I am pretty proud of this one.
It was a tough week with highs and lows for everyone in a challenging feature, but it was amazing to see the freestyle community back together after too long a break, competing hard but still having fun. I'm so happy that I paddled like myself when it mattered most and although not the ride of my dreams I'm pretty proud of stepping it up in the finals. Team GB topped the medal table with additional gold and silver for Toby and Jen and some awesome rides from everyone. Thank you to all the GB Freestyle support team. Especially Supercoach @dennis_sweetwater_coaching Ongoing thanks to all the businesses that make it possible. You guys rock: Squarerock Jackson Kayak Sweetwater coaching Sandiline Ophion paddles Northcore TVF C1 Conversions Sungod Brentacre insurance Pro Youth Sports for Champions Surfplugs The national water sports centre - HPP AGM Mobile British Canoeing Kent Canoes Bring on Nottingham 2022. I am so excited!!!
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New Firsts and New Highs.
This years final weekend of the British Championships for the float boat categories was a much needed return to competition for us Brits and a few international friends as well. Pleased to take top spot in the first ever C1 womens class with a best ICF ride of 760 points but especially honoured to compete against a gutsy bunch of women giving C1 a blast. In the K1 I set myself a target of 1500 points in a single ICF ride and was pleased therefore to take my 3rd British Title of the year with a best ride of 1460 ICF. I thought I must have surely pushed closer to the men but pesky @harrypricekayak really raised the bar with a new mens highest ICF score of 2,600 points with Rob pushing all the way with a best over 2,400 points. Crazy points! Good job with Toby Marlow smashing it in the junior mens with two runs both a fraction under 1800 points each and Issie Wormal taking the win in her first British Champs whilst still only 14. Superstar Matt Stephenson set the standard in the men's C1 and very young at heart Chris Noble smashed the OC1. Massive thanks all the volunteers especially @tanyawales and @jonbest_for running the event so smoothly and successfully. Looking for ideas for your next kayaking adventure?
Thought about heading off to see the Northern Lights, experience 20 hours of daylight and paddle some of the biggest waves and holes on the planet? A month in the sun, perhaps returning as a world medalist, was the perfect ending to 2017 I had been dreaming about for many months; but as our flight out of a cold UK made a hasty retreat to Heathrow with engine problems to be met by fire trucks just getting to Argentina for the World Championships would be success enough.
What can I say that hasn’t been said about The Hurley Classic – the biggest and best freestyle kayak competition and awesome paddle fest in the UK. 200 paddlers from around the world, plus supporters, battling for honours in freestyle, boater cross, sup racing and world record rolling over two days supported by SAS, Thames Valley Freestylers and some of the biggest names in boating including Jackson Kayaks and Squarerock. |
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