Norwich Canoe Club youngsters shine for GB at international regatta
From left, Ben Want, Toby Booth, Tim Scott (coach), Sofia Groves and Grace Anderson. Picture: Norwich Canoe Club - Credit: Archant
Four under 16 Norwich Canoe Club Sprint kayak athletes represented Great Britain at the Brandenburg Junior International Sprint Regatta in Germany last month.
They were Toby Booth (Langley School), Ben Want (Wymondham High), Sofia Groves (Langley School), and Grace Anderson (Wymondham College).
Around 20 countries attended the regatta including junior squads from as far away as China and Canada. Anderson made the final of the K1 1000m with an electrifying qualifying time and finished seventh in the final but it was in the K2 that she had her best result. Teaming up with Groves in 500m the pair came in fourth, showing huge power and potential.
Toby Booth and Ben Want both made the final in the K1 500m but again it was in the K2, this time over 1000m where they made a huge impact.
Sticking to a race plan that focused on power in the choppy side wind they reached 250m to go neck and neck with four other boats, and it was at that point Ben and Toby were able to raise the rate taking the bronze, less than a second behind the French.
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Tim Scott, the Norwich Canoe Club Junior Development Coach and Langley School Kayak Coach, who was invited to be part of the GB coaching team said: "The Norwich athletes all stepped up and put in inspirational performances, which was particularly impressive as the regatta was in the middle of GCSE exams."
It is a golden era for Norwich Canoe Club who are the British Canoeing Club of the Year, and Tim is the current Active Norfolk Coach of Year. Tim Dowden (Langley School) has just been promoted to Division One in marathon racing and is currently ranked as the fastest GB junior marathon paddler.
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Seniors Tim Pendle and Albert Hicks have been selected for the GB senior marathon team and race in Oslo and Lucy Lee-Smith is in the under 23 Women's K4 that travels to the Sprint World Cup. The club are also hosting the National Marathon Championships on August 10/11 and are inviting businesses to sponsor one of the biggest Norfolk sporting spectacles of 2019. Contact publicity@norwichcanoeclub.co.uk for more information.
