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Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Canoe Wales Awards

Neil Kinnerly • Dec 06, 2021

Today we are proud to announce the winners of the 2021 Canoe Wales Awards. Our heartfelt congratulations go to those who have received an award this year - and a huge well done to all our finalists. Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the awards and to the hard work and dedication of our winners. Our CEO Alistair Dickson, commented:

"It gives us great pleasure to announce this year’s Canoe Wales Award winners and to recognise their amazing achievements through what has been another challenging year. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who was nominated and thank them for the inspirational work they have done to inspire or support others to go paddling in Wales."

So without further ado, here are the winners of the 2021 Canoe Wales Awards...

Paddler of the Year

This is our most popular individual award's category, and this year received more nominations than any other category. While both runners-up deserve incredible recognition for their own achievements, especially given the effects of COVID restrictions on paddling over the last 18 months, we are delighted to name this year's winner as...

Ben Higson

"Ben is a Freestyle paddler who paddles regularly at Cardiff International White Water Centre where he started his paddling career... Despite the challenges of lockdown, Ben came 2nd Junior K1 man at British Championships (1st weekend Sept) with his highest score of his career to date. He then came 6th Junior K1 at Freestyle European Championships in early October missing the top 5 to make the final by 7 points. Then on 20/21 Oct he came through GB selection as 1st Junior K1 paddler. This means Ben will be representing GB at the World Championships next year in Nottingham - his 2nd world championships... We’d like to nominate Ben as Paddler of the Year for his competitive paddling achievements representing GB in K1 freestyle, his willingness to pass on his skills and encourage other paddlers, especially youngsters, for his friendly personality, and for his joyful love for paddling."

Runners-up: John Willacy, Gwion Williams

Coach of the Year

In many ways, our coaches are the lifeblood of paddlesport in Wales. Teaching the next generation how to paddle, progressing the more experienced so they can reach their goals, and in turn training up new coaches to take their place. We are very fortunate to have one such coach on the Canoe Wales team, nominated by those paddlers who he has positively impacted...

Gareth Bryant

"Gareth gives 100% to the club. He makes sure all slalom team members are looked after. He coaches the team daily and provides a variety of different training activities to ensure all athletes get a rounded and complete training programme focusing on technical training and fitness. He has a dedicated team of coaches who provide the young athletes with all the skills needed to progress to the best of their ability. Gareth constantly offers encouragement and support to all team members and always does so with a smile :) ... He makes the environment feel like a family, everyone is treated equally but you know he’s always got your back... He is the heart of Llandysul Paddlers."

Runners-up: Jade McDonald, Matthew Robinson

Alan Baker Volunteer of the Year

Canoe Wales is incredibly lucky to have an army of dedicated volunteers standing (and paddling) behind our clubs, squads, competitions and events. Which is what makes this award so hard to judge, as so many are deserving of recognition. But after many years of service to paddlesport, this year one name stood out...

Mark Abbott

"Mark is the backbone to Canoe slalom events in Wales, the face behind the technical running of a race. From running all the wires, setting up the PC’s, creating start lists beforehand and the constant running around on race days if any technical issues arise. Without Mark these races would not run, or we would have to pay for a British Canoeing timing team... Mark has done this tirelessly and the 2021 racing season has been a particularly difficult season with extra restrictions and limited people able to help him. Canoe slalom races in wales could not run without him."

Runners-up: Michelle Lee, Mathew Rowlands

Young Volunteer of the Year

Our Young Volunteer award is for those aged 25 or younger who volunteer their time to support the paddling community. Our finalists are all inspiring, but at just 16, it's amazing the positive impact we've heard our winner has had...

Luke Maguire

"Luke is always the first to the club sessions, dragging out boats, setting up the session, helping others with spray decks, running out to make sure everyone had a paddle, then watching to see where he can be most helpful. He ends every session by making sure everything is put away, going around helping as needed. In between he is there to coach, develop, demonstrate or participate as he feels appropriate... Supported by the Canoe Wales young volunteer programme he has gained his paddlesports instructor qualification, and is now looking for his next step up the coaching ladder. In the meantime he has taken the opportunity to volunteer at CIWW where he helps out as much as he can."

Runners-up: Sioned Bryant, Oliver Snowden

Environmental Champion

The Environmental Champion is a new award, making its debut this year. Our members are doing so much to help highlight and progress access and environmental issues, and that is very worthy of public recognition. So our winner is...

Angela Jones

"Angela Jones - the "Wild Woman of the Wye" - is constantly working to raise awareness of the "demise of the River Wye" and pushing for action to be taken to clean it up. From her appearances on TV and interviews with local media, to educating people about how to respect and appreciate the beauty of the Wye, to organising a rally swimming over half a mile pulling a coffin with "Death of the Wye" written on it with paddleboarders dressed as grim reapers, Angela has been relentless in bringing attention to the plight of the river Wye and calling for action to be taken to address the pollution from modern farming methods, sewage and plastics, and decline of habitat for wildlife."

Runner-up: Katie Simmons

Club of the Year

We have to say, the Club of the Year award was a very close contest this year! We'll need to do a whole separate series of news updates to tell you how great our runners-up are, but due to both the sheer number of nominations and the fantastic developments within the club over the last year, this year's winner is...

Llandysul Paddlers

"Seeing the commitment and hard work every member of staff and volunteer and parents and paddler over the time I have been a member has shown me it’s more than a canoe club - it’s a family that genuinely cares about the community and the success of each other..

Llandysul started an initiative called Young Guns which has come into its own in the 2020-2021 period. Fun sessions for the very young with opportunities to try the different disciplines of canoe slalom has seen nearly 20 promotions to Division 3...

Great effort has been given to hold sessions in the language of Welsh. Llandysul Paddlers is now a fully bilingual club, it is great to hear both languages and youngsters being able to learn and enjoy paddle sports in the language that is natural to them."

Runners-up: Cardiff Canoe Club, Dragon Paddlers

Congratulations to all our award winners! We hope to bring you further details of the winners and their nominations over the next few weeks so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.

Have you been coached, helped, supported or inspired by one of our winners? Send your stories and photos to our Membership & Communications Officer, Jen Rigby, at jen.rigby@canoewales.com or message us on our Facebook Page.

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