Leon WA Rep for AUS TAHITI 2017/18

It's been a couple of weeks since our return from Tahiti and we are so so so very proud of Leon and his Team who returned home with a GOLD MEDAL. 
The day of the race I can assure you held so much anticipation, excitement, fear, stress, worry, poop, tears and nervous laughs...the crew knew what they had to do but the opposition was FIT and mean looking too!!

They headed out and as the coach and I sat on the side lines we didnt know if WE should laugh or cry...from the water to the big screen we watched the 18kms how inch by inch our team worked their way into the lead...

And WON...To this day I have never felt such pride for these people who just pushed themselves over the edge and more to win, they were a team and I cried like a baby so happy for their success and to see their faces when they came in - was a Mastercard moment Priceless.

We praise and thank our wonderful Tahitian Hosts for a wonderful successful event and to our competitors...we thank them for giving it their all as well - we look forward to seeing you again we hope at Sprints 2018!

Lastly I would like to pass on a massive THANK YOU - to all our family and friends who have worked so hard in helping us raise money to get us over there in the first place. We would not in a million years have been able to do all of this with out you. We hope one day we will be able to return the favour in some way shape or form

Next stage is to build the dream for others in WA to walk to same path and feel the passion and love for our sport and culture as wel do.

Always much love

Caroline & Leon Larkins
19th July 2017 xxx


Meet Leon - the 1st WA Adaptive Outrigger Canoe Paddler to represent Australia with his fellow Adaptive "No Limits" paddle crew in this years Inaugural
 International World Va'a Long Distance Marathon Titles in Tahiti June 2017.

We at Rockingham Outrigger Canoe Club are SO excited to see a founding member excel so high to qualify and be part of the Aussie team...and to think he only started paddling a wee 5 years ago...

Whats special about Leon and WHY would you want to help him reach this goal and take away some of the financial burden?

Leon lost is eyesite in an road accident 19 years ago so understands what its like to see and then have that all taken away. Despite the enourmous internal and external trauma adapting to his new life over the years Leon has always pushed the barriers to be the best at whatever he puts his mind to - already successfully representing Australia in the Para team at World Champions Cycling on the Tandem in 2006, 1st tandem rider with Beau Tang to complete the 250km Triple Peaks Challenge in VIC in under 12 hours and even has a World Record to his name! all the while being legally blind with only 3% vision - he has 1 eye and through this eye he only see's a heavy fog vision at best is about 1 m away at a time...as his wife I apparently look gorgeous ALL the time :)

BUT this is not a sympathy cause!!

Leon is a MACHINE and we need YOUR HELP.

We aim to raise funds to help us get to:
NATIONALS in QLD - TICK! Goal Reached and achieved!! THANK YOU ( Insert happy dancing face thing)

NEXT UP...the final leg of fundraising....7 sleeps to go!!

The next stage is getting to Tahiti and paddling our hearts out wearing the GREEN AND GOLD - Leon has qualified to paddle with the Australian Adaptive Paddler Crew "No Limits" Team in the OC6 Long Distance 18km race.

Stage TWO on our return victorious or at least blown away by the Tahitian Paddling Spirit is to start the WA Dream with Leons goal to hopefully inspire other kids and adults with physical dissabilites to come and have a go with the ROCC at paddling.

We want to give them the  opportunity to dream of one day representing their local club, state or maybe even one day their country  (believe me in the world of an Outrigger Canoe Paddler it is ALL possible) or just to be part of the ROCC family and feel the freedom of paddling on the water!

AS mentioned ALL FUNDS raised over and above the target amount of over $8k will remain with Rockingham Outrigger Canoe Club and be used towards the Adaptive Paddler Program Leon will be introducing at the end of 2017 called the "The ROCC Transformers" introducing this awesome sport to people with physical dissabilites - to learn the culture, respect for the ocean, be part of the ROCC family and love of all things Waka!

Please feel free to ask any questions if you have any about the Aims and Goals of our awesome Outrigger Canoe Club.

Lastly we give thanks to you our friends and family and people we may never know who will helps us reach our goal.

If you know Leon you know he would never ask for anything ( unless of course it was to borrow a canoe for a regatta ha!!) but we appreciate and humbly accept all your kindness for now and for the Future of Adaptive Paddlers in WA.

Much Love and Aroha

Caroline x