Jeanette Chippington collects award for Great Britain Paracanoeing – 'Team of the Year' 2014
Video interview and Writer: Nicolaas Harding | Edit: Gijs Takken
Jeanette Chippington with 8 personal world titles in both kayak and va'a to her name, and an extensive list of medals at international and national level, is the most decorated athlete to date in paracanoe history, and she is far from retiring!
Wearing one of the most glamorous evening dresses of the night, Jeanette received the Golden Paddle for Sports Team on behalf of Great Britain Paracanoeing. Addressing the eclectic audience in Augsburg Town Hall's majestic 'Goldener Saal', she said:
“When you're on the start it is a very lonely place, I would never have got there without the backing of my team, the physios, the trainers, all family and friends back home [in the U.K], we are so honoured to receive this award, thank you.”
Paralympic Technical Coach and triple C2 marathon World Champion Steve Train also tweeted; “It's official British Paracanoeing team are the best IN THE WORLD! #RoadtoRio #challenging the best.”
World Championship silver medallist in K1 200m A Ian Marsden tweeted, “The GB paracanoe award, we beat the able body teams!”
What the GB Paracanoeing team achieved last year on the world stage was unrivalled internationally – 9 medals both at the 2014 World and European Championships.
The team's success continued into 2015 only the weekend before the World Paddle Awards ceremony in Augsburg; GBR headed up the medal table at the European Championships in Racice, Czech Republic – 6 medals were won with 4 golds from Jeanette Chippington, Anne Dickens, Ian Marsden (all three defended their European titles) and first time European title-winner Robert Oliver.
GB Paracanoeing's award win has brought new media attention and public interest to the sport, particularly ahead of the first paracanoe events being held at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
Proud GB Paracanoeing Head Coach Steve Harris attended the ceremony with Jeanette and said during their insightful video interview:
“The award ceremony, a long time coming, it's a good opportunity to really highlight paddlesport across the globe. For us in Great Britain, we've been trying very hard over the last four years to give more prominence to paracanoe. We're very fortunate we've been successful over the last four years, we're even more fortunate to be highlighted for this award. We're very privileged and honoured to receive it.”
Both Jeanette and Steve went on to highlight how far paracanoe-sport has come over the years, what the award means to the entire British team and how paracanoeists round-the-world have been dealing with this year's changes to the Paralympic programme to include kayak-only events.
Ceremony, mingle and buffet; guests at the World Paddle Awards' premier were queuing to chat to Jeanette and Steve – deserving award-winners and inspiring ambassadors for disability paddlesports.
Website: British Canoeing – GB Paracanoeing