MALVERN kayaker Emma Witherford has been chosen as a reserve for the Team GB senior squad.

The teenager has been named as a reserve for the European Freestyle Kayaking Championships at Plattling, Germany, in May.

Witherford has been chosen after impressing in the senior K1 women category at 2016 GB selection events at Hurley in Maidenhead and at HPP in Nottingham.

Witherford is in her first year as a senior competitor and has been up against some very experienced paddlers.

Witherford is now training hard in preparation for the championships in May as well as for other events organised by GB Freestyle throughout the year.

As well as competing at national and international level, Witherford is studying for A-levels at The Chase Sixth Form in Malvern and assisting with the running of Fifth Malvern Link Guides.

On two very cold and blustery winter days, the paddlers had to perform tricks in their short kayaks which involved cartwheels, loops, somersaults and spins.

Despite numerous head immersions in the extremely cold river water, everyone paddled well, with the aim to gain qualification to represent Great Britain at the European Freestyle Kayaking Championships in May.

The two best scores from each event were combined to get the rankings for each event, and points awarded for positions to determine the overall winners.

At the first event on the River Thames, Witherford scored lower than hoped but still managed to finish in third position.

The following week at HPP, despite increased pressure to succeed, she managed to again secure third position by performing two extremely good rides.

The wait was then on for GB Freestyle to confirm team, reserve and squad places.

Although finishing third overall at the selection events, which would normally result in a place on the GB Team, Britain’s top female paddler Claire O’Hara had been unable to attend but had asked to be considered for a team place.

Due to her previous performances, having been the most successful female freestyle paddler of all time and winning a total of seven previous World Championships, O’Hara was granted one of the three team positions.

Witherford was named as 2016 GB Team Reserve and she would like to thank continued support from local Cyber Defence Company, 3SDL.

For more about Witherford and her sport, visit her blog at emmawitherford.blogspot.co.uk