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Paddles Ready is your go-to podcast for everything happening in the world of paddle racing.
Hosted by Dougie and Hando, the show brings you inside the sport with race reviews, real-time commentary, and conversations with paddlers from across the globe. Whether it’s breaking down major competitions, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, or hearing directly from the athletes shaping the sport, this podcast keeps you connected to the pulse of paddle racing.
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 Here in Australia we have an opportunity to host the World Paddle Games.
Paddle games, how amazing is that gonna be?
Bring back Coolangatta Gold. Technique or fitness? Technique. I can't speculate. But are we taking away the history of the sport by going too modern and too far into the future? Great question.
There you go.
I was ready
This is Paddles Ready, the global voice of paddle sports, live commentary, race coverage, athlete stories, and expert analysis from across the world of paddling. From dragon boat racing to ocean ski, this is where the competition, the culture, and the stories come together. Let's get into it
How are you, Hando?
Dougie, I am always well.
I've got a new segment today. Ooh.
I like that.
I could call it Dougie. We got Dougie's 60 Seconds with Dougie and all that. We could call it Hando's... Oh, we'll call it Dougie's.
Dougie's.
Dougie's Quick Dip. Taking a quick dip. Taking a quick dip.
Well, we are
in Burleigh.
It's pretty, pretty close. Well, in this, in this segment, what I wanna do is touch on what's happened in dragon boating, where, and what's coming up. Nice. So-
For our viewers to
know what's coming up ... for the viewers to just know what's going on around the world, not just in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
We've got a lot coming up in Asia, uh, that's for sure, with the Hong Kong Festival and, um, Taiwan's coming up obviously, um, for us. But, uh, this week we just had finished the, uh, Barcelona International Dragon Boat Festival- Yeah ... and we had some very good friends of the show up
there. Oh, yes.
We've-
Mary and Mr.
Luau and Fiona
from Champion. And was Claudio up there? I think I-
Claudio
was there ... I saw a photo of Mary and Claudio on the foreshore.
They were front and center, um, Claudio and, and, and Mary Gibson. Hello, Mary. Hello, Claudio.
So we, throughout Europe, I had a look, um, at who was racing there. There was a number of, um, Australian teams up there.
But- Yeah, I saw the Cobestone, right? ... from all around Europe they came, and Barcelona was the epicenter Um, last week in, well, so I think it was the 23rd or 25th of May.
Right.
The, the pictures were beautiful. The i- Bit more
than a week
ago. Oh, the iDotting was great. It was fan- fantastic. And then the other one that I wanted to have a chat about was Venice, was, uh, the Vogalonga.
I think I've got that right. My Italian's not that good, but you know a little bit about this one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was amazing up there in Venice. The pictures that were coming back here live, I watched a bit of the racing. They had a live stream. Uh, Venice knows how to put on a show. I mean, there were stand-up paddleboarders there.
There was all kinds of-
They have the gondolas as well. Like- They had the gondolas ... even the traditional Italian. Right. So- Dubai teams actually have, have... There's, there's a few Dubai teams over the years, uh, that, that have gone over and had that experience. Yeah. And, and paddling through Venice must be just-
Oh
a- amazing. That you're talking about history again. We
always, we always talk about our wish list a- after seeing what I saw they do in Venice. And all the boats were just all congregated and you could, you know, you had the breast cancer, uh, survivors, you had, um, standard boats, you had small boats, you had guys on standups.
There was rowers.
Oh, there was ro-
Kayakers ...
and it was just a festival.
Yeah. It was a festival. Um- Well, Simone, good f- Simone, a good friend of the show, I think we've touched on it before, but he a- he, he's actually, I think he's from Venice. Yep. He's actually had a piano on a dragon boat going down next to two gondolas before.
So- There you go ... we'll have to look at that one.
