HAREFIELD’S Sharks Canoe Club will become Britain’s largest and most successful club by 2016, insists coach Neal Underwood.

The club, which works closely with local authorities in West London to maximise participation, holds sessions in Harefield, Greenford, Southall, Uxbridge, Osterley Park and Hayes.

Underwood, who coaches and competes, says the Sharks will provide those who are good enough with a platform to compete at the highest level.

“We want to build the biggest club in the country. Simply, we want to be the best,” he said.

“We will do this in two ways – one is mass participation and getting as many people involved as possible and, second, by giving those people who do take it up the best opportunity to be as good as they can.

“We want people to know they are not just coming here to take part.

“If they are good enough, they will have the opportunity to go to the Olympics and we will provide them with the facilities to do so.”

The Sharks are ranked one of the best wild water racing clubs in Britain and have several nationally-ranked slalom paddlers.

They are now working to establish a sprint and marathon team and, later this year, will launch their canoe polo team at Hillingdon Leisure Centre.

Last month, former Polish national champion Beata Fabinska was recruited to lead The Sharks’ coaching staff and Underwood says her addition is integral to the long-term success of the club.

“For some reason, Poland produces the best women in the world,” he said. “Beata is very good and has worked hard with our elite athletes.

“The plan is to get her helping the guys lower down, so that the whole club benefits from her expertise and experience.

“Results won’t appear overnight, but, within a couple of years, we will be a real force to contend with.”

Speaking after her first session, Fabinska said: “Kayaking is very serious in Poland and it is my life. So, to be able to come and work for a club that has such ambition is wonderful.

“There is a lot of talent here and I am sure we can build the greatest club and have lots of fun along the way.”

The Sharks already boast some of the country’s top talent.

Amelia Combes, 13, a pupil at Drayton Manor High School, celebrated promotion to National Division 2 in the Ladies Kayak singles (K1) in October, despite her young age.

Adam Stewart, a sixth form student, also at Drayton Manor, came second in a 19-mile kayak marathon on the Thames in March. The route was from Reading to Marlow, and around 400 paddlers took part.

Neal’s son, Grant Underwood, also got off to a flying start in the 2015 canoe slalom season, taking a third and fourth in the season’s first slalom national last month, racing men’s kayak singles.

Last year, Grant narrowly missed out on promotion to national slalom division one after an injury.

It denied him a place in the British Wild Water Racing Team, but he is now on course for early promotion to Division 1.

Underwood maintains the long-term success of Amelia, Adam, Grant and others rests on The Sharks’ ability to encourage more people to take up canoeing full-time.

He added: “We get huge numbers coming and trying the sport, but the key is to make someone a canoeist, rather than just an individual who tries it out every now and then.

“There is a fantastic atmosphere at the club and we are getting a lot of support from the local authorities. Hopefully, we can continue to grow.

“We are the fastest growing canoe club in the country, with 100-plus members.

“It’s a good start for us to build on and, given that we don’t have much water in London, compared to the northern clubs, we are doing very well - but we can still get bigger.”

Training sessions are held at Harefield on Mondays and Thursdays and at the outdoor pool at Hillingdon Leisure Centre on Tuesdays.

The Sharks supply all the kit members need at whatever level they are paddling.

For more information, visit: www.thesharks.org.uk You can also email: Canoeing@thesharks.org.uk or call Neal on 07952 770241.