MATT WELCH
~ Flatwater kayaking ~

Profile updated May 2011

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Matt who is 17 has been canoeing for 6 years for Wey Kayak Club in both sprint and marathon events and for Great Britain for the past 3 years. He’s currently ranked 3rd in the UK (Junior). His top results to date are 1st place in K4 at Bochum regatta, 8th place in k4 at the Olympic Hopes regatta, 7th place at the European marathon championships K2 and 5th place at marathon world cup 2 K1.

Matt with partner Tom Simmons (Bradford on Avon) made the A Finals in the Europeans in Poznan, Poland July 2009 in two K2 distances (1,000m and 500m) coming 7th and 8th respectively. In August 2009 Matt is competing at the World's in Moscow for the same events, one of only three Juniors to have been selected to compete for GB. Matt has also been selected for the Junior European and World Canoe Sprint Championships.

Most weeks he trains 12+ times a week which he has to fit around studying for A levels at College. The training is a mixture of paddling, gym, running and swimming. Most of the training is locally based, but increasingly he has to train at Dorney Lake, Eton.

“This year I hope to compete at the Junior European and World Championships with the aim to make a final at both events. Next year I hope to make it on to the senior team and try and get selected for the U23 European Championships.”