An Exmouth couple are celebrating after again being selected to take on the best in the world at dragon boat racing.

Amanda and Bernard Taylor-Broadhurst, of Sturges Road, have been named in the GB senior squad for this year’s World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Canada.

The Canadian competition is one that Amanda has been looking forward to since she first paddled for her country four years ago, with Canada one of the world’s top dragon boat nations.

She said: “I am excited, but my focus at the moment is on my training, because I want to go there and give my absolute best.”

Amanda, 47, first competed at the world championships in Florida in 2011, and since then she and Bernard, 48, have competed in the European Championships in Britain in 2012, the World Championships in Hungary in 2013, and the European Championships in the Czech Republic in 2014, winning several medals along the way.

Amanda, who has been training throughout the winter in preparation, said: “Your training is what wins the medals. The training, your preparation, your fitness, endurance, technique, strength, your diet – all these things make you able to go out and be at that standard on the world stage.”

Amanda receives sponsored gym use from LED Leisure, and support from Anna at the Massage Clinic, which she says is a major help.

She says she would welcome any more sponsorship opportunities, and can be contacted by emailing atbroad@aol.com.

Dragon boat racing is not all about top-level competition, and Amanda also says she would like to see new faces of all ages, but particularly youngsters, try out the sport at her club, Exe-Calibre.

She said: “It’s a fantastic sport, and a brilliant club – so friendly.”