A 20-strong U23 and junior canoe slalom team has today been announced after six days of close-fought racing at both Lee Valley White Water Centre and Holme Pierrepont.
Athletes battled it in six races across three days of racing over two weekends, with their top four performances being put forwards in the selection.
The athletes will have the U23 & Junior World Championships in Liptovsky and the U23 & Junior European Championships in Krakow to look forward to.
Jonny Dickson (CR Cats) headlines the U23 men’s kayak trio The 2023 Paris World Cup silver medallist is pre-selected onto the team after earning a place on the senior team at the end of last year.
Remaining undefeated throughout the selection series with six wins from six, Ben Haylett (Holme Pierrepont) will once again take his place on the men’s kayak team after an excellent start to 2024.
U23 kayak cross World Champion Sam Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) completes the trio, securing the final selection place after some great performances in the series.
Lois Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) retains her place on the U23 women’s kayak team as the Scottish paddler is pre-selected for reaching the senior team for the first time ahead of 2024.
An impressive six race series from Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) sees the 20-year-old reach her first U23 international team as she prepares to make her debut in Liptovsky and Krakow.
Ellis Miller (Lee Valley) will double up in both the U23 women's kayak and U23 women's canoe.
Ellis, who finished a personal best fifth at the 2023 Tacen World Cup, is pre-selected in the canoe after gaining a place on the 2024 senior team but strong kayak performances at Lee Valley and HPP ensured she'll be contesting both events this season.
Lee Valley sisters Joanna Blythe-Shields and Zoe Blythe-Shields will both join their clubmate Ellis in the U23 C1W. This will be the pair's first time racing at U23 level after some fantastic racing during selections.
Joanna returns to the team after racing as a junior internationally in 2021, whilst Zoe has featured the last two seasons on the junior team, reaching the World Championship final in 2023.
In the U23 men's canoe James Kettle (Lee Valley) is in the team once again after a storming senior selection series means the 22-year-old is pre-selected to the team.
Luc Royle (Stafford & Stone) won three races out of four at the selections in Nottingham to bank top selection points and take his place on his first U23 international team.
Kurts Adams Rozentals (Stafford & Stone) rounds up the U23 team after securing another season on the international circuit. Kurts Adams heads into 2024 off the back of an impressive year, winning an U23 World Championship silver in Krakow, Poland.
Jonah Hanrahan (Independent), Zoe Blythe-Shields, Arina Kontchakov (Lee Valley) Oscar Wyllie (Breadalbane) and William Kettle (Lee Valley) all make their way back onto senior team for another season, with Jonah, Zoe and Arina all reaching respective finals at the junior World Championships last season.
Zoe and Arina will both double up in the junior women's canoe & kayak as the pair put down a series of competitive runs during the selection weekends.
Darcey McMullins (Lee Valley) will make her international debut in the junior women's canoe after great racing in Nottingham, whilst Sofia Alfer will also represent Great Britain for the first time as she takes on the junior women's kayak.
Joining Jonah and 2022 junior world team medallist Oscar on the junior men's kayak team will be Welsh paddler Gwion Williams (Llandysul), who will race a junior World Championships for the first time.
William Kettle leads the line in the junior men’s Canoe, whilst a further two debutants will complete the team with Lewis Arden (Manvers) and Isaac Wright (Stafford & Stone).
William will join his brother James for the two competitions after securing five wins from six in selection to take maximum points.
Lewis and Isaac too put in strong showings and great consistency to make the team going to Krakow and Liptovsky.
- Paddle UK Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross International Panel Statement April 2024184.24 KBApril 16, 2024This is the Paddle UK Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross International Panel Statement published 16/4/2024.
- 2024 Junior Slalom Selection Official Results178.47 KBApril 16, 2024This document contains the Junior Slalom Selection Official Results published on 16/04/2024.