Ambassador Helen Russell named in Cycling UK’s Top 100

Ambassador Helen caps amazing year with place in Cycling UK’s Top 100

Scimitar Ambassador Helen Russell has had a great year of competition, which has culminated with her being named in Cycling UK’s Top 100 Women in Cycling.

After a break in racing due to the pandemic and a personal close bereavement due to COVID, she returned to racing in 2022.

She wasn’t sure what to take on and didn’t want to put too much pressure on herself, so decided to try a new challenge of Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) racing, which she had learnt during the lockdowns.

At her first event in Cardiff in the Great Britain Stand Up Paddleboarding Series, she finished 2nd overall woman in the N1sco/Naish category. The GBSUP National Series is a points competition and rewards consistency over the season. There were three races in the series with competitors’ best two results counting. With this second place result, she then decided to do another race in the series challenge for a national ranking.

Helen finished first in The Battle of the Thames race, which meant she scored enough points to take the National Title.

She said: “I am delighted and very surprised to get this national title in my first season and look forward to seeing how far I can push myself in this new sport.”

Helen also competed in two multisport events this year – her first ever SUP Triathlon, which was a SUP, Bike, Run format in Llangorse, Wales and the British Quadrathlon Championships (Swim/Kayak/Bike/Run) in Shrewsbury. In both events, Helen finished 1st overall woman! The win at Shrewsbury meant she has now been crowned British Quadrathlon Champion four times. Read more by clicking here.

Helen has also continued to give back to sport and the local community. Her chosen charity in 2022 was The Albion Foundation. She participated in the Baggies Bike Challenge and was part of a team which cycled from Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage ground to the Hawthorns in West Bromwich to raise over £30,000 for the Foundation.

In September, Helen was chosen to be a British Canoeing ‘She Paddles’ Ambassador for 2022/23. #ShePaddles Ambassadors are chosen yearly to promote the fantastic variety and benefits of paddlesport. Chosen from 180 applicants, Helen will be part of a team of 16 female ambassadors from across Britain, who will work together to help inspire women and girls to participate in paddlesport.

And to put the cherry on the cake on a wonderful year, Helen was named in Cycling UK’s Top 100 Women in November.

From everyone at Scimitar, a massive congratulations to Helen. Here’s to another wonderful year in 2023.

Helen Russell’s 2022 Achievements:

Results:

• 1^st British Quadrathlon Championships
• GBSUP National Series Winner (N1sco/Naish class)
• 1^st Shrewsbury Quadrathlon (British Championships)
• 1^st SUP/Bike/Run, Llangorse Triathlon
• 1^st Battle of the Thames GBSUP Series Race (N1sco/Naish class)
• 2^nd Cardiff Bay GBSUP Series Race (N1sco/Naish class)
• Part of Baggies Bike Ride Fundraising Team
• Chosen to be a British Canoeing She Paddles Ambassador
• Named in Cycling UK’s Top 100 Women