Each year the club asks for nominations for our four Club Awards.  Members can vote for each category by sending an email to website@liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk with their vote.  Awards are then presented at the clubs AGM on Wednesday 21st October 2015

 

 

Trophies kindly made by Mike Bell at mbcmodels.com

 

 

 

 

 

2015 Nominations for Paddler of the Year

 

 

 

 

(club member who has either made the most progress or achievement in paddlesport)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex Logan

Nathan Edwards

 

 

 

 

When Alex joined us 2 years ago she was nervous, "wobbly" and unsure but full of determination.  To cope with her moderate dyspraxia Alex needs to process new physical activities in her own time and pace.   She travels from Lancaster to attend sessions at the docks and this year completed her first EVER canoe camp; she has taken part in the trips on The Rivers Mersey, River Severn, and River Ribble - first ever bobbly bits and technical paddle on broken weirs.  She can confidently paddle as a bow or stern paddler in any boat we put her in.  Alex has come so far that she needs recognition for all she has achieved as an example to others.       

Nathan started as a very nervous beginner at the Monday evening pool sessions. He learned to roll over the year by sheer perseverance.  Nathan regularly attends the weekend dock sessions and has recently completed both his First Aid Training and the SESA Qualification.  His confidence has grown so much from the nervous beginner at his first pool session and I felt so proud when he completed the annual Little Eye Sea Kayak Race despite the appalling conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Nominations for Young Paddler of the Year

 

 

 

(Under 18 club member who has made either the most progress or achievement in paddlesport)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Richards

Luke Durband

Charlie Murphy

 

 

 

Matt had only been in a kayak a couple of times before but was fearless when it came to the whitewater at 4 mile bridge on the junior club weekend.  His breaking in was text book with good speed, angle and edging.  To see him power into the current in the dagger dynamo (junior kayak) was very impressive.  Hopefully he will continue to develop his paddling skills with the club.

Luke has only started paddling this year and has been a regular at Thursday night "no rules polo".  He regularly paddles on Saturday and Tuesday junior club sessions and loves canoe polo.  He is a member of the under 16s canoe polo team and recently stood in to play for the Under 21s in their division 4 tournament at Collingwood Dock. He is fearless in play and seems to score goals with apparent ease.

At 8yrs and 1 month  I believe Charlie is the youngest paddler in the club (and maybe ever?) to successfully develop his roll. He worked like a demon all winter to achieve this and to even to nominated would be reward for his determination to do it at a younger age than his brother!

 

 

 

 

 

2015 Nominations for Volunteer of the Year

 

 

(Club member who has given their services to help the club)

 

 

 

 

Richie Burgess

Rosie Diver

Colin Muse

John Fay

 

 

I would like to nominate Richie Burgess for this award.  He is at the Docks every Saturday for the Junior Club and Youth Development and his coaching skills are invaluable to juniors, youths and adults alike.  He  not only incorporates technique development and safety factors in his coaching but also makes the sessions full of fun and enjoyment.  His patience knows no bounds.  Well done Richie.

I would like to nominate Rosie Diver as volunteer of the year.  Not only does she give up her weekends for the open boat skills courses, the women's group and various other river trips but is unfailingly, encouraging, cheerful and a fantastic teacher for newbies like me. With Rosie's support I was able to achieve a long held ambition to bivvy, as part of our canoe camp trip to Lancaster.  Rosie's friendly quiet encouragement provide a prompt to brave new skills, with the promise of a restorative cuppa and snack break.

Colin Muse has helped coach on just about every course held at the docks over the summer.  He continually makes himself available to help on courses and has helped and encouraged many beginners over the past year.   It is great to have such a welcoming face to give advice and help sort out any questions new paddlers may have.

John is an asset to the club, he helps out at the Kingsway pool & Nothing is too much trouble for him just look for the guy with the daft grin.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The number of new shy & nervous paddlers that turn up at the Kingsway pool afraid of getting wet not knowing what to expect but after an hour of that daft grin he’s given them the belief & confidence to capsize & even try & roll.

He is a regular at the Swim Safety events.  John regularly arranges trips on canals & flat waters & at the docks most weekends. If you feed him the odd custard donut he will spend time by the slipway helping you improve what you have learned in the pool & put it into practise.

 

 

 

 

2015 Nominations for Swimmer of the Year

 

 

(Club member who has had the best "out of boat experience")

 

 

 

 

Pete Thomas

Fiona Barry

John Cooke

Mike Bell

 

 

Peter was leading a group on the Improvers Sea Kayak trip to Puffin Island.  Conditions were decidedly bumpy in the sound and he managed to safely usher his group through the worst of the overfalls and on to the safety of the sheltered water behind the island.  Peter was at the back and unknown to his group was knocked over by a larger wave and fluffed his roll.  The tide quickly sped him through the sound and it was about 15 minutes later before Karl Winrow came to his aid to put him back in his boat, certainly the longest swim of the year.

Fiona Barry for swimming on a grade one in Slovenia.  John Cooke
Sarah Gille  Click here for YouTube Video…….

Right Angle Falls is the last and most impressive drop on the Etive.  The guide book suggests that "A capsize in the eddy is not advisable!" Well there was no chance of the eddy as John was out of his boat a long time before the eddy.  He was swimming frantically backwards over the lip of the falls as his new B2 followed him dutifully followed his line.  Spectacular!

While helping to shaddow the junior paddlers on the Annual Hilbre Race starting from Dee Sailing Club an unexpected squall kicked in right at the start of the race.  Many of the compeitiors turned back or were swept on to the rocky beach by the wind and waves produced.  Well at least the juniors were safe as we had a number of experienced safety kayakers helping out but on closer inspection it was Mike Bell that had been blown onto the rocks and had taken a swim and now needed help.  At least he came up smiling.

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