How did two first time competitors nail the paddle at the 2026 Kathmandu Coast to Coast?

They learnt to paddle despite the ballot! We get asked it all the time..... Do I really have a chance of getting a spot into the Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2027 Event?

The answer to that is of course yes! There is a huge chance you will get a spot. The ballot has been running for a good few years now and we are getting pretty experienced with how it all works. Every year approx. 3500 people enter into the ballot. Is every single one of these people committed to getting to the start of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2027. Absolutely not! For some reason the ballot captures a high number of people who enter it just to see what happens. Why anyone would do this without any real intent of racing I have no idea. It just makes it a lot harder for those who are bursting with excitement to get that entry spot confirmed and begin the life changing journey that is your very first Coast to Coast! 

Imagine you read this, you decide yes I really want to do it, lets get started. You book your Grade II Course and your journey begins. 6 months down the track Coast to Coast send out more entry invites. There are a bunch of people ahead of you, but that doesn't matter. With just 4 or 5 months before the event who is going to be jumping at the chance to get an entry space confirmed? The person with the Grade II Certificate or the person who is still thinking about it? The last few years I seem to have done nothing else but try and explain and convince people if you want to race you would be very unlucky if you didn't get a space. If you really want to do it start training today! 

I wanted to share a very recent real life experience. I have had so many of these but this one had a great email time line. On the 11th of February 2025 I got an email from a competitor wanting to race in 2026 event. He had done it in the past a good few years ago but hadn’t kayaked in many years. He was going to put his name in ballot and come and do one our Grade II Courses to become reacquainted with the river and kayaking again. A few weeks later we talked on the phone and he explained to me he was third to last on the waitlist and didn’t have much chance of getting a spot, so he would leave the paddling for now. Despite my best efforts to explain he probably would get a spot so let’s just get started anyway. Now of course you already know exactly what I am going to say next…... I was out paddling and my phone was ringing, I don’t normally stop to answer it but it’s 12 months later and the Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2026 is just 12 days away so all my senses are on high alert, ready for anything. The adrenaline is constantly pumping and I must answer every call. “Kate, hi, you might remember me, we spoke back in February last year. You were right. I just got my Coast to Coast spot!” Ok I thought, it’s the 30th of January. This is tight, we are fully booked, but at Topsport we have a reputation for going the extra mile and this is no different. I set to work to make it happen for him. Of course this is just one example but we are experiencing this kind of situation constantly. If you genuinely want to do the Kathmandu Coast to Coast in 2027 just get started, take the first step today, regardless of whether you have a confirmed entry or not.

Why learn to paddle in Autumn?

Our Topsport season kicks off in March each year. We teach multiple Grade II Courses throughout the autumn season. March and April are without question the best months of the year to complete your Grade II Course. Why is this? The weather is typically a lot more settled and we get so much more accomplished during the 4 days than we can do spring. The spring weather always causes a lot of disruption to our planned teaching schedule, and if we had it our way we wouldn’t run courses in spring at all for this very reason. However it is a pretty common thought that spring is a great time to do your Grade II Course. I don’t know where this came from but I certainly fell into that trap when I started, but is spring really that bad? The simple answer to that is yes. The settled weather we have experienced over Autumn and Winter changes with the click of the fingers. The calm wind free days are quickly replaced with strong NorWest winds patterns which brings with it plenty of rain in the catchments and before you know it the Waimakariri River has been in flood for weeks and we are all heading up to Murchison to paddle.

This year for the first time our Autumn Grade II Courses will be heading up into the Waimakariri Gorge with Alpine Jet Thrills on the final day. All our paddlers will get to experience the beauty and excitement that comes with paddling in the Gorge for the very first time. This will be a course highlight and the skills you will develop getting in here early will be invaluable. If you are thinking about it,  just get into it and book your space now!

Grade II Course Dates - See Below 

 

Now on to our two first time paddlers and how they did it....

Introducing Thea and Jane. Thea and Jane are two paddlers who both came through Topsport Kayaking in preparation for the Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2026 event. Why did I choose these two to write about? Well they both have matching Shadows!

A few years ago we ordered a couple of Shadows for the kayak school. Pretty standard, we do this a lot. We love the Shadow, it’s a boat we love to recommend. These particular Shadows I ordered in my favourite colour – blue. When they arrived they were just so nice, lovely carbon layups and such a cool lighter blue colour. I loved them both. They were so nice that I just couldn’t bare the thought of them ending up all broken and damaged getting thrashed in the kayak school. So they sat on the rack, then they sat there some more, next thing it had been two years and they were still there. After a few discussions about my inability to use them I agreed the best thing to do would be to sell them, but on one condition, I was allowed to vet the potential new owner to make sure they were worthy of such a lovely kayak.

Shadow Number One  

Well this one was easy, my friend Thea! Thea and I meet many years ago back in our equestrian days at school. Thea was at a rival pony club with her sister Clare. As soon as a competition schedule arrived in the mail box we tore it open to see if the Sweeney sisters were entered. Dam it they are! In true Thea style she was very hard to beat. As we got a little older we realised, actually rather than pony club rivals we could all be great friends. Our love for horses cementing an early bond.

Thea - Longest Day Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2026

Thea has always wanted to do the Longest Day. She was in her early 20’s when I first heard those words come out of her mouth. The girl could run like wind, was just getting starting on a road bike so all she needed to do was learn paddle. That didn’t come easily to Thea and after a few early experiences with us, one in particular in Murchison she decided to call it a day. Kayaking wasn’t for her. I always felt bad that I couldn’t pass on my love of kayaking and her longest day dream had ended before it even started.  Fast forward 15 years or so and she mentions the dream isn’t dead. It’s still alive, it just needs some very careful love and attention along with some very positive kayaking experiences. Thea didn’t yet have a Coast to Coast entry, but like I tell everyone, that doesn’t matter. If you want to do it lets just get started.

