With a little over two months to go before the Canoe Polo World Championships begin in Duisburg, Germany, the 32 players who will represent Great Britain in all four competition categories have now been selected.
The teams bring together experience and talent from more than 15 clubs, with four paddlers making their GB Championship debuts – Willow Lewis (Viking / University of Nottingham), Hayden Dodd (FOA Liverpool), Cameron Fletcher (Pennine) and Tegan Cain (St Albans).
As part of the final selection process, players have recently returned from the Paddle Europe Cup in Thury Harcourt, France, the first major international of the season. This was an opportunity for squads to put their winter training into practice against the top nations whilst also offering a host of new players a challenging development opportunity. A very positive weekend for all, with notable performances for the U21 Men coming home with a spectacular bronze medal, and the senior women just missing out on the podium after a marathon weekend of intensely battled matches.
Preparations for the Championships will continue over the coming months with training weekends in Liverpool and Spring Lakes (Nottingham), before the teams test themselves again on the international stage at De Paddel and Ghent.
Thank you to all players who put themselves forward for selection and congratulations to all. A huge thank you as well to all the coaches, volunteers working behind the scenes, parents and the clubs for supporting their players and offering training venues, all of which allows us to continue to enjoythe opportunity to compete at the highest level.
Paddle Europe Canoe Polo Cup I – Thury Harcourt(FRA)
Final Placings:
U21 Men A – 3rd
U21 Men B – 9th
Senior Men – 5th
U21 Women A – 6th
U21 Women B – 8th
Senior Women A – 4th
Senior Women B – 8th
Selected Players for World Championships
U21 Women
Poppy Clews (FOA Liverpool / LCC)
Leena de Mul (LCC / Bedford Raiders)
Laura Evans (FOA Liverpool)
Molly Fletcher (FOA Liverpool)
Jessie Hurtt (University of Southampton / Meridian / Rhondda / East End)
Emmy-Lou Hussin (FOA Liverpool)
Willow Lewis (Viking / University of Nottingham)
Evie McNamara (LCC / Bedford Raiders)
Coach:
Andy Metcalfe (Bedford Raiders / St Albans)
U21 Men
Nathan Aleksic (KCNW Berlin)
Koby Clarke (Ulster)
Jack de Mul (FOA Liverpool)
Hayden Dodd (FOA Liverpool)
Luke Evans (FOA Liverpool)
Cameron Fletcher (Pennine)
Flynn Hammond (Dragon, Deventer)
Henry McCann (Ulster)
Coaches:
Kevin Rodrigues (Dragon)
Eddie Hussin (FOA Liverpool)
Senior Women
Tegan Cain (St Albans)
Megan Hamer-Evans (Rhondda Rhinos)
Ruth Harrison (Manchester Wildcats)
Katie Howes (Aberfan)
Sara Lanao-Madden (Ulster / FOA Liverpool)
Georgie Longbottom (FOA Liverpool)
Catrin Schroder (Viking / Kingston KC)
Ella Winterbottom (FOA Liverpool)
Coaches:
Lee Busby (Kingston KC)
Kirsten Tighe (Manchester Wildcats)
Senior Men
Angus Boyle (Ulster)
Caleb Bowden (Ulster)
Alex Lowthorpe (Kingston KC)
Fergal McConvey (Ulster)
Suryan McCutcheon (FOA Liverpool)
Tana McCutcheon (FOA Liverpool)
Jake Searle (Ulster)
Jack Winder (FOA Liverpool)
Coaches:
Alan Vessey (St Albans)
Ginny Coyles (FOA Liverpool)