GBR Masters Women team mates Fay Rushby and Nicola Childs have been rafting together as part of Lee Valley Women’s Master’s Team for roughly 2 years. The early team was placed in the British Open in 2016. Julie first paddled with the team as an independent in the British Open 2017 when the team won the Category 2 race for non-selected and non-professional teams. They raced R6 format but with only 5 paddlers as they were 1 short!
Over Christmas 2017 British Rafting helped pull together the current team with the addition of Anita from the Dee Dragons who was due to enter the Master’s category in 2018, and Elizabeth, another independent paddler wanting to join a team. The team first raced R4 with the current paddlers as Mid Raft Crisis in January 2018 and took a respectable 2nd place at the Cardiff Raft Race Finals.
They presented for GB National Selection in February 2018 and were selected as the GBR Masters Women Team. The team went on again to success winning their category in the March International Women’s Day Race at Lee Valley and another respectable placing at Cardiff in May 2018.
The team is comprised from ex canoe-slalom paddlers, outdoor and paddlesports enthusiasts, and an aspirant guide.
Having never paddled internationally, the team can’t really predict what will happen. But, they do know that they have something special going on that works so are ready to go out there and see what they can do. They are sitting in a good place to get some solid experience, grow the team and continue as an R6 in the 2019 season.”
Meet the GBR Masters Women teams for 2018:
- Competitor: Fay Rushby
- Position: Back right (Captain)
- How long have you been in rafting? – “Since April 2016.”
- What do you like about rafting? – “It makes you strong!”
- Favourite discipline? – “Slalom / Downriver.”
- Do you have any expectations related to the result and what your expectations are generally? – “Just happy to be there!”
- The craziest moment in rafting? – “Getting selected as part of the first ever GB1 Women’s Masters Team.”
- Competitor: Anita Evans
- Position: Back left
- How long have you been in rafting? – “One and a half years.”
- What do you like about rafting? – “Working together as a team to make the raft go where you want it usually and the white water of course”
- Favorite discipline? – “Slalom.”
- Do you have any expectations related to the result and what your expectations are generally? – “First ever international raft race so no idea how we will do, I just hope we can raft to the best of our team’s ability on the race day and that will be great.”
- The craziest moment in rafting? – “Getting quite stuck in a stopper at Lee Valley in the sprint race. I hope there are more crazy moments around the corner.”
- Competitor: Julie Robertson
- Position: Front Left
- How long have you been in rafting? – “18 months.”
- What do you like about rafting? – “The synergy from the team to control the boat on high energy water.”
- Favorite discipline? – “Slalom/Head to Head.”
- Do you have any expectations related to the result and what your expectations are generally? – “It’s early days on the international circuit for us, but we are not here to make up numbers. We will be giving this our all.”
- The craziest moment in rafting? – “Being selected a part of the GB1 Women’s Masters squad.”
- Competitor: Nicola Childs
- Position: Front Right
- How long have you been in rafting? – “ 2 years.”
- What do you like about rafting? – “Learning a new sport and seeing improvements in my paddling and in my team. Having participated in canoe slalom as a teenager, it’s great to still be participating in watersports.”
- Favorite discipline? – “Slalom.”
- Do you have any expectations related to the result and what your expectations are generally? – “5 busy working adults; combined age of 234years!; 7 children between us; separated by many miles. Proving this team will give it our all and above all, have a blast – We’ve still got it!”
- The craziest moment in rafting? – “Being chosen to represent GB along with my 17 year old daughter.”
Competitor: Elizabeth Harré- Position: – Bow left
- How long have you been in rafting? – ”3.5 months racing (20 years expedition/classic rivers)”
- What do you like about rafting? – “It’s fun!”
- Favorite discipline? – “Sprint.”
- Do you have any expectations related to the result and what your expectations are generally? – “To do my best to contribute to the success of the team, the sport and GB.”
- The craziest moment in rafting? – “The raft becoming airborne on rapid 7B on the Zambezi!”
IRF – Thanks to Julie for helping us to get to know the GBR Masters Women team and to making their first ERC competition and for making this interview unforgettable. We are glad to have you with us and we wish you a positive strokes through rafting and life.
