When Zane Mills-Nossiter takes his first overseas trip, it will be to Komatsu, Japan, to compete with the 2022 Asia Pacific Sprint team in September.
The 16-year-old kayaker has been chosen to represent New Zealand in the prestigious championships.
He has been kayaking for almost six years with the Whanganui Kayak Club, becoming top U13, U14 and U16 paddler throughout this time.
In 2020 and 2021 he was selected to represent his country in the U16 Asia Pacific squads, but because of the pandemic, they were only able to attend training camps and not venture overseas to compete.
Now his dream is about to be realised and Japan and international competition beckons.
Zane was 11 years old when his family acquired two sit-upon kayaks for Christmas, to take with them on holiday in Patea.
"I was petrified," he says. "I was in one, Mum was in the front, and we tied a rope between them, and I'd paddle behind her. When I got enough confidence we untied the rope, I went off and I've liked it ever since."
On their return from their holiday, Zane asked his mum if she could find a kayak club for him to join. "She found the Whanganui Kayak and Multisport Club."
He paddled once a week for six months with Brian Scott coaching him.
"We had a competition coming up at Lake Wiritoa — it was a three kilometre race. I got there and I did not want to get out of the car." Zane was terrified. "Then I got bribed to do it, and I went out and raced. I won." It was his first ever race and, at the age of 12, he came first.
"When I was 13 I went to my first sprint competition at Blue Lakes, Rotorua." He remembers his first race was heat 2 out of 3, lane 4. He finished the race — he thinks he came fourth — and loved it. "After that race I knew I wanted to become a sprint kayaker."
It happened, and now he's going to Japan for 11 days at the end of September. There are two from Whanganui: Zane Mills-Nossiter and Angus Sewell.
This was Zane's first year competing at national level in his new age group of U18. This would decide selection for Japan. Within a week of the competition, he received an email saying he had made the U18 Asia-Pacific squad.
He trains six days a week on the water and in the gym.
