GB Team Selections

Fellow Palm-paddler, Lowri Davies, and myself recently secured our places on the GB team to compete at the World Championships at Thun, Switzerland in August 09.

Me. Photo: Cam Sans

The selection event for the GB team was held at Hurley weir on the Thames on an unusually sunny ‘classic’ 3-gates. The wave was green and unretentive but the steep shoulders potentially allowed for some big air moves – for those who were willing to take the risk of a premature flush.

Whilst most were flushing after just a couple of moves Lowri proved that it was possible to stay on the wave for the full 45 seconds and she did so in several of her rides ticking off the moves to give her 3^rd place on the ladies’ team, just behind Emily Wall.

 

Lowri, Photo: Chris Jones 

I had relatively shorter rides, flushing off the playboaters-left radial several times, but scored enough points with air blunts and back stabs to give me 1^st place and a ticket to my 6^th World Championships and a 12^th year competing for Great Britain!  

Photos: Cam Sans 

In the men’s event it was local boy Doug Cooper who did not appear to be worried about flushing as he landed some huge clean blunts, pan ams and big aerial clean back blunts.  He took 1^st spot on the men’s team ahead of team-regulars Jon Best, Alan Ward and Richard Chrimes with relative newcomer Sam Anderson taking the 5^th spot.  Full results of all categories can be found on www.ukfreestyle.com

Flea