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Hatt Clinic Sponsor Jacob Moves Up The Ranks

January 13, 2020

We’re currently sponsoring a young boy, Jacob Lines from Frome who is an aspiring Olympic athlete for Kayaking.

Jacob and his family had been coming to Hatt’s for a while so he reached out to us and told us about his goal to be part of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Jacob’s story was incredibly inspiring and linked so well to our company mission so we decided to support him.

Since then, Jacob has benefited from a range of our services including Massage, Strength and Conditioning and Physiotherapy. We’ve been following his journey to success and are thrilled to be part of it.

Here’s a review of how Jacob’s been getting on so far:

What progress have you made over the past 3 months

At the time of my last report, I was really hopeful that I might be able to get to

the Premier division in that season, despite the injury that Hatt’s helped me recover from. The good news is that I achieved the results I needed and got promoted to Prem with a race to spare- becoming the youngest paddler in the West Country to reach the Premier Division, and the first Premier Division Paddler that Frome Canoe Club has ever had.

Since the end of the season I have been working hard in winter training and the coaches are very impressed with my progress. On the water, I have been working on my technique and speed, i.e. how to paddle faster, but reduce the risk of penalties from touches or missing gates through getting my lines wrong.

What competitions have you taken part in over the past 3 months?

The final 3 competitions of the season were just after my last report. These resulted in my promotion in getting a 4th and 1st place at Llandysul, and taking part in my first Premier Division race where I was pretty proud of myself in putting in a respectable performance.

I was really pleased to have achieved my goal for the season, despite such a troublesome injury.

What competitions does Jacob have lined up over the next 3 months?

The first competitions of the new season are in February and March. In February, I will start my campaign to try and improve my ranking in Canoe (C1), with the possibility that I might be able to achieve getting into Prem in Canoe as well. Then the season for Kayak starts in March with the selection races for the GB Under-18 team. I am not expected to get onto the team this year as I am only 15, but this is very much seen as the year that I should gain experience and get ready to really push in the next 2 years.

There are also races in Scotland at Easter, where I will be trying to improve my Premiership ranking. Overall there are only 11 Prem races through the season, but I also have some Division 1 Canoe races, and we are starting to look at the International races where I will compete in the European Canoe Association Junior Slalom Cup.

How are you getting on in the GB pathway?

I am continuing to be a well regarded member of the squad, and my coaches are very pleased with me. Now that I am in Prem, I get extra coaching from British Canoeing in the run up to selection.

At my end of season interview, I have been tasked with three key goals:

1. Gaining weight and strength through my off the water training.

2. Continuing to develop my technique ready for the 2020 season.

3. Through the season races, improving my Junior 16 ranking from 8thin the UK (6th in England) to 4th in the English ranking.

My coaches have been particularly full of praise with regards to my mental preparation, progress and attitude to my training. In November, I was voted British Canoeing’s Athlete of the Month.

How has attending the clinic helped with your progress?

The work with the Clinic has been great for me. To start with the injury I had last year, I was regularly doing well before the injury, finishing just outside the top 10 in my races. After the injury and my recovery, I achieved promotion after just 4 races, in which I came 2nd, 4th, 4th and 1st respectively. I am absolutely sure that this shows I came back stronger for the recovery both physically and mentally, and more determined that ever!

I am sure I could not have achieved this without the care and attention shown by the Hatt’s team in my recovery and I am very grateful, as I know are my parents!

I also do not believe that I would be as strong as I am or as resilient without the work that Garrath and I put in between us.

I am also so much more aware of my posture, my body and how to keep myself healthy and strong.

During my end of season interview, I discussed the work I do with Hatt’s with my Coaches. They were impressed at the partnership between us, and they all agreed that although other squad members have been able to secure sponsors for new boats, kit or race costs, the relationship we have with Hatt’s is far more valuable than any of this.

Hatt’s have helped me so much physically, but have also helped me to continue to believe in myself. One of the things that is really important, although they are hard to remember to do, are the social media posts that Steph encourages me to do. They help keep me focused on my goal and are a good reminder of where I have come from and where I am most certainly going! Thank you Hatt’s.