Selections for the national team for the first canoe marathon world cup of 2010 were made last week and in an unprecedented move, a third of the national team was made up by Norwich Canoe Club members. The athletes involved are Tim Pendle, who will be competing in the senior men’s K1 event, Ben Bradshaw who will team up with Aaron Jorden from Maidstone in the men’s K2, Albert Hicks competing in junior K1 and Oli Rix in junior K2 with partner Tom Deacon from Addlestone.

Over many years, Norwich has regularly had members competing for the national team. However, a surge in membership over the previous few years, development of a strong coaching staff and support from local organisations like Active Norfolk has given the club an even firmer base on which to build top international athletes. These 4 young athletes who are an inspiration to younger aspiring paddlers at the club, have yet to reach their full potentials, an exciting prospect for them, the national team and fellow club members.

Ben Bradshaw, Tim Pendle, Oliver Rix, Albert Hicks

They will travel to Tyn in the Czech Republic to compete on the weekend of 26^th and 27^th June to race over distances of 30km for the seniors and 18km for the juniors in temperatures likely to be in the high 20’s or low 30’s. We wish them the best of luck.

Oli and Tim are currently receiving funding from the County Council’s Sports and Culture Foundation.

The Foundation was set up in 2008 to give up to £5000, each year, for up to four years (to include 2012), to young sporting and cultural talents who have their eyes on elite performance level come London 2012.

Derrick Murphy, Norfolk County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Cultural Services, said:
"Supporting 'aspirational people with high levels of achievement' is one of the County Council's main ambitions and that is exactly what the Norfolk Sports and Culture Foundation is about.

"We are using the London Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst for getting Norfolk people involved in the sports and culture that the Olympic movement embodies and create Olympic standard performers from our county.

"The success of the individuals being backed is already inspiring others to follow in their footsteps and long may this continue."