by 
For Mako Paddle Club, AusChamps 2026 wasn’t defined by medals—it was defined by people.
From the outside, it might look like another strong campaign from a regional club punching well above its weight. But inside the crew tents, in shared houses, in car parks juggling logistics like a game of “car-swapping Tetris,” something else was happening.
Connection.
Support.
Chaos (the good kind).
As one paddler put it, the off-water experience was “seamless” and “constantly entertaining”—a mix of shared meals, side quests, and the kind of camaraderie that turns a team into something closer to family.
Built on More Than Performance
Yes, there were results—impressive ones:
- 🥇 Senior A Mixed 200m
- 🥈 Premier Women 1000m
- 🥉 Senior A Mixed 500m
- 🥉 Premier Women 500m
But if you ask Head Coach Kristin “Chicki” Chick what mattered most, it wasn’t the podium.
It was the culture.
The quiet moments—thanking officials, helping boat wranglers, respecting competitors, cheering other clubs—these became the real markers of success. A standard not just of performance, but of character.
“This little club with the big beating heart has something special,” she reflected, describing a squad built on trust, friendship, and a shared love of paddling.
Grit, Laughter, and Showing Up
Across the campaign, one theme kept surfacing: everyone showed up.
Not just physically—though punctuality did get a few cheeky mentions—but emotionally, mentally, and for each other.
Every paddle mattered.
Every push counted.
Every laugh carried weight.
From Premier crews setting the tone early, to Senior A paddlers digging deep and staying on for Masters racing, the effort was relentless. The vibe? Even stronger.
“Together we can achieve mighty things,” one paddler wrote—and it didn’t read like a slogan. It read like a fact.
The Race Everyone Will Remember
Then there was that race.
Mako Opens slicing through the course “like a hot knife through butter,” lifting the crowd to its feet and sending the Mako Maidens into full voice. It had the feel of something bigger than a heat or a final—more like a headline act.
Call it the Melbourne Cup of AusChamps.
The result almost didn’t matter.
Because for those watching—and those in the boat—it was one of those rare moments where everything clicks. Power, timing, belief. The kind of race you talk about long after the medals are packed away.
From Jervis Bay to the National Stage
Back home, the messages rolled in.
Supporters, friends, and club members who couldn’t make the trip still felt part of the journey—cheering from afar as Mako once again proved that geography doesn’t define potential.
“The little regional club from Jervis Bay that continues to forge forward.”
It’s a line that’s starting to feel less like an underdog story—and more like a statement of intent.
#Makomojo
Ask anyone what the secret is, and you won’t get a technical answer.
You’ll hear about:
- Big hearts
- Belly laughs
- Trust in the boat
- Respect for the sport
- And a refusal to take themselves too seriously
Somewhere in that mix lives #makomojo.
It’s not something you can coach into a crew.
It’s something you build, session by session, year by year.
And at AusChamps 2026, it was on full display.
Results fade. Stories stick.
And this one’s going to last a while.
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