Historical Record of Paddler of the Year

2022 Paddler of the Year	2022 Junior of the Year	2022 Volunteer of the Year
Richard Clews	Harvey Harwood	Martin Sinnott
Richard is actively involved in the club. He is the Junior coordinator organising and running junior sessions weekly. He also helps with the Junior Polo sessions. Richard helps at the pool sessions most weeks. He has really enjoyed longer endurance sessions and the Hilbre Island race. Richard has been a regular at Polo training and has played in Division 3. He is helpful, friendly and always happy to have a chat.	I nominate Harvey Harwood for young paddler. He's an excellent freestyle paddler and has really developed his skills over the past year. He's matured into a great young man and was also on the GB squad for World freestyle championships. He is the freestyle coordinator and regularly paddles at Llangollen, Holme Pierrepont and local surf spots in the region and Wales.	Marty Sinnott has bags of enthusiasm and has encouraged many into the sport. He has been particularly active in promoting sessions from the compound at the docks and the Saturday morning rolling sessions. These have allowed many to practise their rolling and rescue skills. More recently he has been a regular to the club pool sessions helping to introduce many new members to the water and guiding those needing help with their rolling.
Nominees: Tim Haines, Paul Harwood, Harry Ruggles, Craig Stoba	Nominees: Elliot Bold, Poppy Clews, Laura Evans, Luke Evans, Harvey Harwood, Marcus Smith	Nominees: Richard Clews, Josh Cook, Adya Misra, Kevin Corcoran, Dave and Fiona Gentle, David Hendry, Chris Marsden.

2021 Paddler of the Year	2021 Junior of the Year	2021 Volunteer of the Year
John Groom	Poppy Clews	Sharon Walters
John has excelled at his sport and can now been seen at the docks several times a week. Training for the Hilbre race has seen him lead a second distance paddling group during the week. He is also a keen, reliable group leader at junior club every week.	Poppy has been a stalwart of the junior club this year attending almost every session. She has paddled in Scotland on the Alternative Alps trip, takes part in all things canoe polo and recently won the West Kirby Sea Kayak race in her own, blue kayak with teeth!	From her introductory course, Sharon is now a regular group Leader on the Sunday paddles. However, a lot of her other work goes unseen. Besides being the club’s lead safeguarding officer, she also completes the admin and organises all the groups for the Sunday Morning paddles. Sharon is definitely an asset to the club.
Nominees: Chris Marsden, John Groom, Liz Shelbourne, David Hendry & Julie Brooks	Nominees: Oliver Groom, Poppy Clews, Aaron Cook & Miguel Toft	Nominees: Richard Clews, Sharon Walters, Adya Misra, Kevin Corcoran, Roger Colman, Martin Sinnott & John Fay

2020 Paddler of the Year	2020 Junior of the Year	2020 Volunteer of the Year
Victor Leather	Ella Clews	Julie Brooks
From a spluttering begoggled mess on the Sunday paddle, breaking his neck to get upright at the end of a paddle float, Vic has blossomed to my knowledge into a surfing veteran of a stormy Saturday morning at Crosby to an intrepid kayaker in the Scottish Isles, with a fish that he allegedly caught himself with a length of string and a bent pin. Amazing progress in such a short time!	Ella is a regular and active participant in the Junior club and plays in the Junior Polo team. Despite having little river experience, Ella paddled grade 3 rivers in the Alps this year with ease, complaining to Keith at one point that 'it was too easy' before he relented and let her, and Ellie Gavin paddle the Rabioux Wave on the Durance. Since returning from the alps Ella has been nominated as one of the Junior sessions leaders and has started attending the Club Polo training sessions with real grit and enthusiasm.	We would like to for nominate Julie Brooks as volunteer of the year. She ran the Sunday Paddling sessions every week regardless of the weather, right through winter, then after lockdown, she ran sessions three or four times a week to give as many people as possible an opportunity to paddle including numerous sessions for new members. The club need more volunteers like her.
Nominees: Dorin Wang, Martin Sinnott	Nominees: Aleksander Ford, Reece Marsden, Charlie Murphy	Nominees: Derek Connolly, Adya Misra, Roger Coleman, Martin Sinnott. John Cooke

