Competition retirement
After 12 years competing on the GB team, 2 World Championship bronze medals, 2 European Championship Bronze medals, 1 European Championship, 1 World Cup win, 1 World Cup silver, a couple of handfuls of international finals/medals and 10-years-worth of national wins, I have decided to retire from international competition (for now, at least).
I haven't had much time to boat since the Worlds in 2009 as I have finally completed a full year in employment! I have also completed a course in teaching children with literacy difficulties, meaning every holiday over the last year I've been writing assignments and every weekend I've been marking (35 children in my class - that's a lot of books!) and planning (a new year group, new topics - lots of time on planning). All of which has meant.... not a lot of boating.
With all the lack of boating I am not paddling to the best of my ability and have therefore lost motivation to compete and have even lost my enthusiasm to get cold and wet on those cold winter paddles (can't think why....must be getting old).
I also knew that to do well at the Worlds in 2011 (and to better the Bronze World Champ medals I already have) I would need to spend a lot of time up at Holme Pierrepont or travelling to train properly and had neither the time (for the travelling) nor inclination (to spend time at HPP!) to do so. For those of us who are part-time paddlers it has got harder and harder over the last few years to be competitive against the best in the world who now paddle full time and have full time coaches or paddling buddies.
I would like to thank Palm Equipment for their support over the majority of my international paddling 'career' and also Marsport Canoes and Kayaks, in Reading, who have supported me more recently.
So... that's that, for now. I've now reduced my number of days teaching in order to complete my dyslexia qualification, which has left me with a little more time during the week, it has also got milder and started raining...so, maybe I'll be able to get in my boat for a Hurley session soon :)
I haven't had much time to boat since the Worlds in 2009 as I have finally completed a full year in employment! I have also completed a course in teaching children with literacy difficulties, meaning every holiday over the last year I've been writing assignments and every weekend I've been marking (35 children in my class - that's a lot of books!) and planning (a new year group, new topics - lots of time on planning). All of which has meant.... not a lot of boating.
With all the lack of boating I am not paddling to the best of my ability and have therefore lost motivation to compete and have even lost my enthusiasm to get cold and wet on those cold winter paddles (can't think why....must be getting old).
I also knew that to do well at the Worlds in 2011 (and to better the Bronze World Champ medals I already have) I would need to spend a lot of time up at Holme Pierrepont or travelling to train properly and had neither the time (for the travelling) nor inclination (to spend time at HPP!) to do so. For those of us who are part-time paddlers it has got harder and harder over the last few years to be competitive against the best in the world who now paddle full time and have full time coaches or paddling buddies.
I would like to thank Palm Equipment for their support over the majority of my international paddling 'career' and also Marsport Canoes and Kayaks, in Reading, who have supported me more recently.
So... that's that, for now. I've now reduced my number of days teaching in order to complete my dyslexia qualification, which has left me with a little more time during the week, it has also got milder and started raining...so, maybe I'll be able to get in my boat for a Hurley session soon :)
posted by flea at 6:11 PM 
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