During her time at school Courtney came 1st in the Junior Women and 4th in the Women sections at the Freestyle Nationals/NZ Team Selections. She also came 1st in both the Junior Women and Women sections of the NZ Freestyle Kayak Series.
Courtney gained selection in the New Zealand Junior Freestyle Kayaking team, travelling to Augsberg in southern Germany for the Freestyle World Cup where she placed 3rd in the Junior girls event. Her successes saw her awarded the Kayaker of the Year at the Aoraki Secondary School Sports Awards. She was also awarded the Junior Sportsperson of the Year at the Waitaki Sports Awards.
Instead of returning to St Kevin's College for Year 13, Courtney was offered a scholarship to the New River Academy- a travelling school with a focus on kayaking, with some study and a dose of different cultures along the way, taking her to Uganda, the US and Canada.
Courtney travels to the US every year and competes in the pro circuit in freestyle and creek racing, as well as some SUP [stand up paddleboarding] events. Since 2010, she has competed in every kayaking World Cup and World Championship, winning three medals– two bronze and a silver. She was also selected as one of only six athletes in the world to represent freestyle kayaking at the 2012 London Olympics.
