GB Senior Selection 2007

I could hardly watch the finals of the third selection race at Nottingham. Athletes had been training all winter for this moment and the pressure on them to perform to their best was enormous. For two paddlers in particular, the pressure was really on and it was all down to the last run of the last race. Worst of all, as well as their own performance, their selection depended on the performance of others.

The format of the Senior Selection races is carefully put together to measure ability to deliver when it counts and in order to do this the winner of the last race is guaranteed a place on the team. For the kayak women and kayak men categories Fiona Pennie and Campbell Walsh were already pre-selected. After the first two races, there were clear winners. Both Laura Blakeman and Richard Hounslow had done enough by winning both races. For both men’s and women’s kayak there was only one place left. Top favourites for the third places were Rob and Lizzie Neave, each of which had secured two second places. For both these paddlers their performance had been exceptional with Lizzie challenging the seniors for their places. In race 2, both Laura and Lizzie finished ahead of Fiona Pennie.

The final day came and everyone’s eye was on Lizzie and Rob’s performance and who could have believed it. On first runs Lizzie took on unlucky double passage of the “Muncher Breakout” and, although she still qualified for the finals, she no longer had any control of her destiny. Meanwhile, Rob was sitting in fourth place with the fastest time of the day, so far, and two touches. Rob still had a chance to do something.

Second runs came and Laura performed flawlessly and took the win leaving Lizzie to take the third position overall in selection. It has to be said that Laura has stepped up a gear this year and is getting around the gates and cutting lines in a way we haven’t seen from her before. Watch this space.

For Rob, however, it was penalties which were the problem. He hit a gate on his second run and, although he was the fastest man around throughout the selection races, it wasn’t enough. Richard Hounslow’s dominance crumbled and Huw Swetnam crept through for the win, Rob finishing third behind Andy Hadfield.

In the end the winner takes all rule was a “red herring”. Ignoring the rule, the result would have remained the same as the points table confirms. The fact is though, things might have been different if someone else had come through with a lucky win.

I shouldn’t finish this article without mentioning other club paddlers performances. Tom Brady will be very pleased with his 14th place in Senior selection but James Bailey will be far less pleased with 26th.

In C2, Oz and Bert struggled to have the speed and confidence of the full time paddlers and while they had creditable performances they were only able to achieve 4th.

In the ladies Hannah Bailey performed very well to achieve a sixth and Sarah Chynoweth came 11th.

In the Canadian singles Mark will be very disappointed to get a fourth place and miss the Senior Team. He has many years ahead of him and Colin really did paddle well to stay ahead. Greg Pitt was fifth and George Tatchell eighth.

Interesting fact for all you Canadian Singles enthusiasts. While Rob Neave had the fastest time on both Race 1 and 2. Dave Florence showed his World Class status by having a faster time than all the Kayaks on Race 3. I find it very interesting that new rules (shorter boats and the head rule) have made kayaking so much more exciting to watch but the “one sticks” still occasionally get up there with them.

Stafford and Stone Paddlers in GB Senior Team
Laura Blakeman
Lizzie Neave
Reserves
Rob Neave
Mark Proctor
Greg Pitt

Stafford and Stone Paddlers in GB U23 Squad
Rob Neave
Lizzie Neave
Mark Proctor
Greg Pitt

Words: Dave Royle