The kayaker found dead this morning in the Kaituna River near Rotorua has been identified as 26-year-old Louise Jull.
Louise was living in Rotorua and was a teacher at Western Heights High School.
Louise Jull had competed internationally in kayaking.
She was also a committed sportswoman who had competed at an international level in white water kayaking.
Her parents, Adrian and Liz Jull, and her older siblings Malcolm, Heather and Isobelle, have issued the following tribute:
'Louise was a white water and extreme kayaker of international reputation. The 2015 Kaituna and Wairoa extreme kayaking women's section was won by Louise and a second place was gained in the Citreon race in Otago just recently.
'Louise lived at Okere Falls and enjoyed the opportunities for kayaking that Lake Rotoiti and the Kaituna River provided.”
Louise had her own blog to document her adventures.
The Jull family describe Louise as a well-respected and integral part of the Okere Falls, and indeed the New Zealand kayaking community.
Her early kayaking days were focussed on white water slalom, which saw Louise represent New Zealand internationally.
The tribute continues: 'A positive role model for women in sport and a strong advocate for women in kayaking, Louise had started on a career in secondary teaching at a local Rotorua high school this year.
'Teaching young paddlers was an extra activity that Louise took great pleasure in; this will be one of her legacies to kayaking. Yesterday Louise was paddling a lower section of the Kaituna River that she had paddled a number of times without mishap.
'The incident was a chance accident involving a highly skilled paddler practicing her sport. The two paddlers with her were very experienced, but despite their efforts they were unable to retrieve the situation.”
The family acknowledges a deep gratitude to the two other paddlers and to the wider community who turned out to assist in the search and rescue operation this morning.
The Jull family request privacy at this difficult time, and media are asked to direct any enquiries through police.
The death of Louise Jull has been referred to the Coroner.
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