News
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Claire gets a new river
running kayak - a Dagger Mamba 8.0.
Freezing temperatures, low water levels and a new
boat to play with…
This weekend I took my new boat a Dagger Mamba 8.0
over to Wales to test it out.
Despite the lack of rain, and with snow and ice
everywhere, we had a fantastic day on the River
Llugwy at Pont Cyfng falls on the Saturday and
joined up with what must have been most of the
paddlers in North Wales for a leisurely paddle on
the River Dee.
I found my new boat great as it handled really well,
it was very responsive and carried its speed well. I
can’t wait to test it out more when the rain comes.
British Championships 2008
Claire O’Hara - British Squirt Boating Champion
2008!
On the 4th and 5th October 2008, Britain’s top
freestyle and squirt boat paddlers came together to
compete in the British Championships at the National
Water Sports Centre in Nottingham. The event was a
difficult test for the paddlers as the river level
was high and there was heavy rain and strong winds.
These conditions along with the high standard of
paddling being shown made the competition extremely
tough and competitors fought hard all weekend to try
and win the title.
Despite the bad weather I had a fantastic weekend
with all my hard training helping me stay strong. In
the freestyle event I finished a very respectable
3rd place, with Fiona Jarvie current European
Champion winning the British title and Jennifer
Chrimes former Junior World Champion finishing in
second place.
However, my main success was in the Squirt Boat
Competition where in a very tiring battle in a
flooded magic roundabout I once again became British
Squirt Boating Champion, this time not only winning
the ladies title but also beating all the men.
World Cup Series 2008
The 2008 World Cup Series was held in Prague,
Ausberg and Thun and brought over 250 paddlers from
across the world together to compete on some of the
best competition play boating locations in Europe. I
managed to get out and compete at two of the events
Ausberg and Thun where I finished 9th and 14th
respectively.
The main reason for
going to the World Cup series for me this year was
to check out the Thun site in Switzerland as it is
the venue for the World Championships in September
2009. It was great to see the freestyle wave and
also the proposed site for the squirt boating event.
Thun is an amazing place with a river of crystal
blue water running through a beautiful town
surrounded by lakes and mountains. I really look
forward to getting the chance to go back there for
the event next year.
For more information on the 2009 World Freestyle
Championships check out:
www.icf-thun2009.ch
GB Freestyle Kayak Team
2008
To find out
more about the team and future competitions check
out
www.ukfreestyle.com
European Championships 2008
Website and Info. Freestyle kayaking and squirt
boating European Championships July 2008, Spain.
http://personales.ya.com/eurogalicia2008/
New PeakUK Kit 2008
PeakUK have just presented the team with the New
2008 kit. It will be hard to miss the PeakUK team
this summer in the new PeakUK Orange, Ocean and
Berry Topdecks.
New Freestyle Kayak… Jackson
Star
Time for a change. This year I will be competing in
a new kayak, a Jackson Star. I have had a fantastic
time training and competing in my Riot Flair over
the last two years but am now ready for a new
challenge. Thank you to PeakUK for providing me with
my Riot boats for the last two years and a big thank
you to Big Aaron and Square Rock who will now be
supporting me with my freestyle kayaks for the
forthcoming season.
New Squirt Boat… Downtime
Asylum
Having paddled my Downtime Hellbender at the worlds
last year. I am now training in my New Downtime
Asylum. This new boat is designed to achieve maximum
mystery potential whilst still allowing the full
range of freestyle moves. Thanks to Downtime Dave
for once again building a glittery, stylish boat and
for customizing it for me.
Robin Hood Watersport Dry Suit Tested Winter 2008 Based in Leeds Robinhood Watersports have supported me over the last few years. The New Custom Kayak Drysuit they made me for the Worlds last year has been put through to test this winter and has kept me safe and warm. A fantastic piece of kit, strong, durable and dry, every boater should get one.
Claire O’Hara World Freestyle
Kayaking Championship 2007 Video Release
A short video showing the highlights of Claire
O’Hara squirt boating and freestyle performances at
the World Freestyle Championships 2007. Video Edited
by Joe Bradley.
