Wildwater racer Lydia Oxtoby, pictured above, has been selected to be part of the Great Britain team for next month's Wildwater Canoe Junior World Championships in July.

The event, to be held near Lucerne in Switzerland, will involve racing kayaks down a fast moving glacial river over both four mile and 500m courses.

Lydia was the only girl selected for the team on the basis of strict competitiveness criteria.

Wildwater racing is a test not only of speed and stamina but also of white water skills and a competitor's ability to choose the best line down the river.

Cedars Upper School student Lydia is currently trying to keep up her training around her GCSE schedule and set her sights on the Switzerland competition some time ago.

The usual Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club flat water racing training has been adapted and other opportunities sought to develop moving water skills, often at the other end of the country. Lydia has also been helped by both a grant from South Beds District Council who helped with waterproof clothing and her generous nanny who came up with the funding for her new boat.