Kayaking: Wirral thrill-seeker sets sights on world glory

Apr 11 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

SIMPLY watching kayaking is an exhilarating, let alone terrifying, experience. Yet for one youngster crashing down the rapids and being thrown around by gushing white-waters is her ultimate passion and could yet be her ticket to World Championship glory.

Hannah Brand, from Meols in Wirral, has been involved in canoeing and kayaking since her early teens and now aged 20 is all set to take on the cream of Britain’s best paddlers while also setting her long-term sights firmly on the World Championships in Switzerland in 2009.

Thrill-seeking, Hannah, began her love affair with the sport when she joined Wirral’s Peninsular Canoeing Club aged just 13.

After being introduced to canoeing by her dad Ian – local scout leader – Hannah, became actively involved in slalom canoeing, working up to Division One aged just 15.

As her confidence and expertise grew Hannah moved into freestyle kayaking – an acrobatic sport involving complex technical manoeuvres including Pan Am’s, Arial Blunts and McNastys and plans to take part in the Great Britain selection event in Nottingham early next year.

“My passion right now is in freestyle kayaking and my goals are to improve on my current British ranking,” Hannah said.

“And I also want to make the team for the 2009 World Championships in Thun, Switzerland.

Freestyle kayaking is not a current event in the Olympics but a rise in media coverage is increasing its popularity.

“Slalom is in the Olympics and although it’s an important part of my training and improves my river running ability my heart really is in freestyle at this current stage of my career.”

As well as competitive paddling, Hannah is also a coach at Let’s Go Outdoor Learning and Adventure, a Wirral-based activity centre for youngsters.

‘Let’s Go’ offers activities such as mountain-biking, canoeing, kayaking, raft-building, climbing, abseiling and orienteering as a ‘bag of tools’ to help adventurous youngsters learn new skills in a outdoor pursuits while increasing their own sense of personal development.

Hannah, who is qualified to Level 3 trainee – a great achievement for a 20-year-old, coaches during holiday periods when not studying for her degree in Constructive Engineering Management at Loughborough University.

John Driver, who helps run Let’s Go and employs Hannah as a coach, said: “Hannah is a great coach to the young, up and coming paddlers as she has a great connection with the young people and her enthusiasm and spirit for the sport is contagious.”

Hannah is currently looking for sponsorship to cover travel expenses to competitions. Anyone interested in supporting Hannah can contact her on 07706 010975 or e-mail cvhb3@lboro.ac.uk

Meanwhile, May 25 marks the beginning of Outdoor Adventure Week for Wirral’s Schools.

A week devoted to increasing awareness of and promoting the benefits that learning outside of the classroom can bring to the school curriculum.

Outdoor learning experiences can take place anywhere outside of the classroom; nature reserves; parks; farms and the countryside; remote wild and adventurous places; heritage and cultural sites; zoos and botanic gardens; or even music venues.

Learners who struggle can excel in the outdoor classroom which provides a different climate for learning while learners who already excel become more versatile.

For more information visit www.letsgoadventure.org.uk