Stafford & Stone Canoe Club Members Coming Tops in Second Mini Slalom

Stafford and Stone Canoe Club members dominate the rankings from the first two mini slaloms held at Westbridge Park, Stone. Highest placed club paddler, Tom Brady, is currently lying third after the first two races having won his division on both races. Stafford and Stone CC members hold fifteen of the top eighteen places.

Tom Brady from Walton-on-the-Hill, Stafford is a Junior 16 paddler, currently part of the World Class Start development programme aimed at training talented juniors. Tom finished third in national division one rankings last year and is hoping for promotion into the top division, Premier, this season.

Over 100 paddlers competed in the last mini slalom on Sunday 5th February. The winner of the event was Helen Millband from Nottingham, followed by clubmate, Lindsey Furness in second place.

The hosting club scored some impressive results in the upper women’s divisions. 1st Premier division lady was Lizzie Neave, national champion at senior, under 23 and junior level who is hoping to perform well at the European U23 canoe slalom championships being held at Nottingham in August this year.

In division one, club juniors claimed all three prizes. Claire Kimberley won, followed by Natalie Wilson and Emily Woodcock. The later two results are all the more impressive since last year both were paddling in division four. Natalie is currently lying overall forth, she came overall third last year. Following in her footsteps is her younger brother, Michael, who has won the division three men’s kayak event at both races.

Other notable club results are: Gregg Pitt, 1st Premier division C1, Rob Downes, 1st div 1 C1 and George Tatchell 1st Div 2/3/4 C1. In kayaks Joe Clarke came 2nd in div 1, Sam Johnson 1st in division 2 and Harry Boardman and Daniel Wright came 1st and 2nd respectively in division 4.

The final mini slalom is being held on February 26th with a ten-boat super final to decide the top positions in the overall mini slalom rankings.