Claire has made the 2008
British Freestyle Team in both squirt boating and
freestyle kayaking again. Claire wrote this piece
(13/12/2007) describing the events leading to her
selection.
"This Saturday I went to London to compete in the GB
freestyle kayaking team selection event. The river was
very high and despite having spent the best part of
the previous two weeks practising at the weir,
everything was now looking very different, with the
amount of rain over the last few days effecting the
level of water in the river and changing the shape of
the surf features . The first event was the squirt
boating competition which was held directly below a
very powerful and dangerous weir just round the corner
from the freestyle weir. I was first to go and set off
into the very murky Thames flood water to do the first
of my three 1 minute runs. The three runs went really
well with all the practice of the last year helping me
put up a strong performance.
I finished 1st in the ladies and too many of the male
competitors, judges and spectators surprise scored
high enough to place 2nd in the men's event. Next up
was the freestyle I had a fantastic practise run but
unfortunately couldn't quite pull it together in the
real runs just missing my biggest scoring moves which
left me finishing in 4th place. There are 3 places
available in the ladies freestyle and squirt boating
teams with your two days positions adding together to
give the official ranking, so finishing 4th today
meant I was leaving quite a bit of work to do
tomorrow.
Sunday morning and the second days events were to be
held at Nottingham. With the river levels across the
country now really high the decision as to whether the
event would be able to run was left to 9.30am Sunday
morning, as the National Water Sorts Centre site of
the competition was in flood. Luckily we got the go
ahead and the competition began. Again the day started
with the squirt boating. This course is renowned for
its world class squirt boating locations on which we
train all year round however with over a meter high of
additional water coming down the course the existing
squirt boating spots were deep under water and a new
location and to be found. Luckily a new feature had
appeared so we had ten minute of practise to adjust to
the new spot before the competition began.
Today I was seventh paddler up so I got a chance to
see how the others were coping with the new feature
before my first run. I got a really nice run and deep
mystery disappearing beneath the freezing cold mucky
brown water to gain more points in each ride. Again I
finished 1st lady securing my place on the team with
Emma Runsimmon, World Bronze Medallist, and Poppy
Layton a young up and coming junior whom I have spent
the summer coaching finishing 2nd and 3rd place
respectively.
Next up was the freestyle yesterdays result meant that
I had to finish in the top two today to make the team
so the pressure was on. Luckily I had spent the whole
of the summer training on this feature for this event.
I threw down three solid runs scoring some really
complex moves. Would it be enough? It was I finished
1st which meant I had made it in to the team in 2nd
place behind fellow PeakUk team mate Jenny Chrimes in
1st and with British Champion and World Bronze
Medallist Fiona Jarvie making the team in 3rd place.
What a weekend, an emotional rollercoaster on some
murky brown freezing cold British rivers, the passport
to the British team and the key step to a sunny
Spanish European Championships next summer."
Claire wins Silver in the Squirt World Freestyle Kayaking Championship Canada 2007
Claire O’Hara won Silver at this year's World
Championship on the River Ottawa in Canada. This was
her first attempt at medals at the World Championship
and built on her success in 2006 when she won European
and British titles.
Click here for full
details and account
Claire also came
11th in the Freestyle section -
full details and account
Click here for coverage on Championship website
See article from Yorkshire Evening Post celebrating
Claire's achievements
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BBC Look North feature Claire ...again!
Claire has again been showcased in Look North (18/4/2007) with a
film and an interview about her forthcoming appearance
in the World Championships.
See the
new clip here
Previously
Claire featured in Look North on 22/3/2007.
See the
first clip here
Claire joins Downtime
New Sponsorship for Claire
Claire is delighted and
excited by the generous sponsorship of
Mitchell Blades, the world class paddle
manufacturers. Lance Mitchell, Director of the
company said:
"Claire has an amazing track record, proving her
ability time after time. With her dedication to the
sport it wasn’t long before she heard the good reports
of our new paddles. Early in January Claire approached
us requesting sponsorship for a Squirt paddle, which
we were happy to accept, and be part of her team. We
delivered it to her at the NEC Outdoor Show and in
return she won the ladies competition held at the
event. We are now sponsoring Claire with our awesome
Freestyle paddles, which she will be taking with her
to the World Freestyle Championships 2007. After
watching Claire perform I saw great talent as she put
her skills in to action, and I can see her becoming
even more successful in her careers in or out of
water."
