other for an overall trophy. Running all weekend with camping overnight, the Inter Clubs is the largest canoe slalom event in the UK (by number of participants), a great social event for the sport and one of the highlights of the UK slalom calendar. Since 1981 Viking has taken part in the twin town Sports Festival held every four years between Bedford and Bamberg, Germany, competing against their counterparts the Bamberg Faltboot Club (BFC). In 1994 BFC member Jurgen Hoh paddled all the way from Bamberg to Bedford in a traditional folding kayak (faltboot in German). In 2011, Viking celebrated its Golden Anniversary with a number of special events; it hosted the Hasler National Finals (with Leighton Buzzard CC), ran the first annual Bedford Canoe Polo tournament and completed a 50-mile charity paddle with Paddle 4 Good. To finish the year in style the club held a Golden Anniversary Ball at the Swan Hotel, Bedford, with former members attending from around the country. In 2012, Viking celebrates further anniversaries - the 60th annual Bedford Kayak Marathon, part of the Hasler Series, and the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Cardington Artificial Slalom Course. The club also joined in partnership with the Environment Agency and the Bedford Borough Council to launch the new Duck Mill White Water Arena, based at the Duck Mill weir in Bedford town centre, which formalises the over 50 years of paddling heritage at the site and features permanent slalom poles. Viking has a proud record of producing some excellent paddlers, including C2 Slalom canoeist Etienne Stott, who with partner Tim Baillie has won medals at world cup events, the European Championships (Nottingham 2009) and came fourth at the 2009 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in La Seu d'Urgell. Etienne and Tim have also won team medals together with the other UK C2 boats, at the European Championships (Silver in 2009, Bronze in 2010 and Gold in 2012) and at the World Championships (Bronze in 2009 and 2011). Etienne was named Bedford Sports Personality of the Year in 2008. Etienne Stott and Tim Baillie were named in the Team GB Olympic squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games following the selection races at the Lee Valley Olympic Slalom course. Team GB included just 5 athletes competing in the four events: Men's K1, C1 and C2 and Ladies' K1. Etienne Stott and Tim Baillie went on to