2019 Paddler of the Year	2019 Junior of the Year	2019 Volunteer of the Year
Martin Sinnott	Aleksander Ford	Dave Reynolds
Martin has shown tremendous enthusiasm over the few years with the club. He regularly attends pool sessions he is now a co-ordinator for the Sunday Docks session and helps with the disabled pool sessions at Halewood. He has recently conquered rolling, helping other members on Saturday's, and has excelled with his rescue skills. He is a pleasure to be with and has become a very valued Club member.	After making the hard decision to set his football aside to focus on his kayaking Alexander has certainly made a great choice. Having a solid seat in the GB polo training camp he continues to develop his skills and enthusiasm for the sport and is always ready to play. In the Alps this year he conquered the mighty Rabioux Wave with ease. His skill level is amazing, as is his enthusiasm for the sport. We need more youngsters like this.	Dave is a stalwart of the club and without his input many of the sessions simply would not run. His experience has been invaluable, especially when guiding upcoming volunteers at the pool, docks and junior sessions. Many paddlers in the club have benefitted from his inciteful analysis and helpful suggestions on ways to improve.
Nominees: Kayleigh Campbell, Roger Coleman, Aaron Jackson, Chris Marsden , Martin Sinnott	Nominees: Poppy Clews, Luke Durband, Aleksander Ford, Harvey Hardwood, Reece Marsden	Nominees: John Allerton, Stephen Bond, Ian Colwyn, Dave and Fiona Gentle, Dave Reynolds

2018 Paddler of the Year	2018 Junior of the Year	2018 Volunteer of the Year	2018 Swimmer of the Year
Aaron Jackson	Harvey Harwood	Colin Muse	Graham Devaney
Aaron as helped lead the U18 polo team to great success this year and is always willing to help, often putting others before himself. He is developing his coaching and helps run dock sessions. Nothing is ever too much trouble. Stanley Embankment has become a firm favourite of his and his paddling confidence has come on leaps and bounds over the season. He is an inspiration to all.	Harvey has had a tough time this year. He was unable to paddle until June but has made the most of his trips to Stanley Embankment, Tees Barrage, Llangollen and numerous surf sessions to Crosby and Anglesey. He hasn't swum once so far this year, which is amazing seeing how much time he spends upside down.	Colin has consistently helped at pool sessions throughout the year and has been the “main driver” of the beginners’ courses at the docks. He is always the first to greet both new and existing members.	Whilst paddling on the club trip to the French Alps Graham broke out into a strong eddy on the Middle Durance (Grade 1-2). He capsized and struggled to roll and bailed almost immediately. Some of us ran as fast as we could upstream, not to help with any impending pin, but rather to take photo and video evidence which will be released at the AGM

2017 Paddler of the Year	2017 Junior of the Year	2017 Volunteer of the Year	2017 Swimmer of the Year
Hannah Bellamy	John Smullen	Dominic Fahey	Helen Siertsema
Since joining the club in 2016 Hannah has been on almost every trip going: FSRT, SESA and white-water and sea kayaking courses. She has also tried Canoe Polo, Murder ball, Hilbre Race, Scotland White Water, Alpine white water, Pembroke and Anglesey weekends, guide leader’s sessions and just about every other paddling opportunity going. She has recently started purchasing her own fleet of boats, I think Hannah has caught the boating bug!	John has immersed himself in the club this year, a keen member of the U18 canoe polo team paddling at Liverpool and Hull. He loves the Anglesey weekends; paddling his Machno at 4 mile and kept a cool head when his paddle snapped in some very large surf in the rocky Porth Dafarch bay. He calmly surfed away from the rocks using one blade. John is a willing hand at all club sessions, nothing is ever too much trouble.	Dominic is an inspiration for all. He helps run the Monday pool sessions, maintains all the boats stored there and contributed greatly to the construction of the compound at the docks. Always a willing hand and involved in everything to do with Liverpool Canoe Club.	Helen has been a stalwart of the club for many years and is a very experienced Alpine paddler. This year she had several “out of boat experiences” but must hold the record for one of the longest swims seen on the Durance; from the Embrun wave to the get out, about 1km downstream. Well it was warm and we had just paddled 39km that day.
Nominees: Hannah Bellamy & Dominic Fahey	Nominees: John Smullen & Harvey Harwood	Nominees: Craig Ellingham, Josh Cook, Dominic Fahey, Karl Tattum	Nominees: Helen Siertsema

2016 Paddler of the Year	2016 Junior of the Year	2016 Volunteer of the Year	2016 Swimmer of the Year
Carole Thomas	Callum Cook	Steven Bond	Karl Tattum
After joining LCC very soon after it formed, Carole has progressed through to holding 3* Sea and also holds 2* and L1 coaching qualifications. She has also completed her 4* sea training. She has paddled with the club in Norway, the Mediterranean, Alaska, Slovenia, Austria and France.	Callum is now a very competent paddler and enjoys the no-rules polo on a Thursday evening. He started to play canoe polo for the club last season and is a key player in this year’s Division 3 Youth Side.	Steve Bond has almost singlehandedly run the junior club both at Broadgreen pool and every Tuesday at the Docks in the summer. He also helps to repair much of the club equipment and is always willing to guide and look after those new to the club.	During a Beercooler Challenge, Karl had an entry / exit incident. I was able to capture this moment beautifully on this video.....
Nominees: Carole Thomas, Chris Wood, Leanne Murray	Nominees: Kieron Allerton, Callum Cook	Nominees: Dominic Fahey, Steven Bond, Karl Tattum & Paul Harwood, Colin Muse	Nominees: Karl Tattum, Paul Harwood

