Freestyle – Addlestone Canoe Club

Britain’s freestyle kayaking community came together over the weekend, 11 & 12 February, as the top paddlers competed for places on the 2023 GB freestyle team, with all eyes on the World Championships in Columbus, USA.

The selections saw great success for Addlestone members. Jools and Sienna were both selected for the Junior GB team, with former club member Sam also being selected.

Day one saw a stacked junior women’s heat with a number of strong up and coming paddlers take to the water as they showed the judges what they were capable of. It was a magnificent aerial blunt that took Niamh to the top of the leader board, taking the win on day one with Addlestone’s Sienna coming in in 3rd place.

They were shortly followed up by the junior men, and the standards again were high. With three places on the team up for grabs it was always going to be tough. ACC member Jools kicked off his selection campaign with a high scoring run, boosted by a textbook pistol flip that sent the crowd crazy. This landed him a first place, with former Addlestone member Sam in third.

The second day of action saw performances step up a level a huge donkey flip rocketed Izzy to the top, taking the day two win in the junior women’s event. Niamh’s aerial blunts put her into second, and Sienna smoothly spun her way into third.

Jools and Timmy rounded off the second morning in the men’s junior event with some more fantastic paddling, matching their previous day’s performance by taking first and second respectively. However, it was Ash who seriously upped his game from the previous day to take third place with a last second donkey flip.

Congratulations to all the Addlestone paddlers taking part – we’re looking forward to seeing Sienna, Jools and Sam at the World Championships later in the year!