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Hello friends, family, and supporters!
Thank you for supporting Kim's dreams as she embarks on a journey to represent the USA in her first Va'a Sprint World Championships.
The journey has not been a straight path. Her initiation to competitive paddling grew out of a bucket list item to join a team at the local Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival in Bemidji, Minnesota in 2016. Being a lifetime athlete who loves to compete, set goals and achieve goals, Kim's enthusiasm for paddling quickly took over. Her love of dragon boating with the local organization soon expanded to competing for a spot on the national team, joining an elite dragon boat team, and purchasing an outrigger canoe.
Following much outrigger racing in 2020 and 2021, Kim found out about the call for applications for the World Va'a Sprints; it seemed to make perfect sense to apply. For those who do not know, a va'a is similar to an outrigger canoe, but without a rudder and longer in length (closer to 24'). The primary difference is that without the rudder, Kim must control her steering solely with her stroke while paddling. Kim applied for the sprints in November 2021; turned in time trials and ran her first va'a time trial in Newport Beach, CA in May 2022. Kim earned one of three berths to represent the USA in open/elite women at the World Championship Sprints in Windsor, Great Britain on Lake Dorney from August 8-16, 2022. At the time of earning a berth, she did not own or have access to train on a va'a. Her experience on the outrigger, gave her enough to succeed at time trials. Kim however, did have to carry the expenses to purchase a va'a should she want to accept and succeed in preparing properly for Worlds.
Kim is very honored and has had support from a long-time coach, friends and family, fellow paddlers and teammates. She is grateful for the opportunity to accept the berth to represent the USA at the 2022 World Va'a Sprints.
Kim represents more than just herself and her country. She is the face of many underfunded athletes trying to thrive in an underrepresented world of paddling sports, though she knows the struggle exceeds her own sport. She is a mother who homeschools her children; a counselor, who advocates for mental health at her private practice; a wife, sister and daughter. She cares about environmental clean up and advocating for preventative healthcare. Although she works very hard, paddling funds come out her own pocket.
Funds raised will go to help support the costs accrued from purchasing her used va'a, a paddle (as her paddle recently developed a crack), airfare, fees, accommodation, transportation, nutrition, uniforms and coaching. As so many support her through asking for updates, having conversations, showing interest, being there for laughs, coaching, etc., she reports that this journey is not just her own, it belongs to so many and she is thankful for all your support. She would also like to add that she herself would like to support paddlers in the future and is working to create a way to pay it forward.
Any donations are sincerely appreciated; if you are unable to donate, please share this among those you may know. Spreading the word is equally a massive help. Any funds in excess will be put in her 'paddle fund' to go toward future race fees and costs. She is attempting to paddle in the Catalina Crossing, Chattajack31, Nish Pombo later this year; and also has sights set on international racing in the future.
She will be sharing training progress on social media and on her webpage blog:
To follow the World Sprints, please visit the official site:
Organizer and beneficiary
Kimberly Carroll
Beneficiary