A 37-strong canoe slalom and kayak cross team has today been announced for the 2025 international season.
The team will kick-start the LA 2028 Olympic cycle, after Great Britain enjoyed a record four medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last summer.
Following a selection series taking place across two weekends at Lee Valley White Water Centre and the National Water Sports Centre, the slalom international panel has confirmed the squad that will represent Paddle UK across World Cups, European Championships and World Championships across the age categories for the upcoming year.
Senior Team
Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Adam Burgess (Stafford & Stone) will lead the way in the men’s canoe after being pre-selected due to his success last summer.
He will be joined by 2023 European Games Champion Ryan Westley (Lower Wharfe), after an impressive selection series saw him take maximum points with three wins from three.
Luc Royle (Stafford & Stone) completes the trio as he secures his full debut on the international senior team.
Also pre-selected to the canoe slalom team, Kimberley Woods (Rugby) sits as top boat in the women’s kayak after winning her maiden Olympic medal in the French capital last season.
U23 World Champion Lois Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) will compete on the senior team for a second season after topping selection over the two weekends with some standout runs.
A former junior European Champion, Nikita Setchell (Holme Pierrepont) makes up the team as she competes in the women’s kayak at senior level after a history of success in kayak cross.
Two victories in Nottingham see Ellis Miller (Lee Valley) lead the way in the women’s canoe after a successful selection campaign.
2023 World silver medallist Kimberley Woods will line up in one of her three events again for 2025 after just needing to qualify in the women’s canoe, whilst 2021 U23 World Champion Bethan Forrow (Lee Valley) will race internationally once again for the first time since having her son in 2023.
A storming selection series sees U23 European Champion Ben Haylett (Holme Pierrepont) top the men’s kayak team on his first season as full senior international in canoe slalom.
Jonny Dickson (CR Cats) retained his senior place after some impressive racing in Nottingham, whilst Rio Olympic Champion Joe Clarke MBE (Stafford & Stone) will have the opportunity to retain his world title won at Lee Valley in 2023.
U23 Team
Ellis Miller, who won her first individual medal with U23 European silver last season, will also double up in the women’s canoe U23s, being joined by Sadie Sterry (Llandysul) for her international debut at U23 level and Joanna Blythe-Shields (Independent) is also back on U23 duty, having raced the international season last year.
Jonah Hanrahan (Independent) topped the men’s kayak U23 standings in his first year at the age category after impressive years at junior level.
Sam Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) is back on the U23 team for a second year, whilst Tom Mayer (Stafford & Stone) will contest his first full season on the U23 team.
Lois Leaver will have the chance to retain her U23 World title as she leads the U23 team for 2025, with Miller and Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) both having strong series’ at Lee Valley and Nottingham to secure their places within the trio.
Luc Royle will have the opportunity to double up in U23 as he leads the line-up following a strong four-race series.
He’ll be joined by Philip Smith (Winchester & District) who reaches the U23 international team for the first time, whilst Ed McDonald (Holme Pierrepont) will once again sit on the men’s canoe start-line.
Junior Team
Gwion Williams (Llandysul) headlines the men’s kayak team as he takes on his second season as a junior international. He’ll be joined by Harry Kirby (Stafford & Stone) and Dom Thomas (Shepperton) who both make their first junior international teams ahead of 2025.
The junior women’s kayak team will be a replica of those who competed in 2024, with Zoe Blythe-Shields (Independent), Arina Kontchakov (Lee Valley) and Sofia Alfer (Wyedean) all contesting the junior European and World Championships once again.
Zoe Blythe-Shields and Darcey McMullins (Lee Valley) will be taking on the junior women’s canoe once again, being joined this season by Jasmine Wilde who will have the opportunity to race internationally for the first time.
Talu Aysan (Lee Valley) and Leo Miller (Stafford & Stone) will make their international debuts as they form two-thirds of the men’s canoe junior team. The pair will join Lewis Arden (Manvers) , who will be racing internationally for the second consecutive season.
Kayak Cross
Senior Team
Paris Olympic silver medallist Joe Clarke MBE and Olympic bronze medallist Kimberley Woods headline an impressive kayak cross line-up as the pair were pre-selected to the international team thanks to their historic achievements in the event’s Games debut.
Sam Leaver and Jonny Dickson, who both medalled at a senior World Cup during the 2024 season, complete the men’s team. Lois Leaver and Nikita Setchell, who too have medalled numerous times across senior and U23 level in kayak cross, will also double up in the event.
U23 Team
Both Leaver siblings will also be in the U23 kayak cross team, having both won silver medals at this level during the 2024 international season.
Katie Shattock (Taunton) will line up for the first time at U23 level having previously raced as a junior, whilst Macy Kang will double up in two events too.
Tom Mayer will double up in the men’s event, as will Ed McDonald who will switch between canoe and kayak cross.
Junior Team
The junior men’s kayak cross team is a complete replica of the men’s kayak team with Gwion Williams, Harry Kirby and Dom Thomas all on the start-list.
Arina Kontchakov and Darcey McMullins will be joined by junior debutant Olwen Yates (Stafford & Stone), who will compete internationally for the first time.
Team for 2025
Canoe Slalom Senior team
Men’s Canoe
Adam Burgess – Stafford & Stone
Ryan Westley – Lower Wharfe
Luc Royle – Stafford & Stone
Women’s Kayak
Kimberley Woods – Rugby
Lois Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Nikita Setchell – Holme Pierrepont
Men’s Kayak
Ben Haylett – Holme Pierrepont
Jonny Dickson – CR Cats
Joe Clarke – Stafford & Stone
Women’s Canoe
Ellis Miller – Lee Valley
Kimberley Woods – Rugby
Bethan Forrow – Lee Valley
Canoe Slalom U23 Team
Men’s Canoe
Luc Royle – Stafford & Stone
Philip Smith – Winchester & District
Ed McDonald – Holme Pierrepont
Women’s Kayak
Lois Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Ellis Miller – Lee Valley
Macy Kang – Holme Pierrepont
Men’s Kayak
Jonah Hanrahan – Independent
Sam Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Tom Mayer – Stafford & Stone
Women’s Canoe
Ellis Miller – Lee Valley
Sadie Sterry – Llandysul
Joanna Blythe-Shields – Independent
Canoe Slalom Junior Team
Men’s Canoe
Talu Aysan- Lee Valley
Lewis Arden – Manvers
Leo Miller – Stafford & Stone
Women’s Kayak
Zoe Blythe-Shield – Independent
Arina Kontchakov – Lee Valley
Sofia Alfer – Wyedean
Men’s Kayak
Gwion Williams – Llandysul
Harry Kirby – Stafford & Stone
Dom Thomas – Shepperton
Women’s Canoe
Zoe Blythe-Shields – Independent
Darcey McMullins – Lee Valley
Jasmine Wilde – Frome
Kayak Cross Senior Team
Joe Clarke – Stafford & Stone
Sam Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Jonny Dickson – CR Cats
Kimberley Woods – Rugby
Lois Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Nikita Setchell – Holme Pierrepont
Kayak Cross U23 Team
Sam Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Tom Mayer – Stafford & Stone
Ed McDonald – Holme Pierrepont
Lois Leaver – Edinburgh Schools
Katie Shattock – Taunton
Macy Kang – Holme Pierrepont
Kayak Cross Junior Team
Gwion Williams – Llandysul
Harry Kirby – Stafford & Stone
Dom Thomas – Shepperton
Arina Kontchakov – Lee Valley
Olwen Yates – Stafford & Stone
Darcey McMullins – Lee Valley