Kiwi kayakers’ love story ‘OUR OAR- SOME OLYMPIC ROMANCE’
It was in 1999 that Kiwi kayakers Anne Cairns and Carl Barnes first travelled overseas together for a junior world championship in Italy, becoming close friends along the way. But little did they know, 22 years later, they’d be a couple – and on a joint mission to bring home gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Born and raised in Palmerston North, Anne is due to compete in the canoe sprint events on August 2, with her boyfriend Carl by her side as team coach and manager. It’ll be a sweet moment for them both after two decades of struggle and sacrifice, with Anne making big compromises to achieve her paddling goals and Carl facing up to mental
