Next Saturday afternoon offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you to meet our locally born and bred gold medallist, Finn Butcher, get your photo with him, shake his hand, touch his medal and just celebrate the amazing success of one of our sons.

Finn has hardly been home since Paris, but he will be here next Saturday and at 2pm, he will paddle down the Manuherekia River accompanied by members of the Central Otago Whitewater Club who have been by his side since he was a kid paddling these same waters.  

They will get out just under the Shaky Bridge and the paddlers will form a Guard of Honour for Finn with their paddles as he emerges on to the Linger and Die.  

Finn will then walk along toward Centennial Park (the old pool site), giving a chance for you to get up close and personal.  

What a moment of inspiration to see (how he put it) “just a kid from Alex” who went on to be the best in the world at something he started out doing right here.

There will then be a Civic Reception at Centennial Park where you can hear speeches from Finn and others, including an International Olympic Committee representative who is travelling here to honour Finn.

This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet our first ever gold medallist and hear a wee bit about what his journey has been.  

I look forward to seeing you there.