Well, there's Venice, and then, um, up in Europe as well, starting next week, I think it is-
Climate change, Venice is sinking
Up in, uh, V- um, up in Venice. God. Um, up in the top end of Europe there, um, in Ireland, we've got the Ireland Chinese Dragon Regatta, Dragon Festival Regatta.
Yes, you touched on that. So that's one that's coming up. Um, and that's in Carlow, I believe. So just wanna say hello to, uh, everyone up there in Ireland, especially in the Chinese Dragon Regatta. And then we move on, Nick, and we go to the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. Ooh. That's commencing next week. Um, uh, yeah, it's next, 20, uh, actually 27th, 28th of June.
That's one that's coming up that you and I love, the Stanley, and then you're also in between the island and I just love Hong Kong racing.
Yeah, it, the, the racing there, it's a whole festival. The flags, everything that's out, and it's such a ceremonial and, um, very joyful time with the lion d- with the lion dancing
It is, and it's not just in Hong Kong, let me tell you.
It's in Macau No ... but it's all over China. Yeah. So in June, if you're in China Stay tuned
in
June ... you're going to see plenty of dragon boat action. So that's Dougie's Quick Dip. That's what's going on around the world. I love the Quick Dip. I can't wait to bring the next Quick Dip and I'll go- it's going to be all North Americas and the Americas, because I tell you what, there's some serious paddling coming up in Canada and the United States.
Ooh. So stay tuned. That's- Between,
between Tommy and, uh- Julie ... Julie.
But at this point in time, the Quick Dip, we stuck with Barcelona, we stuck with Venice, we've then gone into China, so that's Dougie's Quick Dip.
I'm Hando.
I'm Dougie.
And we are Paddles Ready.
G'day, Hando. How are you?
Good evening, good afternoon, good morning wherever you are. Dougie. Mate. I love, I love sitting back in the studio with you.
It's good, isn't it? It's just- Oh ... I look forward to Tuesday afternoons. M- a couple...
I, I've had the T-shirt, I think, twice
now. This T-shirt looks good. Twice now.
Yeah, no, it looks good. It looks good. We're, um, couple, bit, bit more merch coming out soon. I saw, um, you know, collaborating with a couple of the merchandise guys, so that's gonna be exciting. Oh,
my goodness. The, the, the people that are contacting us-
Mate ...
over the world from paddle merch people, the likes of Regatta Sport, Fire, uh...
Look, not even gonna name names. We're not even...
We can't... Yeah. But it is, uh-
Don't even... What, mate, Mr. Luau and Champion. Whoo.
Yeah. Bring it on. Um- What's happening? I don't know if you're watching the news the other night and l- or listening to the radio. Um, one of the biggest- I always,
I always listen to the radio and a little bit of the n- you're more news, news, newsworthy than me.
I
am. Well, I have to because I have to do the notes.
Right.
Um, the World Paddle Games, apparently for us-
Oh ...
Southeast Queensland, Australia, we're in for the bid, and it was all over the news. It was all over commercial radio stations that down here in the- It was everywhere ... everywhere. That here in Australia we have an opportunity to host the World Paddle Games.
A-
World Paddle Games with Paddle Australia and Paddle Queensland, uh, Scott Sharples.
Yeah. He's, he- Well,
it's funny you're
talking about those-
He, he's
coming on the show ... you're talking about those federations and you're talking about the different federations. I'll give you a little bit of a heads up.
Hando's hot take's gonna be a pretty good hot take. Oh,
don't. Oh.
Well, yeah.
I apologize in advance because I, I'm, I'm, I'm actually now thinking of you. You're looking at my notes. I've got, I've, I've, I've almost got the hot take now. Yeah. But that news, and, and it was on every radio and everyone, because there was that bit of controversy of w- where the rowing in the Olympics is gonna be.
If they're bidding for the 2030-
Yep
paddle games and, and, and, and it's, and it's a new thing. They want every... Paddle Australia- Over 6,000
paddlers
Yeah. Of, of all different disciplines.
