Twelve months ago, a Gold Coast Paddlesports Club member could not run 200 metres. Here is what happened next.
The First Session
He turned up on a Saturday morning with $50 and no idea what to expect.
The first instruction was simple: sit on the ski in the shallow water, hold the paddle, and try to stay upright. He could not. He fell in within 30 seconds. Then again. Then again.
By the end of the session, he was paddling in a straight line. His shoulders ached from muscles suddenly being asked to work.
He booked again for the following Wednesday.
The First Three Months
The first three months were about learning to stay on the ski. He paddled on a V5 Sport — the widest, most stable ski in the fleet. It felt impossibly wobbly for the first two weeks. By week four, it felt like a platform.
He paddled three times a week. The dawn paddles were hard at first. 5:30am is early. But he noticed that every morning he paddled, he felt better for the rest of the day. And every morning he did not paddle, he noticed its absence.
By month three, he had lost 7kg. Not from dieting — from paddling three times a week and eating slightly better because he had more energy.
The Ski Progression
At four months, he moved to a V7. The first session on it, he fell in twice. The second session, once. By the third session, he had adjusted.
At seven months, he moved to a V9. He was not ready. He knew it. He got on it anyway.
The V9 humbled him for three sessions. Then something clicked. The narrower ski was faster, more responsive, and more rewarding to paddle well. He never went back to the V7.
Where He Is Now
- Weight lost: 14kg
- Personal best average speed: 9.9km/hr over 10.8km
- Ski progression: V5 Sport to V9
- Sessions per week: 4
He was asked what he would tell someone considering their first session.
He said: “I would have joined a year earlier if I had known about the $10 hire ski. I thought I needed to buy my own ski before I could start. I had no idea the club had a fleet.”
A Note on This Story
This is a real member’s story, told with his permission and some details changed at his request. It is not unusual. The club has versions of this story many times over — people who came for a try and stayed for years.
The Broadwater does that to people.
Book your first session at gcpaddlesports.com.au — $50, ski and PFD included.
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