02/09/2026
Our final category in the 2025/26 PaddleNSW Annual Awards is Volunteer of the Year. We love all our volunteers, and so proudly share this recognition amongst four amazing people.
First up is IAN BARRABLE from Sydney Canoe Polo Club.
Ian has been central to Sydney Canoe Polo Club's first year of operation, serving on the committee while carrying much of the practical load that turns plans into sessions on the water.
Ian organised Paddle Australia Summer Series Event 1 at Penrith Whitewater Stadium in October 2025, coordinating venue booking, equipment logistics, field setup, officials and volunteer rostering, and on-day operations. It was the first competition the club had hosted, drawing 72 paddlers in 13 teams across three divisions, including women's, from clubs in five states and territories. When inclement weather curtailed play, Ian managed the wind-up safely and without dispute. On that basis, the club is now preparing a bid to host a further Summer Series round in December 2026.
He also built and sustained the club's working relationship with Penrith Whitewater Stadium. That relationship secured reliable venue access and the goodwill that now underpins changing room access, storage arrangements and ongoing bookings. Penrith is the club's operational base, and it exists largely because Ian did the unglamorous work of showing up, following through, and being someone the venue could rely on.
Beyond the event, Ian supports committee governance, assists at regular training sessions, handles equipment transport and maintenance, and works with newcomers at come-and-try sessions at Penrith and Sydney University Canoe Club's Berrys Bay base, an hour from home.
Ian seeks no recognition for any of it. He is the volunteer who arrives first and leaves last, and both Sydney Canoe Polo Club and PaddleNSW are delighted to highlight his wonderful service to our sport.
PNSW Canoe Polo