Back page of the Hillingdon Gazette – 22nd July 2015

Sharks showing competitive bite

SHARKS Canoe Club slalom mananger, Grant Underwood thinks his team is starting to sink it’s teeth into the competition.

The Hillingdon club took to the Thames at Shepperton for a recent meeting and both experienced heads and new bloods impressed despite the loss in Surrey.

Tallulah Lacey and Caitlin Edwards topped the pile in the Division 4 entry level event, while in the canoe singles it was only Shepperton’s Joel Wailing who kept Shark Amelia Combes out of the gold medal position, a trend that followed into the next day.

Sharks took all three places on the podium in the canoe doubles, with Camtes and Lianna Nolan pairing up to win promotion to Division Three. Combos also partnered first-time paddler Milli Lacey for second place with Lacey and Edwards taking third.

Johan Kulikohori entered his first slalom at the age of 10 and finished fifth in the men’s K1 category as well as claiming second spot in the Junior 10.

Nolan enjoyed a win in Division Three Ladies KI on the second day of competition, while her brother Aaron was runner-up in the men’s event, with fellow Shark James Reed not far behind. Reed and Nolan teamed up to come third in the Division Four C2 event.

There were also promising debuts for Maciej Karwacki, Johan Kukkohori and Michal Karwacki to leave manager Underwood, who also managed a victory in the officials’ event, 0ptimistic about the future.

He said: “Slalom is an exciting sport and The Sharks are growing in stature with every event, we have introduced over a dozen youngsters into competition so far this summer and have had some stunning results.

“However, we are still wanting more paddlers to join us so we can build the greatest slalom team in the country.

“The results at this prove we can do it. As well as slalom, the club is also one of Britain’s top wild water racing clubs and is now making its mark in sprint canoeing. The club is probably the fastest growing club in the country, with regular sessions in Osterley Park very Sunday, Harefield on Mondays, Uxbridge on Tuesdays and Southall on Wednesdays and Saturdays.”

The Sharks have plans. to hold sessions in Hayes on Thursday and are Interested in using Ruislip Lido as Sprint venue. If you want to give canoeing a go, visit www.thesharks.org.uk, contact Neal Underwood on 07951 7702 51 or email canoeing@thesharks.org.