Danielle Richards considers her paddling future after a dominant victory at the 20 Beaches race

Danielle Richards, the acclaimed New Zealand paddler, expressed astonishment at her commanding performance during the Shaw and Partners 20 Beaches race. Just days prior, the 2019 ICF world champion had felt considerable apprehension during training, struggling with efforts and admitting she “didn’t have it in me to keep going.”

Richards explained her ongoing challenge to balance paddling, coaching, and her work for Canoe Racing New Zealand since relocating to Mount Maunganui. She confessed to often feeling “lazy” and frequently training alone, which left her uncertain about her race readiness.

This Sydney event marked Richards' first appearance in the Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing Series this year, and only her fourth ocean ski race in the past twelve months, following a break to pursue an Olympic bid. Despite this, her dominant display secured a decisive victory and her third Yanda Morison trophy.

Richards revealed her primary goal was to assess her form for upcoming races in Perth, concluding her condition was “alright.” She expressed immense delight at returning to competition, cherishing the camaraderie and supportive atmosphere, emphasizing the sport's core values of enjoyment and community.

Her comeback reignited a much-anticipated rivalry with two-time ICF world champion, Jemma Smith. Both athletes were familiar with the course, each holding two previous 20 Beaches titles. A key question was how Smith would recover after her demanding victory in the 42-kilometer Coolangatta Gold ironperson race just six days prior.

Richards recounted her strategy to “go hard off the start and lay the pressure down.” She acknowledged Smith's formidable work ethic, initially expecting to be hunted down. However, “something just clicked,” she explained. Racing in a new Epic V14L boat, she gradually found her rhythm and intensified her effort, relying on self-motivation to maintain her lead.

At the finish, Smith attributed...

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