Of all different disciplines.
Including
dragon boat. So, yeah, including dragon boat, which sometimes we get left out. We get left out a lot of it.
Um-
Has there been a Paddle Games anywhere before? Is this gonna be the first?
I think it's f- I think it's the first formal- I think it's gonna be the first ... collaboration. Um, and us being, you know, Australian and even more so being in Southeast Queensland, what precursor couldn't be... It couldn't be any better or better scripted before the 2032 Olympics.
And I know for a fact because we saw, I think even on the news, uh, Kim from Paddle Australia- Yeah ... and also I was talking with Scott Sharples, there is a tender process for a bidding f- from where it's gonna go, but precursor for bringing 200 million into the economy. Yeah. Um, you know, talking to Anthony Ryan from, from BEDA, the economic, Brisbane Economic, uh, uh, division there, and, and we'd love it.
Yeah. And we wanna commentate it.
Well, 100%.
So, so-
And what
do you, would- I, I'm, I'm thinking Gold Coast and Moreton, y- you know, the Moreton Bay where they've, they've got that in Lawnton where the quarry's almost there. Well, do, is there- They're gonna fill with water ...
a facility? What, what have
they, what do you know?
The facility's not there yet, and I can't, I can't speculate. But there's been proposals from that in Moreton Bay and Lawnton where there's the old Boral site.
Yep.
They'll fill it with water. It's, it's, it's gonna be half the cost of, of, of building other ones elsewhere or, or upgrading-
Yeah ...
ones up at, up north.
But look, that's, that, that's an Olympic conversation. Well,
it sounds like it's going, well, well, ob- obviously you said we'll get Scott on the show. Sounds like there potentially could be two s- two spots that will run in tandem, one in Redland Bay, which is just off the coast of Brisbane for those who, uh, geography of Australia is- Well, no,
there, there's Redland Bay.
They, they-
But then you've got Gold Coast as well.
Gold Coast and then Moreton Bay.
And then Moreton Bay as well.
Okay. I didn't- Because you've got the Redlands that have the, the, the purpose-built Olympic court, the Jess Foxes of the world.
Yeah. Okay.
Coming down on, on, on, on all the slalom and the, and, and, and, and the, the canoes and the, the, the kayaking.
Yeah
Then you, well, paddle games, surf skis, your old, your old sport. I love- Oh, yeah, single skis ... by the way-
Single skis ... this
big fella, single ski.
Single ski. Well, I did, actually someone, um- Was
it, was it Clint
Robinette? Was it- No, no, no, no, I did, um,
I, I loved- Well, drop
a few of those
Surf
Lifesavers
that you used to,
that- No, I, I loved doing, um, double ski was a favorite.
I had a couple- Double ski ... of double ski paddlers back in the day. Um-
Where do you steer? With the, the front or the
back? At, at the front. I was actually, uh, I was always on the back. I just had to concentrate to keep up. Um, couple great paddlers that I paddled with, um, Mark Thompson, Mark Rogers, Mooney, ghetto mate.
Um, and, uh, you know- Who
did we meet
down in Burleigh? Grant Wilkinson. I had a run with Grant, but he was, Grant was a little bit better than me. So, um-
Who was the, the gentleman that we met on, on our Burleigh walk m- morning? He
was- Phil Clayton.
Phil Clayton.
World-
Clayto.
Clayto, world Ironman champion. But while I've got you, this is, we'll get back to paddles ready, 'cause someone, um, reminded me something the other day.
I was 18 years of age, ringing wet, and I was, uh, at the state titles in, um, Mooloolook we were. I might've been 19, I can't remember, but we were down at Mooloolook. I was lined up in the single ski in the second heat. I've got one of the world's elite beside me in Guy Leech. Now, he wouldn't know me from a slice of bread.
Anyway, as they let the gun go, we've jumped on our skis, but a shore, he's popped up. What's happened? My ski swung around to the right. I took Leachy out-
Of the competition ...
of the competition.