Thea signed up to one of our Grade II Courses in Autumn. She got a couple of days of brilliant Autumn weather and just like that had her first Woodstock lap under her belt. She continued to slowly build her paddling up over winter, sticking the Estuary as it’s close to home, and a really great spot from training. Thea did our last Topsport Winter Race in August and that become that start of all her river paddling. Winter was done so now it was time to get stuck in. She booked her first guided trip through the Gorge with us on the 3^rd of November 2025. The absolute best time to get your first one done. Why anyone waits until mid to late January will always continue to shock me. Thea’s first trip was filled with anxiety and nerves. Zack Stones was on the job and he made sure Thea had a great first day. First trip – no swims.

Thea and Jane's first Guided Gorge with Zack from Topsport Kayaking on Monday the 3rd of November 2025 

Thea’s second trip was at the end of November. This time we had our eyes on the Classic River Race. We had set a goal of that being her first trip down the river without a guide, so this trip was a little bit more independent. Thea had the chance to pick some of her own lines. Second trip and another dry run. We are slowly getting better, the fear and anxiety is definitely still there but it’s a lot more manageable and Coast to Coast Longest Day is now 100% achievable and it’s only November! The Classic River Race is next up for Thea. She is a lot more relaxed about paddling and looking forward to giving the river a go all on her own. Thea had a fantastic paddle and despite a swim at the infamous Bluff Bluff in the Gorge she still manages to take the win in the Novice Category. This is a category for all first time paddlers at this race. Well done Thea!!! I never thought this would have been possible six months ago. Wow! 

Thea paddling at the Classic River Race on the 14th of December 2025

Next up in January was her first trip down without a guide or a safety team managing the river. She did have the luxury of having Katie Cambie as one of her besties so she was certainly in good hands for here first solo trip. Even so it was still a huge moment for Thea to be on the river just the two of us. I spent a reasonable amount of time in the lead in the top section of the river but when we got to the Gorge Thea moved to the front and paddled the entire Gorge with me right behind her, she picked some great lines. I took over again once we got to Woodstock and continued some lessons in braid reading. It takes a long time to get really good at that. Her final trip she lead from Mt White to the Gorge Bridge. I sat behind her the entire way and the feeling I had watching her was pretty special. It happened to be the most speculator weather and the river had never looked better. A day I will remember for a very long time. My friend Thea has done it, she has overcome a massive fear of paddling. Proving that even a really terrified paddler can overcome their fear. It just takes some careful planning with the people who know this river better than anyone. I am very proud of Zack, Sam, Dayla and Riley who all spent time on the water with Thea looking after her, teaching her, encouraging her and making sure the start line was where she was going to end up. From there we all know what happened. Congratulations on the most incredible performance Thea. Words are usless on that one! 

Thea paddling Hamilton Rapid at Coast to Coast 2026

Shadow Number Two 

This boat ended up with Jane. Jane had again done a Grade II Course with us in April. After her 4 days with us it was recognised that she needed to get as much paddling in over winter as she could. Working on developing her skills ready to embrace the Waimakariri Gorge come November. Jane demonstrated the most impressive commitment. She participated in every single one of our winter kayak races. There are four races in total. The first race she was incredibly nervous and worried so she paddled down the course with Sam the day before just so she knew she could do it. The transformation in her skills and confidence from the first race to the fourth race was outstanding. The races are run over a period of 4 months. In between races Jane had been diligently attending the Topsport Intermediate Skills Session that Sam and Kate run on a Wednesday morning during the winter months. These sessions are run on the Avon but don’t let that fool you. The sessions are a mix of skills and fitness and this program saw Jane gain a huge amount of confidence from her new boat handling ability.

Jane - Two Day Indvidual Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2026 

The next stop was the mighty Waimakariri Gorge. Jane had also booked with Topsport  for the 3rd of November on the same day with Thea. Jane had a great day as well and just like that both the girls had their first Gorge trip ticked off, no swims for either of them and it's only the start of November. We can only contuine to improve from here. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting through the Gorge early. This builds such a solid foundation for the rest of the Summer. Jane then had a second trip with us as well before paddling at the Classic River Race.

Jane paddling at the Classic River Race on the 14th of December 2025

The Classic River Race is always an event we encourage all of our Topsport paddlers to aim for. If you can paddle the Gorge independently by the end of December when this event is held Coast to Coast is just the icing on the cake! After the Classic Jane had a couple more trips which took her through to the end of January. I had watched her go from a pretty nervous and terrified paddler to being confident in the Gorge and ready to take on the race in style. 

Jane paddling Hamilton Rapid during the Coast to Coast 2026

It was such a pleasure to work with both these ladies. I always feel very grateful whenever a paddler chooses to join Topsport, but it was especially so for these two. They really reminded me just what great things you can achieve when you are prepared to put the work in. Both Thea and Jane put in a lot time and effort to get where they needed to be. They were both rewarded with a dry run on race day and plenty of moments to enjoy and smile on the river. Two Topsport paddlers I am immensely proud to call ours. Congratulations on such great races Thea and Jane. I hope your dedication to achieving your goals can inspire others to do the same.

Written by Katie Cambie

Katie Cambie owns and manages Topsport Kayaking. She is an accomplished kayaker herself winning the Classic River Race 6 times, the current holder of the Coast to Coast kayak stage fastest split and was the fastest paddler again at Coast to Coast in 2026. She has spent many years designing and managing all the courses and program at Topsport. She is constantly striving to ensure everyone has a great experience with Topsport. If you are looking for someone to help guide you and get started with paddling then look no further than Topsport! 

www.topsport.co.nz