“This enthusiasm has played a key role in building a vibrant paddling community. Liz embodies the spirit of dedication and service that this award seeks to honour.”