Yarrawonga Mulwala Canoe Club legends Kevin Phillips and Ken Pole reflect on the club’s 50-year history.
As the Yarrawonga Mulwala Canoe Club celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend, club legends Ken Pole and Kevin Phillips were happy to reflect five decades of rich and colourful history.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
One of the club’s 20 founding members, Ken Pole, an 11-time champion of the gruelling 404km Murray Marathon and multiple former record holder, said the club was formed in 1975 when a small group of enthusiastic paddlers realised, they needed official club affiliation to compete in major events.
“We had to be affiliated with a club, or we couldn’t compete in the Murray Marathon,” Ken said.
“Benalla and Mitta Mitta canoe clubs helped us out early. We had some boats of our own, and the local high school secured grant funding to purchase more, which helped the club to slowly grow.”
The Yarrawonga Mulwala Amateur Canoe Club (YMACC), the club was founded with Graham Walker as president, Monica Elkington as secretary and Joe Studwick as treasurer. Its initial aim was to produce a Letman single down-river touring kayak for local paddlers.
In 1976, club members Ken Pole and his brother Vic, paddling kayaks they designed and built themselves, entered the Red Cross Murray Marathon as YMACC competitors.
Club members pictured in front of the new shed door on Friday.
They represented the club for the next five years before being joined in 1981 by fellow members Kevin Phillips and Barry Hickinbotham, cementing a close relationship between the club and the iconic marathon.
Over the years, the club has supported many local paddlers who have taken on the Murray Marathon challenge, with outstanding success.
In 1984, Kevin Phillips won line honours and went on to compete in 10 Murray Marathons.
Since then, numerous club members have claimed line honours, fastest times and handicap records, including the current fastest time of 24 hours and 18 minutes, set by the club’s K4 team in 2006.
Between 1992 and 2006, club members Angus Campbell, Neville Hargraves, Glenn Hemphill and Neal Hemphill claimed 10 of the 15 outright fastest times, securing the club a special place in Murray Marathon history. In 1997, Kent Jaques was awarded the Margaret Baker Trophy as the handicap winner.
At just 16 years of age, Brea Roadley became the youngest female to complete the full marathon in a K1, later setting a new open female half-distance record in 2014. Her father Tim Roadley and doubles partner Jared Loughnan also claimed line honours in the TK2 class in 2012.
There have been many other past and present club members that have made significant contributions to the club over the years, both in paddling and administrative roles.
Club legend Kevin Phillips represented Australia at two world championships.
Some of the names mentioned over the weekend included Wendy Phillips, Gary and Marg True, Geoff Campbell, Jim Judd, David Mathews, Terry Browning, John Marchant, Adele Church and Robyn Cowell.
On 6 October 1991, the Hon. Ken Jasper MLA officially opened the club’s shed at the Yarrawonga Alexandra Caravan Park (now Yarrawonga Holiday Park) below the weir.
“The shed was built by club members over several years, beginning around 1987–88. It was a great effort by all,” Kevin Phillips said.
The facility has since become a home base for boats and paddlers training on the Murray River.
Many club members have gone on to compete at national championships, with several representing Australia at World Marathon Championships, including Kevin Phillips (1986, 1992), Tim Noughton (1995–2011), Kayla Whinray (2013–14) and Brea Roadley (2014).
More than 50 community members attended celebrations on Friday, January 16, marking the opening of a new roller door and concrete landing at the club shed, followed by a commemorative float down the river.
Thanks to support from the Alexandra Park Club, Jarrod Stevenson Concreting, O’Halloran Garage Doors, and Glenn Hemphill, members now enjoy safer and improved access to the shed.
Tim Roadley with Dr Richard Barnes and his book at the official anniversary celebration.
The celebrations continued on Saturday with a family-friendly ‘Sit-on-Top Challenge’ at Frank Keenan Reserve lagoon, followed by a formal dinner at Thyme for Coffee Café. A highlight of the evening was an inspirational presentation by Dr Richard Barnes, the first person to kayak solo, non-stop and unassisted from Australia to New Zealand.
Dr Barnes told how his journey began with the Murray Marathon before expanding to international expeditions.
On Sunday, the club hosted its annual Murray River Classic Canoe Race. Hamish Young and Kate Leverett recorded the fastest male and female times in the 25km Classic, Anthony Cole won the Kevin Phillips 15km Canoe Classic, and Luka Leverett claimed victory in ‘The Wendy’ 2km junior race for under-12s.
Murray River Classic winner Hamish Young in front of former multiple Australian Champion Mick Leverett.
The club will again welcome new members through its popular ‘Come and Try’ nights during daylight saving. Since piloting Canoeing Victoria’s Paddlepower junior program in 2014, the club has introduced many primary school students to the sport through its ‘Give Paddling a Go’ initiative.