Did you still paddle?
I jumped on, he jumped on I didn't get through. It's Guy Leech, he got through to the third round.
But I'll never forget it, he looked at me, I thought he was gonna k- oh, God. Goodness me. Anyway, that's my funny thing. But no, double skis and single skis, and we used to paddle a fair bit. I used to paddle the K1s through winter, um, down on a place near there in Sydney just with the boys. But, you know, I've had- Yeah
a couple surf clubs, so Illawarra-
Well, I remember the Typhoon. You hopped on one in, in, in Shecco once, and that, and were like- Yeah ... "You can't go out in that." And you've gone, "Yeah, we can." Yeah,
no, no.
Out, over, it was about seven, eight foot in Shecco, and I was like, I was worried about the s- the, the, my, my mate's ski, Paul Hilton's ski rather than you.
Yeah.
Um- No, they were good days. They were good days. I did a good ocean ski race once with Tommo, um, and I think it was, uh, Brian Morton from North Bondi and Shane Dalziel, I think he was on the back with Morta, I can't remember. But we paddled from
there- Trevor Hendy. Oh, what
a- There's a name. Yeah, there's Trev.
Wow. Yeah, I was, like, affiliated with Surfers Paradise there for a, a small bit with the swimming. Um, but we paddled out, one of the most beautiful races ever. We raced the double skis, and there's myself, Tommo, Morta, and Shane, from memory, and we paddled from Manly. And for those of you who don't know Australia, you can paddle, you paddle out through the Sydney Heads.
Yes.
And it was big, and we raced in this race all the way to Bondi Beach. So you c- leaving Sydney Heads, one of the world's most wondrous- Yes ... places.
So from Manly? No.
From Manly.
From Manly? Yeah,
paddled.
Oh, inside where the
harbor- No, paddled outside. Yeah, yeah. So went out, went out through the heads into the open ocean, and then it was an ocean paddle all the way down to Bondi and the finish line.
That was my- Wow. I loved
that race. So you, you, you started where the ferries would come in.
Yep, started there at the Manly ferries. Yeah, so not the Main- Manly
main beach. So
yeah, Tommo and I did that one together, and that was a lot of fun. So, um-
Paddling, paddling, paddling. All paddling. And that's what, that's what we're about on the show.
Yeah.
About bringing paddlers together. Yes. And, um, f- we went off on a bit of a tangent
there. Yeah, thank you for, but thank you for asking, because, yeah.
But the World Paddle Games, how amazing is that gonna be?
Well, what are the disciplines that you know of? I mean, run through them.
Well, there's, look, obviously there'll be dragon boating.
Yeah. But kayaking, sprint canoe, slalom, uh, the Jess Fox's of the world, slalom. Yep. Outrigger, stand-up, um, uh, sprint canoe, as I think I, I, I mentioned. But did, did, did you see some of the races now, they're... They've got outriggers and dragon boats and, and the, the stand-up guys, whose quickest over 100 meters.
Yeah.
But-
Gotcha ...
but what a, what a beautiful... It, it'd be fantastic and good luck.
What are our chances? What are our chances here in Australia?
I don't know. I'm not a gambling man. With our beers. But 7/4 on favorites, I'd say. Oh, you- They've had their tender. It's coming out soon. We'll have to get the- I don't- We'll get the early mail from, uh, Scott Sharples.
Yeah, because I don't want to jump the gun. We'll have you in the studio. I don't want to jump the gun, but I tell you what, the media got s- they loved it. It-
Maybe they know something more about it than- I tell
you what ... than we do ... it was like an ibis on a bin. They were just- Oh, the br- oh, that's, that's the- They, they ripped into it
that's the bird of the games.
Yes. That... Oh, is that the bird of the game? The, no. The bin
chicken. The
bin
chicken. The bin chicken. I... Oh, my goodness.
