CORLETTE paddler Tony Compton has made a habit of winning world championship titles in elite outrigger canoe racing.
The 73-year-old iron man returned from Singapore recently where he bagged a fifth gold medal after helping his combined Newcastle-Tweed Coast-based crew clinch the Platinum Master Mens V12 500m sprint final at Marina Bay.
He achieved the feat with his Corlette neighbour and Port Stephens Outrigger Canoe Club stablemate Graham Blythman.
Both joined forces with 10 experienced paddlers from Newcastle Outrigger Canoe Club – Anthony Benjamin, Bill Lonie, Bob King, Carl Johnson, Dan Carroll, Dennis Carrett, Gary Sing, Guy Sinclair, Philip Sullivan and Stephen Dawes – to bring home gold in the International Va’a Federation (IVF) World Elite and Club Sprint Championship Master 70 years event.
Super fit Compton excelled as stroke to help the Australian contingent power to victory in a time of 2:12.10, edging out crews from Hawaii and the United States to claim the world title.
It was another accolade for the retired civil engineer, who has carved a niche in the sport of outrigger canoe racing with multiple state, national and world titles.
Since making his international paddling debut for Australia four years ago, the Kiwi expat has compiled an impressive tally of seven medals in the World Elite Masters Platinum category.
Compton won gold in both singles and with the six-man outrigger canoe crew at the 2022 world distance championships in Samoa and picked up gold in singles and a silver medal in the 12-man crew at the 2024 world sprint titles in Hawaii.
Competing at last year’s World Distance Championships in Brazil, he won a third 6/12 man crew gold medal plus a bronze in singles behind Tahiti and the United States.
Port Stephens has been home for Compton and his ironwoman wife Carol for the past 25 years.
A former endurance runner, Compton also represented Australia at the 2002 World Triathlon Championships in Perth, where he finished a creditable 15th in his Masters category.
“My body took a battering, so I retired and opted to focus on water sports such as paddling”, the Port Stephens Outrigger Canoe Club’s head coach said.
“Winning four club world titles with a crew has definitely been a career highlight but securing singles gold medals in Samoa and Hawaii are two of my proudest achievements.
“Racing on your own for 10km to 13km (short course) and between 16km and 18km (long course) can be challenging but most rewarding when you pick up a medal.”
Club mate Blythman has also represented his region and country with distinction, with a world championship gold medal to show for it.
By Chris KARAS
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