Amelia Combes and Grant Underwood have kicked off the 2016 slalom season for The Sharks at Shepperton Weir on 5th and 6th of March. The event was a joint division 1 and two event.

Both sets of competitors compete over the same course, but there results are recorded in their respective divisions and classes: Amelia was racing division 2 Ladies’ K1 and Grant was in the Men’s Division 1 K1 race.

Early slaloms can often be unpredictable and can show who has been working over the Winter months. The course was tough and thirteen-year-old Amelia managed a sixth place finish on the Saturday. Hopefully with some work during the next few months Amelia will start next season in Division 1.

She has also started to paddle C1 and is in division 3 for that, her performances at the end of last season have show Amelia can get promoted in C1 as well K1.

Grant was promoted to Division one last year and is more know for racing than slalom; his first slalom for a long time produced a mid-table finish (34th)  in the very strong field in Saturday; however his Sunday performance was a little less than hoped for and slipped down to 42nd. But the season is still young and Grant’s next big challenge is the Wild Water racing selection race at Grandtully in April.

Interested in slalom? Then contact: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk or call 07951 770241.