I saw a couple
of them. Where have we gone on
this one? Oh, I know it,
but- Where are we? But, but yeah, the World Paddle Games, how could you not see it here? You, you, you'd be panning across from the, from the beautiful waves of- Well, we've got,
we've got the airshow, we've got the American, we've got, now got the World Airshow, or American Airshow with the Americans bringing it over.
Um, our mayor secured that and that brings- Well, look at the outrigger and l- l- w- w- And the money that that brings, Nick, and the visitors, the airshow here. I mean, we missed out because we had the, uh, cyclone here and the beaches- Right ... got a bit decimated, so we missed out last year. Bring
back Coolangatta Gold.
Oh, that al- that, that's already here.
All right.
Yeah, yeah, that came back a while ago. Yeah. Um- So
where would the sur- where would the surski race and what's the, what's the distance in that? Well, that's- Because you've got your sprint kayaks, right? Yep. And then your surskis, like your, your Epics, your Nelo, actually the new Oscar Chalupsky.
Yep. From- Oh, I saw that come out ...
f- um, from Peixing.
Yes, I saw that.
Big O. I saw- Your
boat
looks I
saw the unveiling of it- Phenomenal ... the other day. And we
love Big O.
Yeah. Um-
He's a powerful man.
But I think the course, I, maybe it's something that we ask Claydo, and, uh, maybe I can ask him when I'm down, next down the beach.
Because you'd have to think- I think that would run the Coolangatta course, I would say on the Gold Coast ...
because you'd have to think even- If, okay, hypothetically speaking, you've got the beautiful purpose-built venue, you've got your other disciplines with your, the, the, the, the Olympic venues already there's.
Yep.
Hypothetically it's in Lawton. You've got your eight, 12 lanes, five meters deep, all that. You could have your outriggers doing their turn races, their, their 500 meters. You'd have your sprint canoes, you'd have your dragon boats, you'd have your C1, your K1-
Yep ...
all on that in the games. Then you'd have your ocean.
The spectacle would be like- It's huge ... talk about activating not only a city.
Huge.
You're activating paddling.
But then remember also, and you've got the Hinze Dam up the back here on the Gold Coast. I don't know what they can
do there. Wyong, Hinze Dam, yeah.
You've got the Australian Institute of Sport canoe facility in- Where's that?
That's in Go- that's just around the back in, uh, Mermaid Waters, here about five minutes from where we're recording right now.
Oh, where, where Gold Coast Dragons are. So,
uh, well, near there. Or that, is that Varsity Lakes? Yeah, near there. Near there. That's it. Oh, that's Varsity Lakes, but you know, you got the, uh- G'day, Bazza
you got the, um, AIS f- so there's plenty down here and then you throw in Redland, you throw in Moreton, but I would think, I would assume the ski legs would all be down here and, you know, it's pro- it's proven that Coolangatta Gold Coast, um-
Oh my goodness
So-
That, and that, that's just so, so amazing to run.
Um, and I, and I wonder- So six- ... if they'd integrate paddling the, like, like, 'cause you got Ironman, which is surf ski run, but I wonder if they'd go on the- On the board ...
on the paddle. I reckon they'd go on
the board. Well, we still, it's still a paddle. There's another segment.
Well, you know, I, I-
Have occy paddling in
I think they'd be, they'd be on the board. Anyway, we'll know sooner or later. Hopefully we get it and, uh, like you said, we, we can do some commentary. But, um, looking forward, you said you've, uh, had a bit of a yarn to Scott, so looking forward to seeing if we can get a little bit more intel, um-
Well, yeah, and look, it, it, it'd be phenomenal because the collaboration between,
you know- Where do you think dragon boating sits as far as their role?
Like-
Well, well, well, it, it'd be really interesting and I'm pretty sure, you know, i- i- if, if it's a Paddle Australia event-
Yep ...
uh, that's the, that's the ICF. Um, and I know you were trying to hit a hot take with me on it later, but I don't know whether we talk about that now. But the col- they're all about collaborating and, and, and why not?
