2010 British Team Selection

Autumn 09 saw the first 3 event series (with the best two results counting) to decide the British team for the European Championships in Lienz Austria.

Event 1 – The Prelims for the British Championships HPP Nottingham

The first event was on the Saturday of the British championships weekend with scores also counting towards the first round of the British championships. The feature to be used was ‘twin waves’ the newly formed hole after the inlet gate. The wind was blowing down the course at gale force making it really hard to stick moves. I was late turning up for my heat didn’t warm up and pulled a calf muscle during my 2nd run. I finish 10th meaning I just got into the top 10 for the semi’s of the Brit champs but giving me a poor score to count towards selection. Pringle easily won both the selection event and the Brit champs with a 1000+ point ride.

Selection 1
1. Pringle
2. Richard Chrimes
3. Alan Ward
4. Joe Bradley
5. Stu Parry

Brit Champs
1. Pringle
2. Ed Smith
3. Sam Anderson
4. Richard Chrimes
5. Chris Bucksley

Event 2 – The Tardis HPP Nottingham

Another new feature at HPP located between the Muncher and the Bottom Hole. It’s quite a weird feature that’s quite steep but also pretty flushy. Being near the bottom of the course it washes out easily which is what it was for most of the week before hand. Luckily the level dropped enough before the event to hold the competition in it. Pringle won again but was closed followed by Jon Best who like me needed a good result after a poor first round. Jon scored a trophy 2 for a pretty cool backward space godzilla. Joe Bradley who lined up in the eddy as a senior for the first time did really well coming in 3rd. I sucked spending most of my rides paddling back up the eddy but was kindof satisfied with 6th.

Selection 2
1. Pringle
2. Jon Best
3. Joe Bradley
4. Alan Ward
5. Stu Parry

Event 3 – Hurley

I’d calculated the only way for me to get on the team would be to win the last event but at least it was on home turf. It looked like the event wasn’t going to happen after Hurley dropped to 1 gate in the week but the locky put his neck on the line and promised he’d put it up to 2 gates for the weekend. Because Hurley wouldn’t usually have been on 2 gates given the water level the feature was weird and the wave gate was quite holey. It was therefore decided that both gates could be used making run planning very tricky. Despite deliberately waiting to last to register so that I could see what other people did I was put in the first heat. My run plan of combining the wave and the hole worked well and although gay my felix’s both ways in the hole got me plenty of points to begin my ride with and I managed to win it.

Selection 3
1. Sam Anderson
2. Chris Bucksley
3. Alan Ward
4. Richard Chrimes
5. Jon Best

Final Standings for the 2010 British Mens Team
1. Pringle
2. Sam Anderson
3. Alan Ward
4. Richard Chrimes
5. Jon Best