WORLD-LEADING CANOEIST TO MAKE A SPLASH ABOUT TEES WHITEWATER COURSE

Britain’s Laura Blakeman, one of the world’s top canoeists is to be an ambassador for the new £4.6m Tees Barrage whitewater course and will start by promoting it as a pre-2012 games training camp at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Slovenia from 9 – 12 September 2010.

Laura, 31, from Nottingham, has been appointed to provide a link between the new course and the canoeing community on both the national and international circuit.

She said: “I am delighted to be helping the Tees course attract an Olympic team before the 2012 games. There is already quite a buzz among the canoeing community about it and we are looking forward to trying out the course and facilities.  There is a great opportunity to create a brilliant set up at the Tees whitewater course, it has huge potential.”

Laura will be promoting the course in Slovenia with representatives from Tees Active who will run the facility when it opens in the Winter 2010. 

She explained the Olympic athletes will be looking for a training course which has a high standard of eddies and features where paddlers can make good moves and are able to practice a range of different skills.  The fact the Tees course has the same rapidbloc system as the 2012 whitewater course is also a major selling point.

British Waterways, which owns the course, quote:

Les Southerton, Stockton Middesbrough Initiative said: “We have been extremely lucky to get Laura Blakeman to help us promote the course as her contacts are second to none.  She knows exactly what international paddlers are looking for up here and can explain the course benefits better than anyone.”

Laura started canoeing at 10 years old and won her first national competition at 13 years old, going on to win the Junior European Championship at 18.  Last year she was in the GB ladies team which won both the World and European championships.
In individual events she came 12th at the Sydney Olympics when she was 21 and her best achievement since then was winning 4th place in the European championships in 2006. Her next major competition will be May 2011 for the selection for the European and World Championships next year.