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2009 Slalom European Championships - New course, home water and medals! 
Our beloved home of Nottingham hosted the 2009 Slalom European Championships at the National Water Sports Centre last week. It was the first major international slalom event in Britain since the 1995 World Championships and the first ever on the recently improved course- what an event! The course was dressed with banners and signs befitting of an Olympic venue. The sun was out for all four days of racing, allowing the Peak UK slalom team to make use of their new stretchy material prototype topdecks for the first time this season.
Thursday and Friday saw Tim, Etienne and I qualify through to the semi finals solidly in front of a loud and enthusiastic home crowd that got even louder and more enthusiastic at the weekend. The Peak C2 boys looking composed and dynamic all week romped home in the final to stand on the podium with a bronze medal around their neck. Well done lads, an amazing result! I think this (the first medal for GB in the competition) inspired the team and certainly me to go and get medals for ourselves. Tim and Etienne didn’t finish there, that same afternoon in the C2 team event they did their bit to get a silver medal. Two medals in the same day not bad at all.
I managed to make the kayak final (the top ten boats). It was an amazing experience and a privilege to race in front of such a supportive home crowd, in a final of a televised major Championship. It was a special moment to look up through the bridge from the start line at the stands and see a wall of people and hear a massive cheer as my name was announced. I finished 8th in the final and was very pleased. A highlight for me came on the Saturday evening, winning the team event title with Campbell Walsh and Richard Hounslow.
Watch the team race on the BBC website - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/canoeing/8075812.stm
Next up the whole Peak UK Slalom Team will all be in action on the World Cup circuit in a couple of weeks and Fiona Pennie will also be racing in the C1 women selection race. Good luck Fi.
Words by Huw P Swetnam. Photos © Ken Baillie, Chris Peters and Paul Ramsdale.
Official European Champs Website.
(Posted on the 10th Jun 2009 by timb) |
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