(2016 ☆ ARCHIVED) Sage Donnelly - USA
SAGE DONNELLY (USA) - Nominee for the 2016 'Sports Junior of the Year' award.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SageDonnelly, Twitter: @sagekayak
Born: 2000, Sports: freestyle, canoe slalom (C1, K1), downriver, extreme, SUP, Represents: the USA
- 2015/2016 Kayak Freestyle World Champion
- 2015: Top Junior American Woman in Canoe Slalom and 12th at the Junior World Canoe Slalom Championships. 6th at the (senior!) Pan-American Games in kayak slalom.
- 2014: 1st in Junior K1W & C1W slalom (national), 1st in Open C1W and 3rd in Open K1W slalom at US Team Trials, Junior women’s National Freestyle Champion, 2nd GoPro Mountain Games Extreme Creek Race
Sage Donnelly is not your average 16-year-old and is a well rounded multi discipline World and National Champion. Hailing from Cason City, Nevada, she is a rising star of the paddlesports world, with various achievements across several disciplines. Her latest feat saw her become the 2015/2016 Junior World Kayak Freestyle Champion (bi-annual), something she has dreamt of since she started competing when she was 7.
Whilst winning this title is nothing short of amazing, it’s the tricks she landed on the way to this championship that has cemented her name in history. Donnelly was the only woman — junior or senior — to nail a ‘blunt nasty’, with only five men perfecting this manoeuvre.
A blunt nasty is basically a front flip in the water with a cartwheel, a combination of a McNasty and a Blunt. Sage was dominant throughout the whole championship throwing down various tricks including blunts, backblunts, helix, felix and back panams. At just 15 years old this was the first year she was eligible to compete at the World Championships. Her final score of 588.33 points was 385 points clear of second place and 100 points more than the senior women’s winner.
More of her achievements in 2016:
- 2nd overall in the European Junior Slalom Cup in Canoe, and 3rd overall (senior!) in Kayak, as well as competing in the Spain and France World Cup events
- Top US Jr. Woman at US Jr. Team Trials in both K1 and C1
- Top US Woman in C1 at US Team Trials and Olympic Team Trials, tied for 3rd in K1
- Made Senior Team in C1
- 1st in Jr. Women's Freestyle-CKS Paddlefest, 1st in Women's Extreme Creek (class 4) Race-CKS Paddlefest, 1st in Women's Extreme Creek ( class 5) Race-Featherfest (age 16)
- Volunteered to teach kayaking to kids at the annual Colorado Whitewater Club and CKS Paddlefest
- Volunteered to speak to newly diagnosed kids at the Children's Diabetes Conference in Anaheim, California
Sage’s determination, dedication and skill is well beyond her years. But she is not only an amazing athlete for these traits, she also suffers from additional health challenges which make her achievements even more impressive. She has Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and thyroid disease, but it doesn’t let all that stop her.
Sage’s love for paddlesports and never say die attitude has inspired many people. She conducts clinics, workshops and school assemblies about the importance of being active, determined and healthy. She is willing to encourage other young people to be active and athletic whether it is in kayaking or other activities. Sage also goes to local hospitals to talk to newly diagnosed diabetics about being an athlete and adjusting to living with diabetes. She is a great ambassador.
Let us remind you again - she is only 16-years-old!
Sage Donnelly has been nominated again for 'Sports Junior of the Year' because of her remarkable results, enthusiasm towards paddlesports and contributions to the community.
It is the third time in a row she has been nominated for the World Paddle Awards because of her consistent performance on the highest level. This puts her right next to Hank McGregor who also has been nominated three times (2014-2016) and is the 2015 Sportsman of the Year.
This is a 2016 archived nominee. Voting has closed.
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