Following a hard winter’s training, the ‘road to Rio’ finally gets underway for paracanoe athletes this week. The British team selected for the Senior European Championships is heading off to Racice, Czech Republic this weekend to make final preparations ahead of the event which takes place there on 1-3 May.
The selections, approved by British Canoeing’s International Panel, follow the April Regatta at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham (11-12 April).
This is welcome news for the seven paddlers, following a challenging few months for the British squad, with recent confirmation by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that only kayak events will feature when the sport makes its Paralympic debut in Rio 2016. Furthermore, changes to the classification boundaries also look likely to have an impact and together, these decisions will unfortunately rule some people out of contention for the Rio Games over the next few months.
However, British Canoeing’s Paracanoe Programme Manager, Steve Harris, is determined to see the positives and is pleased to be getting their 2015 international campaign underway saying: “I am delighted that we have now selected our team for the European Championships and congratulations to all the athletes for some great racing at the April Regatta under very difficult weather conditions.
The last few months have been extremely challenging for our programme as we get to grips with what being a Paralympic sport involves and the impact of the IPC decisions. We are extremely excited to be making our debut in Rio and with the events and classifications finally confirmed, it is essential that we put any disappointments behind us and work together to focus on delivering a team that will go to the Paralympic Games and challenge for medals across the competition programme.
With a good winter’s training now completed, we have selected our strongest team for Racice and I am confident that we can go to the Europeans and show that we are well on track for Rio 2016.”
The impressive British team line-up includes five European champions from 2014, three of whom went on to become World champions last year. Britain finished last year’s Europeans with a record seven gold and two silver medals, however with the standard of competition rising all the time in this new Paralympic sport, racing will undoubtedly be tougher this year and medals harder to come by. The British team will also be largely focusing on the kayak events which will feature in Rio.
The Europeans will provide a good early season indication of progress made over the winter and enable athletes and coaches to assess the international competition as the classification changes take effect worldwide.
The main focus for Paracanoe athletes will then turn to selection for the World Championships in Milan in August, which is the first of two opportunities to qualify boats for next year’s Paralympic Games. World Championship selection trials will be held for Paracanoe on 4-5th July at Nottingham.
A further seven athletes, who finished in second and third places in Paralympic events at the April Regatta, have also been called up for international duty at World Cup 2 in Duisburg, Germany 22-24 May. This is an exciting opportunity for the sport’s Podium Potential athletes to gain further international experience and in many cases make their international debut. This group includes a number of talented paddlers who will be hoping to give the more established Podium Squad athletes a run for their money come World selection trials in July.
SELECTED TEAMS
Senior European Championships
Class/Event Name
Men
KL3 200m Rob Oliver
KL2 200m Nick Beighton
KL1 200m Ian Marsden
VL3 200m Martin Tweedie
Women
KL3 200m Anne Dickins
KL2 200m Emma Wiggs
KL1 200m Jeanette Chippington (pictured)
VL2 200m Emma Wiggs
World Cup 2
Class/Event Name
Men
KL3 200m Tim Lodge
KL3 200m Jonny Young
KL2 200m Adam Simmons
Women
KL3 200m Samantha Scowen
KL3 200m Kelda Wood
KL2 200m Nikki Paterson
KL1 200m Charlotte Wilkinson-Burnett
