WILTSHIRE paddlers were out in force at the national sprint regattas at Nottingham’s National Watersports Centre.

The windy weather proved challenging but Olympic champion Ed McKeever came second in a close race over 200 metres, being beaten by fellow medallist Liam Heath by just .04 of a second.

The club’s youngsters had a good opportunity to see top Great Britain squad athletes in action, with a number of local athletes earning places in several finals throughout the regatta and showing much promise for the season ahead.

The performances of the weekend were from Harriet Quigley, who won the girls' D K1 and K2 200m and 500m and old boys Mark Ball and Charles Langlands, who won the veterans’ D K2 1000m.

Other notable performances included Freddie Brown and Ed Nightingale, second and sixth respectively in the boys’ D 200m final and third in the K2 boys' D 1000m. They also made finals in 500m K1.

Spencer Armstrong and Callum Gingell both made the boys' B K1 1000m B final, finishing fourth and fifth respectively, and Jodie Ball was second in the girls' D 200m final 3 and a finalist in the girls' D K2 200m event with partner Nathalie Day.

James Missen, in his first regatta as a senior, made finals in both the men’s B 500 and 1000m, winning the 1000m B final.

Bradford on Avon Canoe Club paddlers: Ed McKeever, Ed Nightingale, James Missen (paddling for Nottingham); Devizes Canoe Club: Spencer Armstrong; Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club: Connor Henley, James New, Lucy Brown, Nathalie Day, Callum Gingell, Harriet Quigley, Jodie Ball, Freddie Brown, Milly Webb, Emma Thompson, Eve Wright, Rachel Richards, Mark Ball, Charles Langland