Emily Woodcock (canoe)

Name: Emily Woodcock

Sport: Canoeing

Discipline: K1

Course: Chemistry

Hi there, my name is Emily Woodcock and I compete in the Canoe K1 category. I'll be filming my training schedule and progress throughout the winter, all the way up to and including the Olympics in which I hope to represent Great Britain! There's a bit more about me below. I hope you enjoy my videos!

Update: Unfortunately, Emily didn't quite make the Team GB 2012 Olympics team but is hopeful to make the team for Rio 2016.

Latest video blog - February 2012

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History

I started canoeing just over seven years ago at the age of 11 at Stafford and Stone canoe club which is based in my home town of Stone. I started as part of a group of eight who were given the chance though the school which was Walton Priory Middle school to have a try of the sport. The canoe club and the school have really good links and this system is still happening to get new children involved in the sport. I loved the sport from the start and was always excited to go paddling, also the fear of the water was not an issue for me as I had done a lot of swimming in the past. I competed in my first competition in October of 2004 and I got promoted from Division 4 at the start of 2005. In the 2005 season I managed to move up the ranking system and I got promoted to Division 1 by the end of the season.

I continued to paddle and progress and gained a place on the World class start programme and then in 2007 made the GB junior team for the pre worlds in the Czech republic. In 2008 I came 12th in the Junior european championships and bronze medallist in the team event. Then in 2010 became Junior World Team champions I'm France and European silver medallists in Germany. This year I gained a place onto the GB U23 team and I am also a member of the Olympic development programme.

Goals

Make the Olympic team, senior team and U23 team and medal at U23 worlds and Euros.

Interesting facts

I'm studying chemistry. My nickname is 'Wooders' and I love shoes. :)

London 2012 goal

Make the Olympic team, win gold!

To get there

To get there I am going to put in a lot of hard hours of training and early mornings. Doing up to 12 sessions per week, a mixture of paddling, gym, cardio and a bit of gymnastics work. I will be training at the national water sports centre, the Lee Westwood sports centre and I will also travel down to Lee valley to train on the Olympic course.