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At 13 years of age, Sundre's Brett Embleton remains one of the youngest paddlers in kayak competition and the only one from the Sundre area to make it to national competitions.

At press time for the Mountain View Gazette, Embleton was in Chilliwack, BC, with members of Calgary's Water Werks Kayak Club preparing for the second in a series of three races under the US Cup. This is the first year this series has come to Canada and two of the three races will be run this side of the border: at Chilliwack and in the Kananaskis.

Embleton will be taking a break between the two races to compete as a Cadet, 12 to 14 years, in the Alberta Summer Games July 27 to 30 in Red Deer.

"Most of what he's competing with right now (provincially) are juniors which he'll be a junior next year," said Embleton's mother, Veronica. "He doesn't turn 15 until next November (2007) but he still has to be a junior next year."

Embleton only started kayaking in 2004 when he was 11 years old. His parents, Neil and Veronica, as well as sister Courtney, 16, took up the sport as a family activity. While it remained as a recreational pursuit for the rest of the family, Embleton was interested in carrying it to the competitive level and began practicing with Jim McAllister, a long-time member of the Sundre club who had seen his children through competition.

In June of 2005 Embleton entered his first novice slalom race near Innisfail and placed second. His next race was on the Kananaskis river at a provincial trial. He won bronze and a place on the Alberta provincial team. In July 2005, Embleton had an opportunity to train for three days with the US junior national team. He won gold in his third competition, this one again on the Kananaskis River.

This year he's working with coach Brendon Curson out of Calgary and has joined the Water Werks Kayak Club on the US Cup tour.

Embleton is camping with the provincial team in Chilliwack and was unavailable at press time for comment.