At only 8 years old, Ben was given his first kayak from his parents and sent to the local canoe club (Elmbridge CC) where he quickly picked up and loved flat water racing. By age 15, Ben had held junior records for local marathon races, and was a regular to the podium of the sprint and marathon National Championships.

Ben took a shine to marathon racing, a discipline that involves the mind more than the muscle, and was able to keep up with and beat competitors that were faster than him. In 2002, teaming up in a K2 (double) with Paul Wycherley from the Wey Kayak Club in Guildford, Ben made his first World Championship, racing the Junior category and taking 10th place at the age of 16. This result encouraged Ben to train harder and more professionally, as the next year he became Great Britain’s first ever male Junior Marathon World Champion. His junior career saw him take several World Cup medals as well as a 10th at the Junior Sprint World Championships in Japan.

Stepping into senior racing was a big ask, early senior highlights include 11th place at the European Marathon Championships, and a 2nd place at the Senior Marathon National Championships. It was in 2006 when Ben really broke onto the senior marathon scene, starting with double National Marathon Champion, and ending with a 4th at the World Championships in France. In 2007 and 2008 efforts were focused on getting to the 2008 Beijing Olympics - In K2 with Jon Schofield racing the 500m discipline they took 9th place at the Senior Sprint World Championships missing Olympic Qualifying by less than a second, and the 2008 European Championships saw another 9th for the Duo. In 2009 Ben and Jon concentrated on separate disciplines, with Jon now training for 200m and Ben training for 1000m and the Marathon.

With another Double (K1 & K2) National Championship title in 2009, the next big step was placing 2nd in the Marathon World Championships 2009 on the Portuguese river in Crestuma, a good improvement on 4th in 2006, being beaten only by the 10 x Marathon World Champion Manuel Busto from Spain. Only one place better would do the next year.

2010 – Winner of the 1st Marathon World Cup in Tyn – Czech, Winner in K1 and Bronze in K2 at the 2nd World Cup in Brandenburg – Germany, National Marathon Champion (for the 3rd time) in Chester, and to take a clean sweep, Ben beat the Spanish Marathon Legend Busto to become Marathon World Champion, and breaking the 10-year wait for a Senior World Marathon Gold.
Ben has also been trying his hand at a relatively new discipline; Surf Ski Ocean Racing. Being a keen surfer, this seems to be a perfect chance to diversify and break into another sport that is so similar, yet so different to flat water marathon.

Career Highlights & Bio
2010 – Marathon World Champion 2010 – Marathon World Cup Overall Winner 2010 – National Marathon Champion 2009 – 2nd Marathon World Championships 2009 – Double National Marathon Champion 2008 – 8th Sprint European Championships 2007 – 9th Sprint World Championships 2006 – 4th Senior Marathon World Championships 2006 – Double National Marathon Champion 2003 – Junior Marathon World Champion

• Date of Birth: 13/03/1986
• Current Residence: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
• Club: Elmbridge Canoe Club
• Height / weight: 175cm/72kg
• Coach / mentor: Ian Wynne/Ivan Lawler
• Kayak: Nelo Vanquish III
• Paddles: Jantex Gamma Large minus

More about Ben Brown, visit http://bbrown.co

About the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships
The ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships was first held in 1988 and is recognised worldwide as the sport’s main event as it is not an Olympic discipline. Jointly organised by the ICF and the Singapore Canoe Federation, the 19th World Championships will be set in the visually stunning setting of Marina Bay and will boast Singapore’s business and financial district as its scenic backdrop – opening up the sport to a new spectrum of spectators.

Over 800 athletes and officials from 40 countries are expected to compete in six different race categories of distances from 17 km to 30 km.

Event website: www.canoemarathon2011.org