Lance Mitchell
Director of
Mitchell Blades
Another Title for Claire!
Training Opportunity
Leeds Met Carnegie Support
Leeds Met Carnegie are supporting Claire in her
preparations for the World Championships. She
attended
BBC Look North Feature
Claire's featured in Look North on 22/3/2007 with a film and an interview about her forthcoming appearance in the World Championships. See the clip here
Claire's
Nomination for Leeds Sportswoman of the year 2006
Claire was amongst other Leeds Metropolitan University
Students to be recognised by the Leeds Sports
Federation at the prestigious ceremony held at the
Civic Hall in Leeds on Monday 12 February 2007.
She was highly
commended for sportswoman of the year.
Claire, who graduated in 2004 with a BA (Hons) Sport &
Recreation Development, is Chief Watersports
Instructor for Nottingham City Council.
Download the
January 2007
Press Release here
Centre-page feature in Yorkshire Evening Post
| Claire's trip to Nepal featured in a centre-page spread in the 13/1/2007 edition of the Yorkshire Evening Post. With photos and a very positive write-up of her successful trip it was an invaluable help in raising Claire's profile in advance of the World Championships. |
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See PDF of article here
Click here to read 'A Day in the Life' - a brief
account of her time in Nepal by Claire
Claire in Nepal
-
Peak UK Himalayan White Water
Challenge 2006
Claire
has recently returned from a competition trip to Nepal
where she competed in the Peak UK Himalayan White
Water Challenge 2006. Set on the mighty 'dazed
and confused' rapid, a testing section of grade 4
white water on the Bhote Kosi river in
Nepal. This 3-day
competition sees paddlers come from all across the
world to fight for the title of Himalayan white water
champion. Set in an amazing valley on a classic
stretch of white water the competition offers a fierce
battle ground in which competitors battle in 3
different style of competitions, freestyle, slalom and
downriver to find the overall champion.
The competition which is split into 2 categories
International and Nepali, holds a lot of pride and
respect amongst competitors and as such has a very
high performance standard with some of the worlds best
paddlers competing. This year was no exception and
over 80 competitors came together and offered a
fantastic showcase of paddling and comradeship to make
yet another fantastic event.
Full results and photos of the event can be found at
www.peakuk.com
Unfortunately early in the event Claire picked up a
shoulder injury which meant she had to withdraw from
the competition. However, you can see
photographs from the trip
here.
Click here to read 'A Day in the Life' - a brief
account of her time in Nepal by Claire
Claire O’Hara Guest of Honour at Sports Award
Claire
O’Hara was guest of honour at the 10th
annual Bassetlaw Sport Award Ceremony sponsored by the
Bassetlaw council's sports development team and
sponsored by B&Q . 65 nominations were received from
local sport teams/organisations and individual awards.
The event was a great success and articles on the
event have appeared in Retford Today and Worksop
Today.
Claire O’Hara said, “I was delighted to be the guest
of honour at this event and to see the interest and
development of sport in the Bassetlaw area. I was
impressed by the nominations and the commitment of
all. I wish all the nominations well and congratulate
those who won an award.”.'
If anyone wishes to invite claire to take part in any
simialar events please email
ohara.patrick@blueyonder.co.uk
November 3 -2006
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Claire had an almost full-page feature in the
Yorkshire Evening Post. Featuring three photos and interviews it has really helped raise Claire's profile across Yorkshire. See it here. |
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November
2006
Claire O’Hara is currently in
Nepal in November 2006 to train as part of her
preparation to challenge to become World Champion in
2007.
She returns to England in time for Christmas and
will be available for interviews. She will be emailing
a diary of her trip which can be available for
publication.
Download the November 2006 Press Release here
The O'Hara Appeal
Thanks, Claire
