“As their coach I was particularly delighted with the fact that each paddler won a national medal and they did that all on the first day of competition. From then on it was all a bonus,” coach Anita Roche said.

Twelve students competed on the Forth River near Devonport with competitors from as far afield Western Australia and there was also a large New Zealand contingent.

The paddlers Phillip Koch, Jake Perram, Geordie and Tristan Yule, Lydia Toms, Kyle Williams, Andrew Moulder, James Mannow, Kaspar and Kristian Fiebig, Jordan Hallett and Alicia Ieroianni had a team goal that all would win at least one medal throughout the Championships.

At the end of the first day of racing that goal was achieved by all members of the team.

Great Lakes College came third school overall in the points score and was once again first placed public school in the nation.

Phillip Koch was announced runner up Champion Senior Boy while the boys also gained runner up Champion Boys Team behind the much larger school of Ivanhoe Grammar.

Phillip Koch paddled outstandingly gaining six medals from the six events he entered. He achieved gold medals in both the Downriver and Slalom C1 Teams with Lydia Toms and Jake Perram. Lydia and Phillip also gained gold in the Mixed C2 slalom event.

The other gold medal was won by the C2 Downriver C2 team of Geordie Yule, Andrew Moulder, Kyle Williams, Jordan Hallett, James Mannow and Kaspar Fiebig.