Canoe slalom athlete Phoebe Spicer has retired from competitive paddling, after more than ten years in the sport.
Phoebe began paddling at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in 2013, having been scouted as part of a London 2012 legacy campaign.
She made her international debut in June 2017 in the women’s canoe at the ICF World Cup in Augsburg and the following year, raced K1 for the first time at the Junior & U23 World Championships.
In a full-circle moment, Phoebe made her senior World Championship debut at the London 2012 venue in 2023, winning bronze in the women’s kayak team event and placing 17th overall individually in the K1.
Also in 2023, at the World Under-23 Championships in Krakow, Spicer finished an agonising fourth individually in the C1 and won kayak team gold with Lois Leaver and Ellis Miller.
She said: “I’ve had some of the highest highs but also the lowest lows.
“When I started paddling at 13, I promised myself that as soon as I wasn’t enjoying paddling I would stop.
“I feel like now the time is right. I really wanted to enjoy the slalom selection event one last time, no matter what the outcome.
“I have had the best experiences and seen parts of the world I couldn’t even have dreamed of and I am so grateful for what slalom has done for me.
“I have had so much fun the past 11 years but at some point everything has to come to an end and I’m ready and excited to move onto the next part of my life.”