EVESHAM multi-sport champion and Fladbury Paddle Club member Helen Russell has been chosen to be a ‘She Paddles ‘ambassador by British Canoeing chiefs.
Ambassadors are chosen yearly to promote the fantastic variety and benefits of paddlesport and will be pivotal in promoting paddling and encouraging more women and girls to get on the water.
Chosen from more than 160 applicants, Helen is part of a team of 15 female ambassadors from across the country who will work together to help inspire women and girls to participate in paddlesport.
One thing the team all have in common is their passion for getting outdoors and sharing their love of the sport with others.
The team of ambassadors came together for the first time at the team launch at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham, where they started to plan the year’s work.
Helen started kayaking to compete in quadrathlons and has gone on to win a number of British and World titles. Recently she started to compete in stand up paddleboarding and is the current GBSUP British Distance Series winner in her board category.
However, Helen wants to show that any woman can enjoy paddling and they don’t have to be super fit or fast.
Over the coming year Helen will be striving to build confidence in women to give paddling a go and motivate others to push their paddling to the next level. She will be organising a number of activities in the local area to get women and girls on the water, especially the River Avon.
“I am really proud to have been chosen to be a She Paddles Ambassador and to be part of an amazing team of women,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to promoting paddling to show other women how fun it is to be on the water and how it can help with mental health and confidence building.
“Paddling has helped me cope with a recent bereavement and I would like to share with others how healing being on the water can be. I also plan to highlight the ongoing problems of water pollution and promote campaigns to clean up our local rivers,” she added.