Yeah. I'd love to see it, um- Get introduced more to the schools-
Well- ...
with all different types of paddling ...
yours are my passion with the youth, and especially seeing what they do in China, putting them in boats from three years of age.
Oh,
wow. Yeah. Um, you know, I've had one of the mums from the, uh, junior Roars, we've been ch- chatting, um, on the outside just on messages, and her passion for, uh, the youth and pushing it.
We- we're not seeing enough of it in the schools. I think we can. Mm. I think there's room for it, but then obviously it's boats, it's getting... You know, my young bloke, he was looking to try and do something at Bond University. Yeah. They've got a massive, um, rowing fraternity there already, so- I
wonder what's happening with if- Yeah
no, rowing, rowing won't be part of the paddle-
No ... but- But what I'm just saying is trying to get it into the schools.
Yes.
You know, we've got a couple great big schools, um, around here, especially down there at TSS on the water, perfect for dragon boating. Perfect.
Well-
And maybe that's, you know, with our a little bit of help, maybe- Yeah
we could do a spectacle sport down there- Absolutely ... um, to try and do these schools. Absolutely. Up, up at Brissey.
Well, well, January 20, January 2027, we've got, uh, we're taking the boats up to Sunshine Coast for the Brisbane Grammar rowing.
There
you go. So I've got my boy and, uh, and, and Matt from, from Grammar.
Yeah.
Uh, we're, we're gonna do that. And, and that's, that's where it's got to be.
I mean, we're surrounded by water, Handa. Our country is surrounded by water. There's no reason why we can't be trying to push the sport into a more junior facet. Go hard of what it is. 'Cause they're doing
it around the world.
Because, you know, we're sitting here right now and the water's a, a two, three-minute walk away. Yeah, yeah. Um, it, it can be done. Mm. It's just how we do it, how we facilitate it. Um, it's going to take a lot of people. You know, say, they say it takes a village, but- Well- ... it's something you and I will keep working on
you, you, you're bringing things to the table, and, and I suppose this is where we love what we're doing at Paddles Ready is, i- is we're bringing these topics globally.
Yeah.
And we're seeing what other countries are doing. Um- And
now
we've got the- Tommy's got the, they've just, I think they, they launched a youth development program- Yeah
in the United States.
And that's what we need to see more here. I know everyone's doing as much as they can, but is it enough what we're doing? Because when we go to these regattas, we're seeing three or four, you know, you see a- Mm ... sprinkle of the youth teams. A- Sonic, unbelievable. Canberra Grammar, awesome.
Well, did you want to touch on that? And maybe you can cut it out if we, if we don't want to. But-
Yeah ...
after I think it months ago, but you, you know, we, we, we're interviewing w- at the Haka Founda- at the Haka Festival-
Yep ...
at opposite Pat Rafter Arena where, where you and I are, are commentating or, or- Yep ... or, or maybe we've already commentated.
Yeah.
Um, but you know, that's something that you're talking about the youth These young ... In Sydney, in Victoria, they do it a lot better than Queensland. Yes, we have the Sonics- Yeah ... but they're racing each other.
Yes.
For th- for the, for the juniors to participate in the Australian Championships, the price is, was, was way off the charts.
Yeah. You know? And, and, and where ... Y- you're right, where's it going and how are you go- ... And you've got, they've got to have it structured into the, into the, into specific school. Like, like, as you said, have, have a program where they're going into TSS or- Yeah, that's it ... or, or Somerset, especially on the
Gold Coast where they're- And maybe it is.
You see all these, uh, school programs going around. Um, you know, the footballers going around and talking in the schools. Maybe that's what it is. Maybe the federation w- you know, whoever wants to take the bull by the horns, um, so to speak-
Well, well, it's inclusive. Yeah.
