Edwards shows off his paddle
Pitlochry canoe slalom star Duncan Edwards is planning to finish the season on a high by being crowned Scottish senior champion.
The Breadalbane Canoe Club member will be hoping home comforts pay off when he slides into the water at Grandtully later this month.
It’s been a 2018 to remember for the City of Glasgow College student as he prepares to perform at the Scottish Slalom Championships.
“The Scottish champs this year is at Grandtully on the River Tay, the river I grew up paddling,” Duncan told the Perthshire Advertiser.
“My goal for this year is to be the senior Scottish champion after taking the U23 last year. I think I can take the step and win the senior.
“It would be great to win this to move into winter with extra motivation –and to go into the new year with.”
Duncan’s profile in the sport has been rising, helped by becoming K1 under-23 British Open champion last month.
The 19-year-old, competing at the Olympic course at Lee Valley in London, finished the event second overall.
He said: “I started off the week very determined to put in a good performance. I paddled well in the qualifiers and semis, coming third in both. I tried to push it to another level in the final and almost threw it away in the middle of the course. Duncan Edwards has impressed out on the water Photo: Richard Nutter I didn’t have any penalties, though, which I was very happy about. I went over the finish line in second but still had to wait for the final two paddlers to go over the finish.
“Luckily for me they both received 50 second penalties.
“I sat with my friends at the bottom of the course and once I found out I finished second I was just grinning from ear to ear.
“I didn’t really see myself doing that well, I was nervous that I wouldn’t even make top 10. For next year I hope to go one better but I’m more focused for the U23 selection races next spring, hoping to gain a spot on the team for next year.”
Duncan’s road to success was helped by putting in hours of training and competition overseas this year. He explained: “I spent two months in Europe this summer, where I visited Augsburg, Krakow, Prague, Bratislava and Vienna.
“It’s a very beneficial experience getting good time on quality white water. We struggle for that in Scotland with only one artificial course, Pinkston watersports centre in Glasgow. Most other athletes from around the world train on these kind of courses all year round, so to have two months on that type of water is invaluable.
“I’ve had a good winter training and a summer away in Europe under my belt so I feel I’ve never been paddling better.
“I’m getting more and more consistent every race. It’s been a gradual progression for sure, but this year I think I’ve had my biggest leap in results and performance.”