Kira Bester is on fire. After winning the Surfski World Championships in Madeira in 2024, she’s gone on to win every major race of 2025 so far: South African national championships, Freedom Paddle, and Eurochallenge. And she’s only 23.

On Paddlecast, Kira shares exactly what it’s like to train at a world champion level, her current goals (including a potential Olympic campaign!), which of her paddling disciplines is her favourite (you could probably guess this), and candid perspectives on sprint paddling, coaching, and her biggest competitors.

Kira may already have her first world title, but from how things are going for her, it’s unlikely to be her last… Just how ambitiously can this young paddler set her goals and keep achieving them? Kira is determined to find out.

02:30 Kira’s journey into paddling

06:10 How Kira balances surfski kayaking with sprint kayak, marathon kayak, descent racing; her goals for each, and which sport is her favourite

13:50 Tips for swapping between K1 and surfski

15:13 Kira’s Olympic plans (and the importance of big biceps)

21:10 What makes the South African surfski scene so good? Kira talks Orka Squad and what it’s like to train all the time with so many world champions including Kenny Rice and Nicky Notten

26:37 Who are Kira’s idols?

28:47 Kira’s biggest competition in her mission to retain her world champion title in 2025: Danielle Mckenzie Richards, Jemma Smith, Michelle Burn, Ana Swetish, and up-and-coming junior paddlers (previewing world championships 2025 in Durban)

31:44 Maintaining form over the winter (southern hemisphere winter), and the risk of not having another big race before world championships in October

33:51 Kira’s coaching clinics & the coaching culture in surfski (or lack thereof)

36:17 Thanks, and a surprise meeting of Kira’s coach Pete

38:13 Billy and Betsy debrief

#surfskikayak #surfski #sprintkayak #worldchampion #la2028 #kirabester

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