By Marissa Tiel
For as long as she can remember, Tamlyn Bohm has been on the water.
Plunked in a boat alongside her parents, she was introduced to paddling early. She91裸聊视频檇 accompany her father down some of South Africa91裸聊视频檚 infamous rivers holding her paddle up dutifully when asked as they91裸聊视频檇 breeze through rapids.
Later, when given the choice between homework and getting in a boat, Bohm always chose paddling.
RELATED: Kelowna paddlers make waves on Skaha Lake
Growing up in South Africa, Bohm91裸聊视频檚 family vacations always revolved around paddling.
91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 remember ever going on a holiday that wasn91裸聊视频檛 a paddling trip ever in my life, other than with my grandparents or something,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚t was: we91裸聊视频檙e going to the race this weekend, you get to hang out at the race all weekend, which is great. I saw so many places that most people would never go to.91裸聊视频�
When her mother, Aurora, first made the South African marathon national team, the family packed for a two-month adventure in Europe. Bohm was around 10 years old.
91裸聊视频淚 remember pushing the backpacks on a trolley through the airport and my mom and dad had a double (kayak) on each shoulder while we walked through Heathrow,91裸聊视频� says Bohm. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檇 be unheard of nowadays. It91裸聊视频檚 crazy.91裸聊视频�
They travelled to England, Ireland, Spain and France.
91裸聊视频淲e rented one of those camper vans with a pop-up roof and lived in that for two months driving around Europe,91裸聊视频� says Bohm. 91裸聊视频淚t was pretty cool. Probably the best trip of my life.91裸聊视频�
They91裸聊视频檇 do a week of racing and then a week of holidays.
Her father, Darryl, insisted they get their fill of history.
91裸聊视频淪o we saw every Roman bridge and castle that we could find,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been through a lot of museums.91裸聊视频�
RELATED: The Paddler: Bob Purdy91裸聊视频檚 incredible journey getting movie treatment
Around this time, Bohm also got her first boat. A pink polo kayak, its ends were bumpered for the full-contact sport. Darryl extended the bumpers to include the sides of her kayak and let her use it in the pool. Whether the bumpers were to protect the kayak or the pool is still up for debate.
In 2004, the family moved to Canada. They landed in Oakville, Ont., a hub for paddling in Canada.
On the GO train one day, Aurora and Darryl spotted a legion of kayaks spread out near the Credit River. They quickly signed up with the Mississauga Canoe Club.
Bohm joined her parents six months later after finishing up her semester in South Africa.
She began working full-time at a Montessori centre while paddling part-time. Soon, the scales would tip the other way as she went back to school part-time, training for paddling full-time.
In 2005, she attended her first ICF World Marathon Championships. She would continue to compete for Canada for the next 10 years, making a name for herself as one of the top marathon paddlers in the world. Bohm was the top Canadian at worlds (she has dual citizenship between South Africa and Canada) in 2011 and 2012, finishing sixth and 11th respectively.
In 2013, representing Canada at the Sprint Pan American Canoe Championships, she earned a gold and two silver medals. At her final World Marathon Championships in Oklahoma City in 2014, she finished eighth.
After graduating, she took a year to go 91裸聊视频渇ull-on competitive, but it just didn91裸聊视频檛 happen,91裸聊视频� she told Searching for Sero a few years ago. 91裸聊视频淚 decided I wasn91裸聊视频檛 getting any faster so it was time to get a real job.91裸聊视频�
Enter the Kelowna Paddle Centre. Bohm accepted a position as club manager and moved across the country for a new start in Kelowna.
She91裸聊视频檚 hoping to get as many people paddling safely as possible.
She91裸聊视频檚 helping breathe new life into the club, membership rose from 27 people in 2013 to 350 in 2015.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 trying to create that love of paddling in people,91裸聊视频� she says.
She now brings her own experience and enthusiasm for the sport to members on Lake Okanagan.
And while she91裸聊视频檚 retired from marathon racing, Bohm hasn91裸聊视频檛 slowed down.
Embracing one of the club91裸聊视频檚 disciplines, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), Bohm has entered the racing scene as a SUPer to watch.
In 2017, she earned the title Queen of Kalamalka after finishing as the top female in the 16-kilometre race. The same year, she won Board the Fjord.
Bohm has now signed on as an athlete ambassador for Vaikovi, Blackfish Paddles, One SUP and Fresh Air.
She remains committed to hard work.
91裸聊视频淚 like feeling broken at the end of a practice,91裸聊视频� she says.
Bohm now trains around six times per week year-round.
And while her priorities for training have shifted from high performance athlete to become more social, she still loves a good competition.
91裸聊视频淧art of me just loves racing,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚 just can91裸聊视频檛 resist.91裸聊视频�
On the docket this year are four events: the Canadian Downwind Championships in Squamish, the Kalamalka Crossing, the Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge and the Kelowna Paddle Centre91裸聊视频檚 Waterman Paddlefest.
edit@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
