A SIXTH-form student at Gordon’s School, West End, will represent Great Britain at the Canoe Freestyle World Championships in the United States later this year.

Sienna Edwards, a reserve at last year’s World Kayaking Championships, has now made the GB team for the championships in Columbus, Georgia, in October.

The terms canoe and kayak are often interchangeable and used to cover both; Sienna will compete in a freestyle kayak.

She was introduced to kayaking by her father but a trial lesson in freestyle kayaking had her completely hooked.

Terrifying to watch, but lasting only 45 seconds, freestyle kayaking involves twisting and turning under and over white water.

Freestyle kayakers are awarded points for the different rotations they perform, along with spins, somersaults and cartwheels. Propelling their kayak out of the water earns the most points.

Among the tricks Sienna has mastered are spinning 360 degrees and air screws.

“You do need some flexibility,” Sienna said. “Not as much as gymnastics, but it is helpful.”

She starts learning new tricks on dry land, breaking them down into smaller parts before putting them all together and taking to the water. 

Each new trick varies in the length of time it takes to learn, but Sienna is constantly learning new ones and improving on those already in her repertoire.

“It takes a lot of practice,” added Sienna, who is also building up her strength with gym workouts.

A regular at smaller freestyle competitions and the British Championships, Sienna said that although she has only 45 seconds in which to impress the judges with her tricks, depending on the competition, there is the opportunity to have three or four attempts, with the best one counting.

While this will be her first time competing at international level, Sienna has experience of what’s involved.

She said: “Last year I competed in the selections but I only got a reserve place. I didn’t get to compete, although I did train with them and got to go along to the events so I experienced it all.”

Sienna described her selection for the championships as “very exciting” and she is now training in earnest for October, She will attend Great Britain training sessions as well as heading to the United States and Canada this summer to practise.

As she studies three A Levels, Sienna is juggling her academic work with looking for possible universities, preferably close to water with opportunities to paddle.

Asked how far she wants to take her talent, Sienna said: “I enjoy it at the moment, I’m quite excited to continue competing.”