= GENEVA - STOP PRESS
                                                                                         -
      In July 1949 a small British team went to Geneva in order
to participate - tongue in cheek and heart in mouth - in the first World Canoe Slalom Championships. The fact that they finished the course at al.l, albeit at the end of the list,
w:as recognised by our continental friends by the award of consolation prizes. This year, to mark the 10th Anniversary
of World Slalom, Geneva was again selected for the Champion- ships and, as you will probably know by now, our Paul Farrant marked the occasion of 10 years of British participation in International Slalom by becoming World Champion in the major and most hotly contested class of the F.1. and thereby secur- ing Britain's first Gold Medal in our fascinating and exacting sport.
A surprising win?
     Well, perhaps not quite as surprising as the local press
and announcers would have us believe. Slalom indeed has pro- gressed here by leaps and bounds over the last few years and
a number of our boys are wi thin striking distance of top inter- national honours. Consider for a moment our recent records:- 10th in Diekirch, 3rd in Anseremme, 1st (Team) in Lippstadt. This year. two internationals and two firsts.
Aluc!::z win?
     Slalom will always contain an element of luck, firstly due
to the very nature of the elements in and on which we operate, and secondly due to the selfish shortsightedness of those
whose task it is to devise our rules. The best way of putting it is perhaps that Paul's brilliant, fast and clean run was
not spoiled by bad luck, rather than that he was in any way lucky.
A deserved win?
     To this the answer is an unqualified yes. Indeed, that it was Paul who pulled it off is no more than just, for few canoe- ists - here or on the continent - can have trained in their spare time against geographical and other odds, with such single-mindedness as our Paul.
     Paul's win, not unnaturally, puts all other aspects of the Championships in the shade as far as we are concerned, but a
few remarks may be useful for the record.
     As a pre-Championship training distraction, we had selected the Vorder-Rhein and in perfect weather and water conditions,