2015 Paddler of the Year	2015 Junior of the Year	2015 Volunteer of the Year	2015 Swimmer of the Year
Nathan Edwards Nathan started as a very nervous beginner at the Monday evening pool sessions. He learned to roll over the year by sheer perseverance. Nathan regularly attends the weekend dock sessions and has recently completed both his First Aid Training and the SESA Qualification. His confidence has grown so much from the nervous beginner at his first pool session and I felt so proud when he completed the annual Little Eye Sea Kayak Race despite the appalling conditions	Luke Durband Luke has only started paddling this year and has been a regular at Thursday night "no rules polo". He regularly paddles on Saturday and Tuesday junior club sessions and loves canoe polo. He is a member of the under 16s canoe polo team and recently stood in to play for the Under 21s in their division 4 tournament at Collingwood Dock. He is fearless in play and seems to score goals with apparent ease.	John Fay John is an asset to the club, he helps out at the Kingsway pool & Nothing is too much trouble for him just look for the guy with the daft grin. The number of new shy & nervous paddlers that turn up at the Kingsway pool afraid of getting wet not knowing what to expect but after an hour of that daft grin he’s given them the belief & confidence to capsize & even try & roll. He is a regular at the Swim Safety events. John regularly arranges trips on canals & flat waters & at the docks most weekends. If you feed him the odd custard donut he will spend time by the slipway helping you improve what you have learned in the pool & put it into practise.	Pete Thomas Peter was leading a group on the Improvers Sea Kayak trip to Puffin Island. Conditions were decidedly bumpy in the sound and he managed to safely usher his group through the worst of the overfalls and on to the safety of the sheltered water behind the island. Peter was at the back and unknown to his group was knocked over by a larger wave and fluffed his roll. The tide quickly sped him through the sound and it was about 15 minutes later before Karl Winrow came to his aid to put him back in his boat, certainly the longest swim of the year.
Nominees: Alex Logan	Nominees: Matt Richards & Charlie Murphy	Nominees: Richie Burgess, Rosie Diver & Colin Muse	Nominees: Fiona Barry, John Cooke & Mike Bell

2014 Paddler of the Year	2014 Junior of the Year	2014 Volunteer of the Year	2014 Swimmer of the Year
Julie Brookes Since starting out paddling cautiously with no spray deck a few years back, Julie has blossomed this year and can be seen mixing it in overfalls, taking on The Swellies, playing in waves, competing in the Hilbre race, showing up at every club talk and most other events. Heck, we’re almost fed up of seeing her smiling face on every other photo on the website!! We’re nominating her because she’s really improved her paddling and has obviously won many friends in Liverpool Canoe Club.	Rhys Legge Rhys has been a regular attendee at junior club on a Tuesday evening at both the docks and Broadgreen pool. As a junior he is now a very competent paddler and was the first to learn to roll at Broadgreen pool. This spurred many other younger paddlers to follow suit. Rhys is keen to paddle any type of boat and volunteered to paddle in the clubs West Kirby Sea Kayak Race this year.	Pete Thomas Pete has developed rapidly over the years and this experience is now being used to good effect when he organises many sea kayaking trips and events for the club. Not only has he run "Club Expeditions" to Majorca, Scotland and Anglesey but he initiated the "introduction to sea kayaking" sessions at the docks which culminated in a day trip on the Menai Straits for many newcomers.	Peter McComasky During the Liverpool Triathlon swim safety cover(exit ramp in front of all the spectators). Peter McComasky (of Commonwealth Games safety cover fame) shouted out “put some effort into it, I’ll show you how it’s done” whereupon he paddled at the ramp full tilt. This resulted in him sliding backwards this time into the water, he was flicked upside down and had to wet exit right in front of the gathered thousand or so spectators, TV cameras, Ambulance Crew etc. and, worst of all, his LCC friends. All applauded loudly but were too busy laughing to go to his aid as he emerged onto the ramp soaking wet with a big grin on his face.
Nominees: Ben Henshall, Sophie Steventon & John Fay	Nominees: Kieran Sinnott, Charlie Murphy & Harvey Harwood	Nominees: Rosie Diver, Adrian Mould, Richie Burgess & Julie Brookes	Nominees: Roy McHale and Joe Sheppard & Sam Preston

