A celebration of paddle sport diversity - interview with WPA Director Rob van Bommel
Interview: Nick Harding | Writer: Tom Collings
WPA Director Rob van Bommel has long held a passion for paddle sports. He has been involved as an athlete, he is the co-founder of Sportscene and continues to paddle recreationally slalom, downriver, ocean and sprint today.
With 15 disciplines, the sport features such a unique and diverse blend of athletes, coaches, volunteers and fans.
However many of those disciplines and the people within them, do not receive the recognition that they deserve.
Two years ago an idea was formed to help celebrate the diversity of paddle sports, and on 9 May 2015 the inaugural World Paddle Awards were held in Augsburg, Germany.
The awards capped off many years of hard work behind the scenes with van Bommel feeling both ecstatic and relieved on the night.
It was an ‘historic’ occasion for the world of paddle sports, with federations culminating together to celebrate the rich diversity of the sport as a whole for the first time.
“In every country you celebrate the success of your athletes, your volunteers, and other people that are involved in the sport and basically that is what we want to do but on an international level,” van Bommel said.
He believes that the WPA can unite the sport by bringing together the different disciplines which are normally divided by federations.
That was evident on the night with the wide range in award winners, from Steve West in the outrigger, to Jessica Fox in slalom and Eric Jackson in freestyle to name just a few.
Looking to the future and van Bommel said that he doesn’t believe one event can make a difference. But if the initiative continues for another five years, then it will definitely contribute to further development and positive change for the sport.
One of those changes could see the introduction of more than two disciplines showcased at Olympic level, as there are opportunities to make the sport more exciting, fast and more appealing.
“I definitely believe paddle sports is such a rich sport, I also think we should showcase that in an Olympic program. Not only sprint and slalom.”
‘Diversity’ was the common theme on reflection of the inaugural awards.
“The diversity of the people we have seen on the stage, the diversity of sports but also the diversity when they say their word of thanks, what the prize or what the sport means to them.”
From Hank McGregor’s speech on the way of life, to West’s dedication to the people in the Pacific, there were so many interesting stories that were finally told.
“It is really interesting to hear what the sport means for the different people, I like that diversity, I love it.”