Stone Life June July 2014 | Page 45

STAFFORD AND STONE CANOE CLUB two results count, with the weakest result being discarded – or used in the event of a tie. Of course, it is not as simple as that though – to be selected for the team paddlers also need to meet a “percentage’ time on two of their runs during selection. This is a defined percentage of their run time, including penalties, measured against the top K1 man’s time. The percentage required is different for each class but further information is available in the yearbook. So, making the top three does not fully guarantee a place on the team. There are three places per category on the GB Junior Team. This year the team will represent Great Britain in the Junior European Championships in Skopje, Macedonia in July. Members of the team were also hoping to represent their country in Australia in April at the Junior World Championships. GB does not send a full team to the World Championships just those who had a good chance of winning a medal there. Stafford and Stone junior selection results to note from the first two races include Austin Barker taking 1st and 2nd junior selection places in K1M (1st place overall) and Chris Bowers finishing in 3rd and 5th place (3rd place overall). In C2, Robert Harratt, with his partner Will Smith, from Winchester, were 1st and then 2nd (1st overall). Both Scarlett Kearney and Megan Bate paddled extremely well in C1W but the advantage on the Scottish water went to the girls from Scotland. Moving on one week, the third and final GB junior selection race and Premier ranking Race 3 took place a bit closer to home at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. The course was long with 23 gates, so again quite demanding. There were a lot of 50 second penalties in Run 1, which left some of the junior selection decisions hanging on run 2 performances! Chris Bowers maintained his composure after two 50’s in run 1 to pull off an outstanding second run that put him into the 1st junior K1M place, securing his place on the team. Austin Barker was already fairly safe from his runs in Grandtully but just to be sure finished in 3rd junior place. Robert Harratt and Will Smith in C2 had two very determined runs and confirmed their place with another junior selection race win! Some overall results from the Premier division race include Joe Clarke storming into 1st place in K1M – maintaining his powerful form from last season! Junior GB selection results are subject to an International Panel meeting to look at percentages achieved and other variables before the team is officially announced but after this review process had been completed it was congratulations to Austin Barker and Chris Bowers for some outstanding paddling! Robert Harratt and Will Smith sadly just missed out on a place to the World Championships in Australia, by a very small margin, but have been awarded a place in the team that will be entering the Junior European Championships in Macedonia. Stafford and Stone Canoe Club are very proud to report that at the World Championships in Australia a Bronze medal was secured by Austin and Chris in their Junior K1 Team Run. We hope for an even better medal haul from Macedonia. June/July 2014 45