You fit
20 people.
100%. You're doing timing.
It can be all sizes, you can be all strengths. Anyone
can paddle.
We see it time and time again, especially on 60 Seconds with Dougie.
Yeah.
Technique or fitness. Technique seems to be the winner there.
Tech fit.
Tech fit. From Papa. Papa. Um, so what's stopping us from getting, uh, starting something, maybe it's something that we look at- Yeah, absolutely
and we have people go into the schools, we have a boat, and we go around. Anyway, that's for another chat.
That is another chat because that, mate, y- schools are all about, and, and youth are about talking. But I'm
glad we touched on the youth because, like, we are getting a few, um, text messages-
And
we've
got some great interviews
from that and we're doing this. We're doing it We've got some great interviews with some of the Sonics.
Yep.
We have. We've got some fantastic interviews, uh, uh, you know, uh, uh, at, at, at the festivals. So, and, and we'll keep the content that we're building on Paddles Ready for the, for the younger generation.
And that news with, you know ... I, I was like, I got a text, "Dougie, did you see, did you see the news?" Yeah.
Yeah. Actually, you sent
it to
me. Well, that's what this one was all about, the World Paddle Games, our bid here in Australia down here- We digressed ... in sunny Queensland. We went, we, we- We went somewhere ... we went
on a different
tangent.
Everybody knows now about myself. And then we got th- through in the youth, which I know a couple of the mums that I've been talking to, they're gonna love that. So Hando, thank you very much. We've got, uh, Hando's Takeout hot take coming up soon, so that'll be interesting.
Oh, goodness.
You'll be right, mate.
Come on. All right. Well- I'll, I'll give you a cuddle afterwards. Well,
yeah, Pa-
Paddle,
Paddle Games, Paddle Games. Bring it to Queensland.
100%. I'm Dougie.
I'm Hando. And we're Paddles
Ready.
Good morning. We are here at 60 Seconds with Dougie, and we're down in Singapore, and we're with Lilly from the German Dragon Boat team. All right, Lilly, I'm gonna fire away. Worst excuse you've heard for not turning up to training?
Hangover.
Downwind or grind?
Ooh, downwind.
Early morning training or sleep in?
Early.
What's more important, fitness or technique? Carbon fibre or wooden paddle?
Carbon, of course.
Coffee before or after training?
Before.
Biggest talker on the boat?
Oh, this gentleman called Klaus.
Klaus it is. Sprint or distance?
Sprint.
Beers or lemonade after a regatta? You're German. Lemonade. Oh, lemonade, okay.
Yeah. Favorite regatta you've competed in?
Ooh, definitely the World Champs at
Brandenburg, Germany. That was my favorite, too. Advice you would give to a new paddler h- hopping in the boat for the first time?
Ooh, listen to what the coach says.
If I wasn't a paddler, I'd be...?
Ooh, a cyclist. And
that's Lilly.
That's 60 Seconds with Dougie.
Hando,
how are you, mate?
Here we go.
Here we go. I tell you what, Hando's Hot
Take.
That's Hando's- My favorite
part of the week.
Oh, the Hot Take. Well,
let's go. This is where I get to see you squirm in the seat because for those of you at home who are just tuning in, Hando's Hot Take is I pull out a question, could be controversial, could make some ripples, pardon the pun, but it makes him squirm because he doesn't know what is about to come out of my mouth.
I just don't want the cavity behind that paddle, that swirl.
No, this one's a good one.
Okay.
Is the sport getting diluted because of tech? Are we going too technical in the sport? And in doing so, the ergonomics, the analytics, um, let's just say the, are we taking away the history of the sport by going too modern and too far into the future, forgetting about how the sport started, why it started, and the tradition of the sport 2,000 years ago?
Great question.
There you go.
Because I think that's got a multi-pronged answer because your tradition and history still to this day when you've got the, the juniors and the young boats, uh, sorry, the young paddlers getting in the boat, they're still using the wood paddles.
