MELKSHAM’S Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club has been chosen as one of 12 clubs in England to join forces with British Canoeing as a Talent Club for sprint canoeing.

The club, which is based at the Melksham Melksham Adventure Centre, has seen national and international success in canoe sprint and wildwater racing over the last 10 years.

This year, five club members are representing Great Britain internationally at both sprint and wildwater canoeing.

Team GB canoe sprint squad member Hannah Brown, a previous junior and senior world champion in wildwater sprint kayak, will be hunting qualification for a place at the Tokyo Olympics later in the year at the Canoe Sprint World Championships.

Ed Nightingale will be representing GB at the Junior European Championships next month, Sammy Sullivan is a member of the British Canoeing Discover Your Power programme, while Freddie Brown and Ben Oakley competed at the Wildwater Canoe World Cup in France this year.

That duo will also be representing GB at the Senior Wildwater Canoe World Championships in September alongside Brown.

Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club is the only club in the South West to be selected as a Talent Club partner for British Canoeing and has strong links with the Team Bath Futures Programme for athlete development.

British Canoeing Talent Club partnership manager Charlie Bewis said: “Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club are a great addition to the Talent Club Partnership and will move forward with British Canoeing to help create a world leading club development system that supports every athlete to be the best they can be.

“The club creates a fantastic environment for young people to develop both on and off the water, and will form an integral part of the Talent Club Partnership.”

Wiltshire Youth Canoe Club is a junior-focussed canoe club for members interested in recreational or racing canoeing.

New members aged eight to 16 are welcome to attend sessions at 6pm on Wednesdays or 1.30pm on Saturdays.

For more information, contact Kellie Phelps via kellywycc@outlook.com.