Amoret King

Amoret King, one of the top GB junior girls in flatwater racing, competes nationally and internationally as part of the GB junior squad in both sprint (500m, 1000m) and marathon (eight or 12 miles). At the National Sprint Regattas, Amoret races in girls A, and in marathon she races in Division 4 against men and women of all ages. In 2007 Amoret, still an under-16, achieved medals at World and European Championships in K2 with Jess Walker.

More about Amoret…

How did you first become involved in CANOEING?
I first became involved in canoeing when I enrolled in a beginners course. The course was taught in plastic closed cockpit boats, but the more streamlined lightning boats soon caught my eye. Once I had been hooked by the need for speed I continued to train more and more regularly at the club, and started to compete at local races. I started off in the lightning races at the local marathons, then I graduated to divisional races spending a lot of valuable learning time in crew boats with club seniors, and finally I started to find myself at the front of races instead of the back.

What is it about the sport that you like so much?
Canoeing is great because it's so versatile. There are so many ways to enjoy canoeing that if your enthusiasm should wane for one discipline it’s almost certain that you can find something else within the sport that will suit you just as well. I love the different perspectives you get when paddling; exploring outdoors and being close to nature. Aside from that I find that flatwater racing provides a huge range of challenges ranging from technical to physical. I love the rewarding feeling of self improvement which comes after a hard session.

You are still at school and got excellent GCSE results, how do you balance school and training?
It’s a bit of a balancing act to be honest, but not impossible. Training and studying are both time consuming, which can pose problems. The time-management skills and self-discipline provided by attempting to juggle the two, however, are definitely worth having.

When did you win your first race?
I think I probably first won a race when I was around ten – most likely in Division 7 or 8. I spent quite a long time clawing my way forward from the back. I consoled myself that it made things much more interesting to have to fight for a position rather than, as was the case for some of my clubmates, having an easy win. It’s a bit of a cliché but at that time it was really the taking part that was most important. Before long, however, I began to systematically target and and try and overtake the club veterans. I guess that’s really how I got my first tastes of success.

Why flatwater racing?
I went into flatwater racing initially because this is the predominant discipline at my club, but I think I probably would have gravitated towards it had this not been the case. Flatwater racing is for me the most exciting branch of canoeing. It is demanding in terms of speed, endurance, strength (both physical and mental) and technical proficiency. This makes it, to my mind, a very rewarding sport to train for.

What else do you do in you life other than canoeing?
When I am not canoeing I spend my time working for my A-levels, socialising with friends, playing dodgy Damien Rice covers with my guitar and wasting time on the internet.

What is a typical training day like?
A typical training day would be likely to involve three sessions. Training varies depending on the time of year and the proximity to racing events. This time of year I am likely to do a paddling session before school. This would usually be around an hour in length, which makes for some cold, dark, early mornings! After school I might do a half hour run, followed by an hour and a half doing weights in the gym. Most of my training is done at my club with the training group led by my coach David Coulson. That said, I try to train with Jess Walker and Anna under the guidance of Miklos Simon.

Do you ever go out paddling without it being a training session?
I don’t often get a chance to go paddling recreationally (as opposed to as part of a session), but that is ok as this way it remains an enjoyable novelty! My training group recently had a nostalgic ‘fun session’ splashing about in the closed cockpit boats again, and I sometimes allow my mum to haul me round in an open boat while I relax and sunbathe.

What are your best achievements so far?
This season has brought me my best achievements in the sport thus far. In sprint racing I was lucky enough to race at the Junior World Championships in Czech Republic, and at the Junior European Championships in Serbia. I raced in the 500m and 1000m K2 with Claire Spencer and Jessica Walker respectively. In these boats we were placed fourth (1000m) and fifth (500m) in the world. I also managed to win a silver medal with Jessica Walker (who is the current K1 500m European champion) in the 1000m K2 at the Europeans. The following week Jess and I went on to race K2 at the Marathon World Championships in Hungary where we won a bronze medal. Participating in these events was awesome and has inspired me greatly as it gave me an opportunity to see both the talent and dedication evident all over the world in this demanding sport.

Who is/are your greatest supporters
My greatest supporters (and personal taxi service) are definitely my family, the various members of which can often be seen congregating on the bank shouting words of encouragement in my direction. My school is very supportive in encouraging me and allowing me the flexibility to attend international and training events – though I always have to make sure I catch up with my studies afterwards.

What is your ultimate goal in the sport?
My ultimate goal has to be to race and be successful in the Olympics at 2012 or beyond. I doubt that you can be a young person in sport today without aspiring to go to the games in London! I may not get there at once. I may not get there at all, but I can’t imagine ever stopping trying. After all it’s better to strive and fail than not to try and to regret the missed opportunities forever.

Which club is your base and how long have you been there?
I have been based at the same canoe club for the duration of my canoeing career so far. I am very lucky to have high quality coaching available on the spot, and have really benefited from the structure of coaching and support services that operate locally. The club is a great place with a really diverse membership from novice to elite. Training means I never lack for a social life, and I can rely on the support and facilities to help me in my bid for world domination.

Thank you Amoret for taking the time to give this interview.
Photos: Kristin King