(aka Norman, Stormin’ Normin’, Norminator)
Pre-race instructions I’ll never forget. “Go HARD, Paddle as HARD as you can, but don’t forget to RELAX!”
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Current Occupation:
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Mechanical Draughtsman (Power Generation Industry)..excuse the pun.
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| Dream Job: | Mechanical timepiece designer |
| Passions: | Flying thru waves on anything where I can feel the sea spray in my face. Used to be windsurfing… didn’t like the thought of falling into jellyfish in Sydney.. more fun to throw them at other paddlers. |
| Ambitions: | Do proud with AUS Squad at Prague 2009 and PD’s at Macau 2010 CCWC, Do Molokai/Tahiti/Hamo/Hawkesbury. To build the ultimate flying machine from clingwrap and chop sticks! |
| Claim to Fame/Infamy: |
Birdman 1990 (Auckland Harbour/Dragonboat Festival)
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| Favourite Stuff | |
| Food: | Cookies ice cream, Wasabi/soy with sushi that kicks between the eyes and make the eyes water! |
| Drinks: | Maccullum single malt, Malted caramel thick shake from any NZ dairy (corner store). |
| Movies/Books/Music: | Movies: Heat, Highlander, The Beach Books: Rich Dad/Poor Dad, Catcher in the Rye Music: Diana Krall |
| Super Hero or Villian: | Scubby Doo / Rotten Ronny McD |
| Websites: | |
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PDs Stuff
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| PD Member Since: | Oct 08 |
| How I Got Into Paddling: | Oct 07 – Chatting to a girl on the train on the way to work… She was an ex dragonboater from Naga Spirit.. I joined them for a season, which didn’t include attending state or national events, so in 08/09 was recommended to join PD’s by friends in Naga. |
| Favourite PD Moment: | ’09 AUS National 200m Premier Opens Final…100m to the finish line ..Hearing ‘D’ calmly say for the first time that day, ‘ You gotta work it boys if you want this one’ , knowing the full weight of his meaning… feeling the boat respond, crossing the line not knowing the winner, the longest wait to know the result………….a..n..d..confirmed… 9th Gold for 9 AUS Prem events for PDs. Proud to be part of the cleansweep with PD’s… oh yeah!!! |
| Three words to describe PDs: | Fun, Determination, Synergy |
| How Other PDs Describe Norm: | Full of enthusiasm! Likes to get his shirt off (even in winter), Animal, What The . Can’t get enough; Bring it on; Crazy about paddling, soaking up knowledge and feedback like a sponge; Inspiration for his power, commitment and tenacity, topless, hard worker, strong paddler, Stormin’ Norman! A role model to aspire to….Sign me up, Super nice, I’ll give it a go. Animal (on the water and the dance floor), full of energy, funny. Strong, fast, totally genuine, hard working guy, but on the dance floor… there is only one word needed – MACHINE. Two Forks |
| Favourite PD Photo Gallery Pic: |  |
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Other Stuff
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| Role Models, Heroes & Heroines: | Eddie the “Eagle” (Ski jumper at ’88 Winter Olympics) think “the little engine that could” then add a 90m ski jump. |
| When not paddling most likely to be found: | With two forks in hand, face buried in a big bowl of Chilli Tuna/salad/pasta with stuffed olives and cracker barrel cheese.. but not for long.. |
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Three people you’d like to invite to dinner:
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Richard Branson, Clive Owen, Ed Hillary |
| Superstitions (Paddling or Otherwise): | PDs DB/OC Paddling….whisper ” it’s a kind of magic” (quote from the Highlander movie) |
| Additional Note: | Any photos appearing to be of Norm Joe on PD’s website can not be confirmed or denied to be Norm Joe and such images are, at best, a representation of a fictional character with similar physical traits, ESPECIALLY photos taken during after-race parties. |