Euros - Congrats

PhilG · Post by **PhilG** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:17 am

Congratulations to Anne and all her team, what a fantastic event it proved to be.

RussJohnson · Post by **RussJohnson** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:42 pm

PhilG wrote:Congratulations to Anne and all her team, what a fantastic event it proved to be.

i agree. an excellent event, with alot of positive feedback.

Bus Driver · Post by **Bus Driver** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:00 pm

I too would like to congratulate all the volunteers involved at the event, I think everyone will agree that it was "one of our finest hours" (to miss-quote someone!!!)

My special thanks go out to my team of helpers. You made Sue's and my lives very easy with the professional way that you all worked and the "no problem" attitude you all showed.

If its ok with you guy's, i would like to use the same team for the world ranking event in Llangollen if you are all available.

Thanks again, and see most of you next weekend.

Steve Bright
Timing

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:38 pm

Thanks,

I would like to thank everyone who helped make this race such an outstanding success, without each and everyone out there it could not have happeded!

Now Llangollen....????? Volunteers please!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxAnne

phatboy · Post by **phatboy** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:44 pm

I want to do it again!!! =P

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:43 pm

The official BCU Press Release:

BRITISH CANOE UNION PRESS RELEASE

2nd June 2009

European Canoe Slalom Championships – a resounding success all round

Last weekend (28 – 31 May) over 25 nations, 320 volunteers and nearly 3000 spectators swarmed to Nottingham to the 2009 European Canoe Slalom Championships.

The last time a major international canoe slalom competition took place in the UK was the World Championships in 1995, despite not regularly hosting such an event, there were positive reviews all round.

It helped that on the Saturday there was a flurry of medal success, creating a jubilant atmosphere amongst the athletes and supporters alike. Great Britain (GB) won four medals in total; a Gold in the Men’s K1 (kayak single) team event, a Gold in the Women’s K1 team event, a Silver in the Men’s C2 (canoe double) team event and a Bronze medal in the Men’s C2. Competing on home water provided a very memorable experience for the GB athletes.

In the Men’s C2 (canoe double) Etienne Stott pinpoints the moment when he realised how an Olympic appearance in his home country might feel - just as he and Tim Baillie emerged from the fifth gate of the course. "At that point the crowd were roaring, and I felt that real exhilaration and excitement. It makes my hair stand on end thinking about it, and I'll treasure that for the rest of my life."

Campbell Walsh, Olympic Silver medallist from Athens described the event as the ‘highlight of his career.”

There were also congratulations on the quality of the organisation and look and feel of the event. The venue looked magnificent, decked out in banners and flags with a superb sound system and ideally placed big screen. The weather was glorious, making stunning pictures for the live BBC television.

Huw Swetnam, achieved a personal best position of 8th in the Men’s K1 class commented,
“It's probably been one of the best run events I've ever been to. Thanks to all the volunteers and organisations that have put money and effort into it, it has been absolutely superb. From an athlete’s point of view, everything ran like clockwork; it's far easier to compete when it's like that."

Helen Reeves, former Olympic Bronze canoe slalom medallist turned BBC commentator said,
"It has been excellent. It looked good, the paddlers have paddled well and the foreign teams are buzzing and have said it has been excellently organised. The event went really smoothly, the crowds have been great and we have been lucky with the weather. It was so great to see British competitors coming down followed by crowds of their friends and team-mates, the local crowd shouting at them, flags flying," added Reeves.

The event was also well received by the European and International federations,

Albert Woods, President of the European Canoe Association (ECA), attended the Championships and commented: “We were delighted to have both the President and General Secretary of the International Canoe Federation present to witness the competition in Nottingham at the weekend, and they both expressed to me how impressed they were by the organisation and spectacle of this Championship.

“As President of the British Canoe Union as well as the ECA, I was very proud not only of the British team but also the execution and delivery of the event as a whole. I look forward to working with the BCU and our partners to continue to improve towards the home Olympics in 2012.”

Simon Toulson, Secretary General of the International Canoe Federation said,
“The European Championships went extremely well and were organised to a level that the ICF would like to see all major canoeing championships organised at. The weather helped and the competition on the water was world class. Now we need to see how we can have similar events in GBR in the run up to 2012.”

The event would not have been possible without the help of its supporter UK Sport and Nottinghamshire County Council .

Esther Nicholls, UK Sport’s Event Consultant for the 2009 European Canoe Slalom Championships, said: “We were delighted to support the BCU in bringing this Championship to the UK, and specifically Nottingham, after fifteen years since the sport’s last major international competition there.

“The British athletes responded well to the home crowds and over 280 volunteers also had the chance to gain experience of a major international canoeing event in preparation for London 2012. The event attracted over 2500 spectators on the final day of competition, showing the enthusiasm for world class sporting events in the UK.”

Mick Burrows, Chief Executive for Nottinghamshire County Council said,
"The championships have been a fantastic event both for the National Water Sports Centre and in supporting Nottinghamshire's reputation as the sporting county."

"Many of the athletes told me that the refurbished white water course is now the best in Europe. This complements our exciting plans for the future of the National Water Sports Centre, to make it not only a world-class sporting facility but one of the premier leisure attractions in the country."

Well done to all in Event Organisation and to those participating

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:30 am

Hm last major event 1995, what happened at the junior Euros then? or was I asleep again?

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:16 am

I think it should read "that BCU were involved in" !!!!!!

davebrads · Post by **davebrads** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:13 pm

A good write up on the ICF Site too

BaldockBabe in action