Cambridge kayaker Nick Collier has become the first New Zealander to win gold at the Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships.
Nick Collier working out in the Waikato River. File photo: Steph Bell-Jenkins.
“Standing on the podium, hearing the New Zealand national anthem, watching the New Zealand flag rise, and my teammates cheering me on was simply beautiful,” the 21-year-old said. “I’ll remember that moment for a long time to come.”
Collier, who moved from Central Otago to the Waikato four years ago to study at The University of Waikato, achieved the victory in Foix, France.
A day earlier, his kiwi teammate Oliver Puchner won silver in the under-23 canoe singles.
Collier also competed in the U23 Men’s Canoe Slalom K1 Category but placed 38th, missing top 30 progression to the semi-finals by 1.5 seconds.
In the kayak cross final he was up against 2024 canoe slalom K1M Olympic silver medallist Titouan Castryck and Gino Benini, both from France, and Italian Xabier Ferrazzi. Castryck finished second and Ferrazzi third.
“The feeling of crossing the finish line in first place was honestly relief,” Collier said.
“Four athletes sitting on the start ramp, knowing that only three will podium, is a brutal concept. I was totally spent as I crossed the finish line.
“I’d given my absolute best the whole day and was drained mentally and physically. To look up and see the Kiwi team in hysterics was incredible.”
Cambridge paddler Nick Collier enjoying a coffee at one of his favourite local cafes. Photo: Steph Bell-Jenkins.
The result trumped the silver medal he won at the same world championships in Kraków, Poland, in 2023.
Collier moved from Hamilton to Cambridge in 2022 because it was an ideal training base, close to Okere Falls, near Rotorua, and Canoe Slalom New Zealand’s high performance training centre in Auckland.
This May he moved in with his girlfriend in Auckland for an intensive month of preparation at the Wero Whitewater Park in Manukau.
While competing at the Prague World Cup in June he joined a new training squad with Oliver Puchner and Courtney Williams, coached by Nico Boudouin.
“Nico and I developed a strong strategy for the kayak cross race, which worked exceptionally well on the day,” Collier said.
“I’ve been training hard in New Zealand, and knew I could be a contender, but in such a strong field as the U23, it was always going to come down to the performance and plan on the race day.”
After a sensational start to his international racing season, Collier is now looking forward to four more European competitions, including two senior World Cup events in Slovenia and Germany.
He also aims to compete at the Senior Canoe Slalom World Championship in Sydney at the beginning of October.
Nick Collier celebrates his under-23 world championships gold medal outside the kiwi team’ s accommodation in Foie, France. Photo – supplied.
