Episode 3

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Published on:

21st Nov 2019

Going fishing with Joe Clarke MBE and Ryan Westley

London 2012 Olympic gold medal winner and climate change campaigner Etienne Stott spends time with GB paddlers Joe Clarke MBE and Ryan Westley.

Joe and Ryan are passionate paddlers but they are also keen anglers and they give their take on some of the conflicts between the two sports.

They both love the outdoors but spend summers dashing between training and the fishing lake.  They tell Etienne about their love of angling and there are plenty of stories of their adventures trying to catch fish and the special baits they use.

Joe Clarke won gold in K1 canoe slalom at the Rio Olympics in 2016.  Like Etienne he started canoeing with the Scouts and developed a love of the sport.   The pair walk around the Lee Valley Slalom course and talk about their gold medal winning moments.  And in the centre’s reception they see both their Olympic winning canoes hanging from the ceiling.

Ryan Westley started as a recreational paddler at the age of 3.  He began on flat water on the River Axe in Somerset and then in the sea.  When the family moved to Yorkshire he got into slalom and made his international debut in 2009.  His career highlights include winning a World Championship bronze medal at Lee Valley in 2015 and taking gold at the European Championships C1 in 2018.

Joe Clarke says he feels it’s sad that there is some conflict between fishing and paddling and calls for respect on both sides.  Ryan Westley believes it’s about each side conceding a little to get along better.  Etienne Stott feels the natural resources should be shared.   The trio talk candidly about the issues and what can be done.

If you want to find out more about British Canoeing’s Clear Access, Clear Waters Environmental Charter you can find it on

www.britishcanoeing.org.uk

Etienne Stott is on twitter at

@etiennestott

And you want to follow Joe Clarke and Ryan Westley on social media


@joeclarkek1 (twitter and instagram)


@ryan_westley (twitter)

@Wrestler (instagram)

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Show artwork for The Paddler's Podcast - with the Clear Access, Clear Waters campaign

About the Podcast

The Paddler's Podcast - with the Clear Access, Clear Waters campaign
Olympic gold medal winner and climate change campaigner Etienne Stott introduces The Paddler's Podcast. There's so much being done to make sure you can take your canoe or stand up paddleboard in rivers and waterways across the UK. We'll hear...
Olympic gold medal winner and climate change campaigner Etienne Stott introduces The Paddler's Podcast. There's so much being done to make sure you can take your canoe or stand up paddleboard in rivers and waterways across the UK. We'll hear inspiring stories of the people who are making big differences to the environment to help others and you'll find out how you can get involved.