At the 2025 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships in Račice, athletes took an important step beyond competition by voting for their representatives on the newly established ECA Athletes' Committee. Following the earlier selection of canoe slalom athletes Monica Doria (AND) and Michal Martikan (SVK) in Paris, sprint and paracanoe athletes have now chosen their own voices within the European Canoe Association.
In the canoe sprint discipline, Frederikke Hauge Matthiesen of Denmark and Josef Dostal of Czechia were elected as athlete representatives, while Charlotte Henshaw of Great Britain will represent the paracanoe athletes.
“I mostly signed up out of curiosity,” said Matthiesen. “I love to see how the machine works behind the scenes. Normally I only see things from the athlete’s perspective on the water, so I wanted to understand what goes inside this enormous setup. My main goal is to listen to the athletes and try to see what they want, and to speak on their behalf.”
Czech canoe sprint star Josef Dostal echoed this focus on athlete needs. “First, I need to see what is being done in the European Canoe Association, and then I will try to make some moves. I will listen to the athletes, what the problems are. I know many coaches from many federations, and sometimes they tell me what is great about the sport, and what is not so good, so I can fight for their rights.”
In paracanoe, British athlete Charlotte Henshaw was selected to serve as a representative. A seasoned member of athlete commissions, she brings with her extensive experience from the British Paralympic Association.
“I am really passionate about moving paracanoe forward,” said Henshaw. “It is brilliant that we now have a seat at the table to, hopefully, bring forward the athlete voice. I think it’s really important to hear from the athletes so we can continue to grow the sport and make things even more positive.”
Henshaw also emphasised the importance of practical improvements. “Making sure that everything around the competition is accessible for everybody, that transport to and from the course is good, and that we are getting the small things right to ensure paracanoe is functioning in the best way possible. We already do a brilliant job, but we can always be better and bring the sport to even higher standards. It is growing so much, and we want to keep growing it so that future generations can enjoy what we have.”
