SEVENTEEN-year-old Mike Dickinson has his sights set on paddling in the Slalom World Championships for Great Britain this year.

The Evesham Paddle Monsters Canoe and Kayak Club member and Prince Henry’s High School pupil produced his best run so far at the first Premier Division race of the season.

Only the top 10 in the country went through to the final and Dickinson was 17th after the first runs so needed to up his game.

On his second he was six-and-a-half seconds faster with another clean run.

There was a nail-biting wait to see if Dickinson had made the final but he missed out by 0.03 of a second.

He finished 11th overall in the senior men’s kayak category for a personal best and also was first junior 18 in the country for a morale boost going into the selection races.

Selection for the GB junior 18 team is over three races in London at the Olympic 2012 slalom course at Lee Valley.

Due to his performance Dickinson also earned a wildcard entry for the under 23s and senior selection race at the same venue over the Easter weekend.

He is also competing in Europe over the summer for GB in the European Junior Cup series.

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