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Congratulations to DCC 2007 Wavehopper Wizards

U16 boys - 1st
U16 girls - 3rd
U14 boys - 3rd
U14 girls - 2nd + 3rd
U12 girls - 2nd
U12 boys - 1st

    


    


    



Wavehopper Wizards

Barrow Evening Mail, 18th October 2007.

A SUBSTANTIAL haul of medals came back with Duddon Canoe Club from the National Wavehopper Racing Finals.

The club took a team of youngsters to the finals at Frome Canoe Club, near Bath - the first time they have entered the national event.

And they proved themselves up among the best the country with a strong display of paddling.

Duddon now has some of the top Wavehopper racers in the country and has the medals to prove it.

Wavehopper racing involves paddling down white water rapids as fast as you can, taking the quickest line in long, sleek kayaks.

The 2007 series of Perception Wavehopper Challenges began at Hexham in November 2006 and ended with the finals at Frome.

Duddon's members had to battle against adversity to even reach the finals.

The club does not have any Perception Wavehoppers, so the younger members were keen to train in any kayaks.

The club has access to Wavehoppers from Cumbria Canoeists, which are shared by all the canoe clubs in the county.

This year they were lucky enough to gain use of the kayaks on a regular basis, which helped them make substantial progress throughout the year.

The club travelled to various venues to compete throughout the year, including Prudhoe, Carlisle, Chester and Bingley.

The competitions were raced in under-10s, under-12s, under-14s and under-16s age groups.

While competing against various other clubs, the Duddon youngsters gained many first, second and third place finishes and everyone was keen to attend the finals.

Come finals day, Duddon took medals in the latter three age groups.

They travelled down on Saturday so that they could have practice runs on the stretch of water they were to race on.

Sunday was a good, dry day and everyone completed their two runs of the course.

The Perception Wavehopper Challenge combines the speed of flatwater racing with the technical aspects of slalom racing and is run as time trials.

Competitors start at minute intervals and choose their own route down the river, with the aim to pick the fastest line and thus record the quickest time.

The winner is decided after the two runs have been completed.

To be successful requires technical ability in reading the river and an efficient paddling style.

Next year Duddon hope to enter some Wild Water Racing, starting with Division B - Youth section.

The Duddon participants and results from the finals were as follows:

Under-12s Girls: Megan Raine (silver).

Under-12s Boys: Andrew Hitchings (gold), Thomas Wilkinson.

Under-14s Girls: Megan Furness (silver), Courtney Bird (bronze).

Under-14s Boys: Charlie Raine (bronze), Lewis Bird, Adam Shuttleworth.

Under-16s Girls: Laura Shuttleworth (bronze).

Under-16s Boys: Lewis Scott (gold).