Worcester Canoe Club Impresses at GB U23 & Junior Selection Regatta

3 athletes selected to race for Great Britain

Worcester Canoe Club athletes produced an outstanding set of performances at the recent GB U23 and Junior Selection Regatta, demonstrating the strength and depth of the club’s sprint programme across multiple age groups.

Leading the Worcester charge was Amy Green, who enjoyed a superb weekend on the water. Amy claimed victory in the K1 200m, showcasing her explosive speed, before backing up that performance with an impressive second-place finish in the K1 500m. Her results firmly establish her among the country’s leading young sprint paddlers.

Lochie Lovell also put together a solid weekend of racing as he continues to gain experience at U23 level. Competing in the K1 200m selection race-off, he narrowly missed out on the win but has been selected to race this category at the U23 European Championships. Lochie enjoyed more success in the crew boat events, securing third place in both the K2 500m and K2 1000m races. With this being one of his first seasons racing in the U23 age group, the results provide a positive platform to build on as the season progresses.

Freddy Fowler-Rimell also delivered an excellent performance in the crew boat events, securing second place in the highly competitive K2 500m and narrowly missing out on the medals with fourth place in the K2 1000m. His runner-up finish in the K2 500m was particularly significant, confirming him for selection to represent Great Britain at this summer’s European Championships. The result reflects the progress Freddy has made over the winter and underlines his potential on the international stage.

One of the standout performers of the weekend was Doogal Barnett. Racing with confidence and consistency throughout, Doogal recorded a new personal best of 1:54 in the K1 500m. He complemented that achievement with excellent crew boat performances, finishing fifth in the K2 500m selection race and sixth in the K2 1000m.

Fergus continued his impressive sprint season with another breakthrough performance. His personal best time of 1:58 in the Boys B K1 500m earned him an excellent fourth-place finish. He also stepped up to race in the combined Boys A/B K2 500m event, where he claimed third place, before reaching another final in the K1 200m and securing a hard-fought eighth place.

Tom McElhannan maintained his strong form and continued his promotion push with a series of excellent K1 performances. Tom finished second in the K1 200m and third in the K1 500m, demonstrating impressive consistency across both sprint distances.

There was also plenty to celebrate for George Fowler-Rimell, who enjoyed a memorable regatta debut. Competing in a K4 for the first time, George helped his crews to victory in both K4 500m races. Individually, he also secured third place in the K1 200m and showed determination in his less favoured K1 2500m event, where he finished fifth.

Representing Worcester’s junior girls, Tamsin Pedlar was the club’s sole junior female competitor this weekend, although the club hopes to see increased female representation in the near future as its junior development programme continues to grow. Racing in her first sprint regatta of the season, Tamsin produced a solid performance to finish eighth in the Girls C K1 500m.

With multiple podium finishes, personal best performances and valuable racing experience gained across the squad, the regatta marked another successful step forward for Worcester Canoe Club athletes as they continue their preparations for the remainder of the sprint racing season. Several paddlers remain in contention for national team opportunities, while the club’s younger athletes continue to demonstrate the strength of Worcester’s development pathway.