Wiggs and co bid to be Euro stars

Six-time world champion Emma Wiggs headlines a Great Britain Paracanoe squad that will be gunning for more glory at this weekend’s European Championships in Belgrade.

British paddlers made a splash in the opening Paracanoe World Cup of the season in Szeged, Hungary, last month, and Wiggs won two gold medals to maintain her stunning recent form.

The 37-year-old and Jeanette Chippington both completed Paracanoe Grand Slams in the 2016-17 season by clinching Paralympic, European and World titles, and they are both part of the nine-strong GB team that will be hunting European success in Serbia on Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s always an honour to pull on a vest for Great Britain and this European Championships is no different,” said Wiggs, who has been a European champion five times to date and won KL2 and VL2 gold in Szeged.

“I’m excited to get out there and race on a new course, and experience another international.”

Meanwhile, Dave Phillipson will be aiming to build on his medal-winning GB debut in Szeged as he tackles the European Championships.

The 28-year-old, who is based in Nottingham, won bronze in the men’s VL3 classification.

He said: “I’m really excited and pleased to be racing for my country again. I’m just going to go out there and perform like I did in the World Cup.

“I just want to perform well but I would be delighted if I could win a bronze medal again, if not better.” 

Former swimmer Charlotte Henshaw, who picked up World Cup silver, competes alongside Wiggs in the women’s KL2, while Solihull’s Robert Oliver returns to the water in the men’s KL3.

Ian Marsden, a four-time European medallist in the KL1 category, challenges for top honours once again along with Nick Beighton in the men’s KL2, who won a bronze medal at the 2017 iteration of the European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Great Britain team for the 2018 Paracanoe European Championships

Men’s KL1 - Ian Marsden (Trentham)

Men’s KL2 - Nick Beighton (Help for Heroes)

Men’s KL2 - David Phillipson (Independent)

Men’s KL3 - Robert Oliver (Solihull)

Men’s KL3 - Jonathan Young (Canoe Northern Ireland)

Men’s VL3 - David Phillipson (Independent)

Men’s VL3 - Jack Eyers (Independent)

Women’s KL1 - Jeanette Chippington (Longridge)

Women’s KL2 - Emma Wiggs (Independent)

Women’s KL2 - Charlotte Henshaw (Independent)

Women’s VL2 - Emma Wiggs (Independent)

Women’s VL2 - Jeanette Chippington (Longridge)