WRC 2017 GB Open Men aiming for the podium

27 September 2017

Training hard for this year’s WRC 2017 GB Open Men have focused their time and efforts on solidifying their strong Sprint and Head-to-Head previous competitive edge and pushing for cleaner and faster slalom runs. Here we meet the team as they head out to Japan with an aim of getting to the podium again.

Meet the WRC 2017 GB Open Men team:

Pas Blackwell – Team Captain, Back Right
Favourite River Experience: Bosnia 2009
Favourite River(s): Nile, Kawarua, Quijos
Championships (attended/competed in to date): Ecuador, Korea, Bosnia, Holland, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Indonesia, UAE, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Georgia, Czech
Favourite discipline: Downriver
Occupation: White Water Centre Manager
Inspiration for this competition: New country, new cultures, new rivers

Chris Coward – Middle Right
Favourite River Experience: French Alps trip for the rivers and sun!
Favourite River(s): Shotover, Queenstown, NZ
Championships (attended/competed in to date): 2015 Bosnia, 2015 Indonesia, 2016 Tacen, 2016 UAE, 2017 Georgia
Favourite discipline: Downriver
Occupation: British Army
Inspiration for this competition: To try and get a Worlds medal

Alan Beecroft – Front Right
Favourite River Experience: A night training session at Wadi Adventure will the whole course to ourselves with the team firing it up!
Favourite River(s): Swale
Championships (attended/competed in to date): Bosnia, Indonesia, Slovenia, UAE and Georgia
Favourite discipline: Head-to-Head
Occupation: Planner (Civil Engineering)
Inspiration for this competition: Bettering our result from this year’s Euros and previous WRCs

Charlie Lodge – Front Left
Favourite River Experience: Finishing the Downriver in Dubai
Favourite River(s): The Lower Guisane, French Alps
Championships (attended/competed in to date): Slovakia, Bosnia, China, Indonesia, Slovenia, Al Ain, Georgia
Favourite discipline: Head-to-Head
Occupation: Assistant Project Manager
Inspiration for this competition: Train hard, have fun

Alex Spibey – Middle Left
Favourite River Experience: every time I am in a boat!
Favourite River(s): Italian Alps
Championships (attended/competed in to date): ERC Georgia 2017
Favourite discipline: Slalom
Occupation: Paddlesports Manager
Inspiration for this competition:

Rob Powell – Back Left
Favourite River Experience: Winning a WRC medal in Al Ain
Favourite River(s): French Alps
Championships (attended/competed in to date): Bosnia, Indonesia, Al Ain, Georgia
Favourite discipline: Head-to-Head
Occupation: Paddlesports Coach
Inspiration for this competition: to become a World Champion

Mikey Wilce – Reserve
Favourite River Experience: training with the team over the past year
Favourite River(s): Lee Valley White Water Centre
Championships (attended/competed in to date): This is the first
Favourite discipline: Head-to-Head
Occupation: Sports Teacher
Inspiration for this competition: to support the team and have the opportunity to represent GB