The evening at the exclusive Shaw and Partners WA Race Week Welcome Dinner under the big top was nothing short of spectacular.

Shaw and Partners was thrilled to welcome over 160 guests, including advisers, athletes, and supporters from the paddling community, to celebrate both their love for the sport and the exciting week ahead, full of racing events.

The event, which took place at the Sorrento SLSC, is part of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week, the biggest and most lucrative race week ever staged in ocean ski paddling history. It features the world’s leading paddlers competing for a staggering prize pool of $180,000.

The evening's highlights included welcoming speeches from Shaw and Partners Co-CEO Earl Evans and Australian Ocean Racing Series owner Dean Gardiner. This was followed by a Q&A session with the 2023 Coolangatta Gold winners Ali Day and Lana Rogers, hosted by Race One director Jim Walker. The evening concluded with Steve Dresler, founder of What Ability, discussing the incredible work of his organisation.

At the end of the evening, Shaw and Partners Co-CEO Earl Evans was delighted to present a cheque of $25,000 to What Ability, an NDIS registered support service that provides community access and utilizes the skills of professional and semi-professional athletes.

As a spectacular finale, the night sky was illuminated with a dazzling display of fireworks, adding an extra layer of excitement and celebration to the memorable event.