2013 Paddler of the Year	2013 Junior of the Year	2013 Volunteer of the Year	2013 Swimmer of the Year
Sarah Gille Sarah always gives 100 percent and always aims to improve her paddling skills! She is an amazing person to be with on the river with as she always has a huge smile and encourages everyone! She is incredibly enthusiastic even when things don’t quite go to plan!!! Sarah has had an awesome year both personally with her new look and paddling coming on a storm. Her whitewater paddling has gone from strength to strength and her whitewater song is well worth a listen.	. Sam Preston Sam doesn't just look cool in his Jackson Fun, he paddles it well, often rolling or performing vertical playboat moves. You can catch Sam happily trying out his paddling skills; from surf to slalom, & rock hopping in his sea boat (one that's tippy enough to scare most of the grown ups). He can keep up with those grown ups out on a sea trip too. This nomination is for a young paddler who has developed their skills on all types water over the last 12 months.	Dave Reynolds Dave is one of our most experienced coaches and despite many difficulties dividing his time as a full time carer he has run numerous introductory and improver courses for the club this year. Dave regularly helps coach at the pool and has set up and run the disabled canoeing session at Halewood.	Ian Bell River Eden: " I know we are all getting out but I will just pop over here to look at the drop". With that and despite frantic back paddling Ian was sucked over the weir and into the stopper and after a few moments pulled his deck. His boat was finally recovered by the chasing group that had portaged some distance down stream. This gained him an automatic nomination for Swimmer of the Year.
Nominees: Paul Harwood	Nominees: Jack Gille, Sam Strachan, Bradley Tattum, Harvey Harwood, Isobel Papaspyridis	Nominees: Stuart Toulison, Pete Stone, Frankie Annan, Adrian Mould	Nominees: Roy McHale & Darren Bohanna

2012 Paddler of the Year	2012 Junior of the Year	2012 Volunteer of the Year	2012 Swimmer of the Year
Roy McHale has been a very active member of the club over the past year, both at the mid-week evening sessions and most weekends. He's always enthusiastic and very helpful, and shortly after the club Alps trip went on a trip to Siberia involving long walk-ins and challenging rapids.	Ollie Murphy is one of our youngest paddlers on a Tuesday night but makes good use of his junior paddle and Dagger Dynamo Kayak. He regularly paddles to Albert Dock and back with the others.	Karl Tatum has almost single-handedly kept the Thursday evening paddles going over the winter months. He regularly organises surfing sessions at Crosby and the now almost monthly trips around Hilbre Island which are enjoyed by everyone. Most of all he is always encouraging new members and looking after them when they get on the water.	Paul Harwood Anyone who has paddled with Paul knows he always brings his little Canoe which he uses more as a hat than a boat when in the water. If you're unsure then please watch the video………
Nominees: Paul Flaherty, Katherine Wilson, Andy Wrigg	Nominees: Jack Gille, Bradley Tattum	Nominees: Chris Benson, Steve Hitchen, Pete Thomas	Nominees: Paul Flaherty, Steve Hitchen, Justin Cooper, Karl Tattum, Andy Wrigg, Keith Scott, Chris Murphy

2011 Paddler of the Year	2011 Junior of the Year	2011 Volunteer of the Year	2011 Swimmer of the Year
Fiona Wrigg because she has achieved a lot going from beginner to very good paddler in less than a year since joining the club. She paddle the Ubaye race course (grade 4) in the Alps this year and is a keen river paddler.	Regan Bond can often be seen paddling his boat at both the docks and the pool. While it is a playboat he is still able to self rescue by climbing in over the stern	Chris Murphy Running the pool and developing the LCC clothing range both of which have brought well needed funds into the club.	A swim on the lake - Mark Garrod thought it would be a good idea to try John Cook’s little Biscuit on the lake. He thought it would be a good idea to film his technique !!! he set his camera rolling and attempted his next trick which unfortunately ended with Mark upside down. ……... A very unexpected swim had occurred, strenuously denied for some time with Mark promptly deleting all the footage.
Nominees: Brian Green & Michal Giezgala	Nominees: Jake Massey, Jack Gille, Chloe Richards & Declan Richards	Nominees: John Smith & Peter Diamond	Nominees: Justin Cooper, (Roy McHale & Andy Wrigg), Chris Murphy &Helen Siertsema

Year	Paddler of the Year	Paddler of the Year	Other Nominees
2010		Carl Leungsangnam - Carl has been to nearly every coaching session at the docks and the pool and has introduced most of our beginners to paddling. Without Carl’s reliability and time many of our sessions just would not run. Thank you Carl	James Orritt, Brian Green, Frankie Annan Carl Leungsangnam, Mark Moore
2009		Steve Bond - Steve is always available to help and encourage anyone into the sport, especially newcomers. He has run numerous sessions through-out the summer at both the docks and the pool. He is very active on both sea trips and white water paddling and ventured out to the Alps with the club this year.	Dominic Buckley, Graham Devaney, Brian Green, Alex Hunter, Chris Turner