Name: Philip Watson

 

Age: 16

Height: 6 foot

Weight: 10 stone 6lb / 66kg

Job/Education: School

Current boats paddled: Neutron, Merlin

Location: Appledore, Devon, England

Started Kayaking: I was put in a boat from a very early age in the Skern Lodge pool, my dad's workplace. I spent countless summers there learning to paddle and joining courses. I probably don't appreciate how lucky I've been. I got my first boat on my 12 th birthday – a Riot Booster, which is still my main river boat. I started kayaking more regularly after this.

Started competing in Surf:

Simon Hammond's handicap surf contest was my first event in 2004. After that I bought my first surf boat, an X-Ray, and returned for my first win in 2005. This event and the Mega Plastic Surf Champs each August are great at getting new people involved.

Worlds/National Results - Rankings:

2005 Costa Rica Worlds, Juniors – 5 th =

2006 World Cup Qualifier and British Open, Ireland – 2 nd Junior; 5 th Men's.

2006 Home Internationals, Portugal – Champions with the England Team!

2006 World Cup Finals – 7 th Junior; top 32 Men's Open.

2007 Mundaka – 2 nd Junior

2006 and 2007 BCU league series – ranking 1 st Junior

Kayaking Highs/Lows:

Highs: Going to the Worlds in Costa Rica – amazing experience, having an excuse to travel to places that I wouldn't otherwise have visited, and most importantly that feeling you get when surfing hard on a perfect wave or when hitting a big air – those moments are unbeatable, keeping you enthused and addicted.

Lows: Injuries stopping me paddling

Favourite breaks: Boca Barranca in Costa Rica, Magheraroarty and Tullen Strand both in Ireland, and a secret local spot that I can see from my house that barely ever fires (shhh!) – but when it does it beats the lot for me!

Other Sponsors: Reed Chillcheater, SportsAid, and special thanks to Skern Lodge for support and Glyn Brackenbury for coaching.

Aims and Ambitions:

To win the Junior World Championship event in Mundaka, October 2007. To be number one through my final year as a Junior in 2008, and to make a good transition to the men's event.

Keeping earning opportunities to travel the world and experience it with a great group of people.

To try and push the boundaries of the sport, inventing new moves, going bigger and with more style than done before (and getting photographic evidence!).

Anything else of interest I've missed out.

Thanks, Mega - I appreciate the help and it's great being on the team!