Published

This Girl Can - an update from PGL Sponsored Athlete and Paddler, Bethan

Bethan Forrow - Canoe Slalom

We are immensely proud of all our Sponsored Athletes and the progress they have made already this year. Bethan Forrow tells us how the first half of the year has gone for her:

"My PGL sponsorship has enabled me to buy a new Canoe (C1) paddle which is lighter than my old paddle and helps me save my energy for when I need it the most. I also used the remaining PGL sponsorship to put towards a new model Cag deck; it is a more fitted design with an in-built buoyancy aid, which helps manoeuvre through and around gates."

Practice, practice, practice!
"Throughout the winter I've been training hard with up to 12 sessions a week. Each session lasting up to 75 minutes. Luckily most of these sessions have been at the Lee Valley White Water centre which is just a 15 minute drive from my house. However, some of my weekend training camps were in Nottingham which means longer travel time and earlier starts!

The structure for each training session varies; with combinations of Progressions, Half Runs and Full Runs. Each type of training has a different focus. Progressions split the course up into quarters or fifths, which enables me to focus on smaller sections in more depth. Whereas Full Runs mean completing the course under pressure as a race simulation."

Selection time.
"On the 15th April, I raced for my place on the Junior GB team! As well as my GB junior team selections, I also had U23 and senior team selection too. I'm proud to say that after 3 long days racing with 12 runs in total, I earned my place back on the Junior GB team in Canoe (C1) and in Kayak (K1). I also earned a space at an U23 World Cup in C1 which means that over the summer I have 8 races at world championship courses around Europe. I'll be racing in the several World and European Championships Junior and U23.

I'll be sure to keep you updated throughout the rest of the year, thank you for your support!"

By Bethan Forrow.

Read more about Bethan here.