Yep.
Everyone's not using a 350, uh, $450 carbon paddle.
Carbon. So it is still there. I think it was, and I don't know whether you, but Merlin used to have the paddles where it would actually give you the data of how much force and pull and torque was on it on the blade.
Yep.
Is that important for national teams, for elite teams? Yeah. I Can people have an advantage of it?
That's another good question for the viewers. If I've got a great sponsor and I'm in Dubai or I'm a team in South America, obviously the phones these days are great for videoing and everything.
Yep.
But the Garmin watches and how fast you're going, how much speed, all the data and analytics, coaches take in 100%.
And not only just at elite level, at, at your, at your club level, they want to know how to get a faster time and a faster boat and a running smooth- Yep ... gliding boat, if that makes sense. If I- Well, it makes sense ... if I've answered that.
Well, you have, and I guess in this sport, our sport-
I try not to, I try to, to, to try, 'cause it's, a lot of it's my view- Yeah
and not necessarily everyone's view. Like everyone-
But it is a sport
where- That good old saying, Doug, everyone's got an opinion.
Yeah, that's right. And it is a sport that gives so many people the, I guess you could say, you've got the option that if you want to train like a professional, you can, and you have got at your fingertips that technology and the, um, analytics and all that.
But then, again, if you want to just go down on the, and have a paddle on a Saturday and go to training- You can ... use maybe a wooden t- paddle, well, you can do that as well. Mm. So I don't see a problem in trying to be the best in any sport in the world.
N- like, no, but like anything.
I don't see any, and I don't see a problem- Well, you want to improve yourself, right?
Yeah, that's right. You always want to better
yourself. So, so suddenly, suddenly you've come down, the scenario.
Yep.
I'm down here with, with, with, uh, Gold Coast Dragons and hopping in with an old wooden paddle. I'm smashing the side of the boat. Yep. I've got the technique back. Yep. Then the next week I'm starting to get bit better.
Then the next week I'm really going, and then I'm starting to work out. Yep. You're growing.
Yep,
100%. I, I, I wanna get a, I want to get a, a paddle seat. Yeah. I want to get a, I actually want to- I want to get
a carbon fiber
paddle ... I want to get a carbon pa- fiber, want to get a Paddles Ready crossbone paddle.
Yeah.
Or, or, or a Merlin or a King. What's the best paddle for me? Is it an adaptable paddle that I can go up? Is it a, is it a right size paddle? You know, because, yeah, the, the, the, the, the data and technique- So it's there, it's there
for everybody.
So maybe yes, the answer is yes, it's good. It's good. It's not diluting it.
No, it's not diluting. Beautiful. That's Hando's hot take. We got through that one. Thanks, mate. I'm Dougie. No. I'm Hando. No, I'm Dougie. But we are Paddles Ready. Paddles Ready. Well, Hando, there we go. There's another show done, wrapped up. It was a- That came with a little bit of controversy,
didn't it? ... cracker.
You put him in. That's the only hot take I've sort of got a little bit of an inkling- Well- ... of what was gonna happen ...
you know, uh, it, it has to be asked, but mate, the World Paddle Games. I know. They're good. That was good. But look,
it was a fantastic episode. That was
fun.
While, while we're on there, we need your help because for us to grow, whether you're sitting there with your partner, your loved one, your team, someone that's not IT challenged like myself, help us subscribe, like- That's it
follow all the channels, Dougie. @
paddle, @paddlesready. There, it's-
Tagging @paddlesready ... tag
everything. Um- '
Cause we want to keep this going- Facebook ... and I hope you do as well.
Facebook, Nico. Subscribe on the website, paddlesready.com. Um, we've got Spotify, you name it. But just @paddlesready, @paddlesready, @paddlesready
We need your help to grow.
And the paddling community is.
So there you go. So I'm Dougie. I'm Hando. And we're Paddles Ready
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