A Yorkshire trainee will combine her legal job with an athletic career after being selected for the UK Athlete Support Program (ASP).
Rebecca Skirrow of Minster Law has been kayaking for 26 years and will join other potential athletes for the GB freestyle kayaking team selection event in March 2017.
The programme is only offered to athletes with international potential and having been selected, Skirrow – who studied Geography at King’s College London and will qualify next March – will start a two-year training cycle, with the ultimate goal of achieving British Medals at the World Championships in Argentina and Spain.
She said: “My parents are kayakers so it’s something I’ve always been familiar with,” she explains. “I’ve always loved the water and even used to be a competitive swimmer. What I love most about kayaking is the multiple levels of challenges. Whether it’s mental or physical, the challenges are always varied.”
Rebecca is a trainee solicitor at Minster Law and has been with the company for seven years. “I really enjoy my role as I’ve been able to learn and develop a lot here,” she explains. “It’s great that my colleagues also take such an interest in what I do outside of work – I’ve even taken some of them out on the water! A few people think I’m crazy to be competing at such a competitive level, but they are all really supportive of my achievements too.”
Skirrow will fly out to Uganda for three weeks in January to begin her training.
