Rockingham Outrigger Canoe Club fundraises to send junior crews to world championships

Two Rockingham Outrigger Canoe Club junior teams are fundraising to support their journey to the 2026 IVF World Sprint Championships in Singapore.

After qualifying at the 2025 National Championships on the Gold Coast in November, the club’s J16 and J19 Boys crews earned their place on the world stage representing not only Rockingham but Australia.

ROCC J16 crew manager Dale Preddy said the 12 junior paddlers earned their spot and were excited to head to Singapore in August.

“The boys are excited, nervous, keen to learn and keep improving,” she said.

“They look forward to being involved in their sport at the international level and making new friends.

“Competing at Worlds is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a major milestone in their paddling journey.

“It’s like chasing a dream for them and showing that anything is possible.”

Both teams are being coached for the championships by ROCC vice president Levi De Vitt, who will also paddle at Worlds and represent Australia in the V1 elite open men’s division.

“They (the juniors) are very lucky to have such a dedicated coach,” Ms Preddy said.

“He won’t like me saying so, but he is a huge reason a lot of our kids stay in this sport. His knowledge is without question, but it’s more the rapport he generates with each and every young person that wants to give it a go.”

Fundraising through an Australian Sports Foundation campaign page, the team has a goal of $24,000 to help cover flights, accommodation, uniforms, entry fees and preparation costs.

“Not only are we a minority sport, but we’re also a water sport,” Ms Preddy said. “This comes with very high costs for equipment, for storage and maintenance of our canoes.

“Any funding we can get from our local community goes a long way to providing longevity with keeping us afloat, pun intended.”

Donations can be made to their campaign page ROCC J16 Boys x Worlds 2026 | Australian Sports Foundation.