Great Britain closed out the Junior and U23 Wildwater World Championships in Solkan, Slovenia with a gold and two silver medals on the final day of competition, capping off a strong week of racing.
Sisters Kerry and Emma Christie were crowned U23 World Champions in the women’s C2 after a commanding performance in the final.
The British duo delivered a composed and powerful run to secure the gold medal and top step of the podium.
There was further medal success in the junior ranks as Ciara Maloney and Elsie Landsborough claimed silver in the Junior women’s C2, adding to Britain’s growing medal tally at the championships.
There was more success in the team events, with the women’s C2x3 team claiming silver.
The team was made up of Kerry Christie, Sophie Cameron, Ciara Maloney, Elsie Landsborough, Freya Pryce, and Emma Christie, who combined for a strong run to secure second place.
Kerry Christie was also in action in the U23 K1 final, finishing just outside the medals in fourth place after a strong showing across both runs.
In the U23 women’s C1, Freya Pryce finished in ninth position, while in the Junior women’s C1 final, Sophie Cameron delivered a solid run to take 10th place.
Meanwhile, in the Junior men’s K1 final, Sam Stevely wrapped up his championship with a 12th-place finish.
In the Junior women’s K1 team event, the trio of Ciara Maloney, Elsie Landsborough, and Adrianna Czarnecka finished eighth, while the Junior men’s C1 team of Sebastian Reeves, Will Stevely, and Finlay Lovell claimed a commendable fifth place.
The Junior men’s K1 team, made up of Will Stevely, Sam Stevely, and Malachi Grant, placed 11th overall.
In U23 team events, the women’s K1 trio of Kerry Christie, Freya Pryce, and Emma Christie finished in sixth.
The women’s C1 team, Pryce, Christie, and Cameron, delivered a strong performance to finish just shy of the podium in fourth place.
The U23 men’s C1 team of Harry Sewell-Catchpole, Regan Toop, and Sebastian Reeves came seventh, while the U23 men’s C2x3 team, featuring Eddie Mackintosh, Toby Peyton-Jones, Harry Sewell-Catchpole, Lochlain Lovell, and Adam Knox, rounded out the day in fifth.
GB team leader Jamie Christie shares his thoughts on the competition: “It’s been a really great week, we’ve got a real range of ability on the team with previous medalists and athletes who haven’t competed internationally before.
“We’ve made real leaps forward which is positive and motivational from a coaching perspective.
“There’s been a great atmosphere and we’ve been working toward that kind of culture.
“It’s not just been about individuals, it’s been a team,” he says. “All of the team has been so organised which is a credit to them, especially with how challenging it’s been because of the heat.
“Will Stevely made a great contribution to the U23 team which narrowly missed out on a medal, but how he performed for both age categories has been more than I could’ve asked for.”
The British team leaves Solkan with a strong set of results and valuable experience at world level, with multiple athletes making finals and reaching the podium across the Junior and U23 categories.
Full list of results are available here.