Jess Huxley
Our second British Canoeing ambassador competition winner is Jess Huxley from the midlands, below she delves into her love of canoeing!
I’m Jess, a 20-year-old student from the Midlands, currently studying at Aberystwyth university. I work part time and during holidays as an canoe/kayak coach. I first started paddling with my family when I was young, mostly on the River Avon at Stratford. I remember becoming addicted to paddling when I took six of my friends for a taster session on a lake for my 8th birthday, the instructor made us stand in our boats and sing the YMCA which resulted in most of us falling in. It was a brilliant experience and I love giving people the same experience now. I also did plenty of touring and sea kayaking. I think its wonderful to be out in a boat doing something that not everyone does every day and seeing wildlife that would otherwise be hidden. I still get excited every time I paddle with a seal or see a kingfisher darting down the river bank. I joined the Sea Cadet Corps at 16 and had the opportunity to start doing BCU qualifications. I went through the process of gaining my Level 1 Coach alongside my dad which was a fantastic experience! After A-Levels, I decided I needed a break from education and moved out to the UAE for a year to teach kayaking and canoeing to beginners in the sunshine! After a brilliant year I have now started university and been introduced to so many elements of paddle sports, including surf, white water and polo! I have just returned from a trip to Scotland, which included plenty of unintentional swims! However, I have gained a lot of confidence and look forward to pushing my paddling more and continuing my coaching journey over the next year!
My top bits of canoeing kit are:
- Peak UK River Guide Buoyancy Aid – It is always important to wear a BA and wearing this BA is fantastic due to the well organised pocket space (mostly used for snacks!)
- WRSI Current Pro Helmet – I believe the fit of the helmet is very important and the Current Pro is perfect for my head shape. I can thoroughly recommend getting professionally fitted by an expert!
- Dagger RPM – I have a 20-year-old RPM and it is beautiful! It’s the boat I first learnt to paddle in and I’m now starting to use it on harder sections of white water and learning to get it vertical!
- Duct-Tape- I always have Duct Tape with me when paddling, can be used as a waterproof plaster, for temporary boat repairs or even to fix my leaky car.
- The Dry Bag Pro – Not forgetting this awesome piece of kit which I’m using to transport by gear to and from the water. I’ve been following The Dry Bag since they launched and am very excited to get my hands on their wet gear bag
Follow what I’m up to @jesshuxley