12th April 2010
Dear Canoeing Community
We are deeply saddened by last week’s incident involving nineteen year old canoe slalom athlete – Simon Fletcher, from the North of England, who was training on the River Tay in Grandtully Scotland.
The paddler was training on the stretch of water ahead of the premier canoe slalom race due to take place last weekend.
First and foremost, our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at their tragic loss. We cannot begin to imagine how difficult this is for them.
Our thoughts are also with his fellow training athletes, the coaches and the canoeing community as a whole who are profoundly moved, shocked and upset by the incident.
We recognise that what has happened will affect those directly involved and those not directly involved, but who all share a love of canoeing.
We also acknowledge that the incident will affect people in very different ways.
Some of you may want or need support and if this is the case, we recommend that you contact:
http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/
Yours sincerely,
Paul Owen
BCU Chief Executive