Hi, Im Shania,

I’m 26 years old. Have been paddling since I was 9. I started my outrigging journey in Tasmania, at Cradle Coast Outrigger Canoe Club, and now in Queensland at Gold Coast outrigger canoe club (both of which my parents formed) and I am the current President.

I have represented Australia and placed at multiple World Sprint and Marathon championships as a junior and senior both paddling and steering. The stand out been 2019 in Australia when I was 20 and steered the Open Women to first place.

I have also been fortunate enough to do Na Wahine in 2017 with Outrigger Australia when I was 19, and wow what an experience at such a young age. I went as the second steerer as well as Seats 1,2 and 5 and we came away with 2nd place in the Opens.

I am so excited to go back over and tackle the channel of bones as the main steerer and just ready to push myself all the way.

Training for such an event is quite hard here as it’s our winter but it provides you with that little bit extra strength and determination to cross that channel.

My favourite saying at the moment is from my AFL football team that I follow and it is ‘All Gas, No Breaks’ and that’s what we’re going to do - keep on pressing forward.

Na Wahine to me is the ultimate success and achievement, after months of training, it all comes down to that one day, that one moment. 6 + hours on the water with just yourself, the crew you’ve spent hours on end with training and you just hope that on the day you pick the right line to follow and it all works out for you.