Hannah makes a splash for GB (From This Is Wiltshire)

Hannah makes a splash for GB

1:00pm Friday 6th July 2007

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TEENAGER Hannah Brown is hoping to make waves in the world of wildwater racing after winning a place in the Great Britain team.

The 17-year-old, from Bradford on Avon, who is a pupil at St Laurence School, is jetting across the Atlantic on Sunday for the Junior Wildwater Racing World Championships in the United States.

She will be competing alongside a team of fellow Brits as they take on the rest of the world in the fast-flowing rivers of North and South Carolina between July 18 and 22.

"I was so happy when I found out I'd been chosen and I'm really pleased to be representing my country," said Hannah.

"It's going to be tough but I'm just looking forward to it."

The competition involves taking part in events of different distances, one a longer race and the other a sprint, both of which require nerves of steel.

Hannah first picked up a paddle around five years ago when she was encouraged to give canoeing a go by a group of friends.

On taking to the sport like a duck to water she quickly developed and after a couple of years started to compete seriously, joining Bath Canoe Club.

Although the trip to the United States will be the first time Hannah has represented her country, she has already joined up with the British squad for the Junior European Championships held in Bosnia to experience international competition.

Wildwater canoeing is a particularly demanding sport, requiring a high level of fitness, so Hannah has to devote around 20 hours a week to training and honing her canoeing skills.

She said: "It is tough both physically and in terms of the technical skills you need, so it takes a lot of practice.

"I train five or six days a week, sometimes two sessions a day, doing running, swimming and different kinds of fitness work."

As well as being tough on body and mind, canoeing at international level is tough on the wallet.

Travelling to America and competing is costing Hannah £1,000 and she also needs in the region of £1,500 for equipment.

She has managed to save some money from her part time job at the Mace GW and AR Stone store in Bradford, and her employers also made a vital contribution.

The shop has been selling raffle tickets for a gas barbecue and on Wednesday they presented her with a cheque for £440 to put towards the cost of the American adventure.

A further £41 has been added by Bradford's Beehive pub, after a collection pot was placed on the bar.

"This money will be a big help to me and it is also a big confidence boost as well," said Hannah.

"I'm also looking for more long-term sponsorship, and although wildwater canoeing isn't in the Olympics, sprinting and slalom is, and my dream would be to convert to that and be in the 2012 Olympics in London."

Sponsors will be given the chance to have their logo on her canoe, and be credited on her website where visitors can track Hannah's competition progress.

Anyone interested in providing sponsorship should email Hannah at hannah_bth@hotmail.com

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