Fiona Pennie

Dallerie was looking spectacular for the @morrisonsacademy Sports yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed my time watching all the events going on and it was a privilege to present the prizes. On my last Sports Day as a pupil in 2000, the prizes were presented by Emma Carrick-Anderson. I remember thinking I wanted to be just as good an athlete to have the chance of presenting the prizes one day. That day finally came! ✅ Who will be the next MA Olympian?? #SportsDay #MorrisonsAcademy #StriveForTheHighest #EmmaCarrickAnderson #Olympian

Classic Edinburgh shot ✅ Princes Street shining in the sun. #ThisIsEdinburgh #visitScotland #PrincesStreet #CaltonHill

Top day topped off by getting along to Calton Hill on the bike to have a wee look over Edinburgh! #ThisIsEdinburgh #visitScotland #CaltonHill

Unlucky 13 was certainly unlucky for me in our home World Cup Race 1 at Lee Valley. Good enough sections at the top and the bottom of the course but came apart in the middle of the course. Couldn't quite correct a line error before the crutial section at gates 19 to 20 which meant I lost too much time there. Too much time lost for a chance of a place in the final. So, so disappointed I didn't manage to put something down. Thank you so much to everyone who came to support me on the riverbank and from home. Time to move forward to the rest of the season!

Ach so close to a final! So many little things on that run could have been the 0.08 second difference. Happy Birthday Dad, know you're still supporting me from somewhere; didn't quite send you the birthday present I was hoping for! 💙😘 Onwards home to Lee Valley for World Cup 1 in 2 weeks time!

🇪🇺European Championships🇪🇺 Leaving behind that team run from today! Off to tomorrow's semi-final. My run is at 11:26BST. No livestreaming because of TV rights! So unless you have access to France 3, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene or German TV then the live results in my bio will have to do! 📷: @kim_jones_photography #CanoeSlalom #EuropeanChampionships

Another sunny session with @ricarda_funk this morning....4 months on from our fun sessions in Dubai! So good to be sharing our course with the world's best. Thanks Rici for the session and laughter! Thanks @franzanton89 for the 📷💣!

Do I have to go back to London?? #visitScotland #LochEarn #Perthshire

Enjoyed the weekend's racing of Prem Races 4 and 5 at Grandtully. Some challenging "old school" moves at the top of the course taking me right back to the 90's! Some of the volunteers from the 90's are also still here helping run a race so that we can enjoy some timed runs down the river. The same face has, since the 90's, been there days before the race maintaining and carrying the timing beams to the start and finish and this weekend was also sitting as the finish judge for over 3 hours of the weekend. That same person and his wife carrying a a boarded ladder to create a bridge in order for a judge to get to their position. One, shall I say, veteran section judge who's been doing her volunteer job much longer than I've been paddling, clambering down the precarious far bank so that we could have a fair competition. My Dad who volunteered at the Scottish races for many years is testament to the fact that these people won't be around to do this forever and indeed shouldn't be doing as much as they still do. We need new people to step up! The British Canoeing Programme may provide coaching, support services, water time and a certain amount towards trips for so many of us, but they don't provide judges, timing officials, jury members or race organisers. Mums, Dads, sisters and brothers: we need you! Without this generation of volunteers, we wouldn't have any races, but who will run the races in the next 5, 10, 20 years? If nobody puts their hand up to give even just half an hour at these races then there will be no Canoe Slalom in the UK. Simple as that. It's not scary to do; there are plenty of people to show you the ropes and there's a guide to judging on the Canoe Slalom website. You won't be asked to do anything whilst your child needs you around their run. If lots of people can offer just half an hour of their time then it'll be light work for everyone. Just contact the organiser before the race to offer a hand; there's a job for anyone no matter how much you currently know or how young you are! Nag your parents kids, you need races to still be able to happen!

The win at Lee Valley Prem Race 3 yesterday probably ranks as one of the highest up there in my 61 Prem wins of my career. It was a tough decision as to whether I should risk leaving my Dad's bedside but knew he would want me racing even if it meant it was the last time I would see him. I made the decision and left at 8am on Saturday, got to my house in Lee Valley briefly to get the grass cut, did a session on the whitewater, weeded the garden, treated the grass, washed the car,(priority jobs!) dinner, bed, early get up, raced 2 runs, prize giving and then hit the road north just in time to show Dad my trophy before his 8pm sleeping tablet. Half a raised eyebrow was enough appreciation for me! I certainly felt a little rusty, but I can't complain after a total of 14 sessions on the course since the start of January and there hasn't been many more on whitewater full stop! Mum did awesome holding the ship together in Crieff whilst I was gone and @lynsdouglas put up with me being home for all of a few hours; ruined her 3 month (so far) on/off holiday away from me! 😘 #Repost @kim_jones_photography ・・・ @fionapennie on the Olympic Course at @leevalleywwc yesterday @british.canoeing @uk_sport @lovejaffacitrus @peak @vajdakayaks @gpowerpaddles @uk_sport @planetcanoe @canoeslalomlife #whitewater #kayak #britishcanoeing #canoeslalom

Getting a little too used to this sight! Making the decision to drive south when my Dad is so, so close to the end has not been easy and I know the risk is now huge. I also know he would want me to race tomorrow morning in Lee Valley. The little wink and half fist bump he gave me when I left told me so. 🤜🤛 Tesco Petrol at Lesmahagow is doing very well out of me in the last few weeks as I've been a yo-yo up and down the country!!