Sweet Smell of Success
Tees Kayaking queen Lucy Gardener is celebrating picking up the Evening Gazette Special Performance of the year award. Lucy and her family attended the Evening Gazette Sports Awards ceremony held at the Thistle Hotel in Middlesbrough this week.
Lucy has had a great year and she brought home a national title to Teesside.
Competing against her great rival Maggie Taylor in the National Paddleability Championships at the National Watersports centre in Nottingham, the gritty Stockton competitor pulled off a remarkable triumph.
Lucy. who trains at Castlegate Quay Watersports Centre, and is a member of Tees Active Sports academy overcame her fierce rival to win the K1 Sprint title. The 29 year old from Stockton only took up the sport three years ago also had the added bonus of beating her personal best by eight seconds in an extremely tense race ,completing the course in six minutes and eight seconds.
Lucy also added to her 1000m title by winning the 200m and picking up silver in the 500m,she then teamed up with Maggie Taylor and proceeded to take the doubles title in the 200m,500m and 1000m races.
Lucy’s proud mother Dot said “We are very proud of Lucy, she has never let her disabilities hold her back and we are delighted that a fantastic 2007 has finished with her winning the Evening Gazette Sports Award.”
Lucy added “ I am thrilled to have won this award and it makes all the hard work in training worth while and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents, coach Stuart Carter and Chris Walker one of the kayaking instructors at Castlegate Quay Watersports Centre.”
Lucy will be back training harder than ever in the new year as she aims to be number one at the 2012 London Olympics.
If you are interested in Watersports please contact Castlegate Quay Watersports Centre on (01642) 528689.