Tributes have been paid to a canoeist who died in Cornwall on New Year's Day.

BBC: Tribute to 'brilliant' canoeist Dave Smith

Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist Etienne Stott has been awarded the honorary freedom of the borough of Bedford.

BBC: Olympic canoeist Etienne Stott given freedom of Bedford

On Monday canoeist Jovino Gonzalez was thrown off the Spanish team after failing a surprise pre-Olympic drug test.

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Elsewhere, a canoeist had to be freed by firefighters after he was trapped in a fast flowing beck in Reeth, the fire service said.

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Eric Buchan, chairman of Wyre Forest Canoe Club in Worcestershire, said Mr Smith, who had been a member for 16 years, was a "brilliant" canoeist.

BBC: Tribute to 'brilliant' canoeist Dave Smith

But should fellow GB canoeist Tim Baillie find himself upside-down on Nottingham's Holme Pierrepont course this week, he can call on an unusual paddling pedigree.

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In North Yorkshire, a canoeist, believed to be in his 30s, has died after he was pulled from the swollen Arkle Beck, near Reeth.

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He is the No. 1 ranked canoeist by the International Canoe Federation and his combined time of 176.65 seconds was nearly two seconds better than Florence's time.

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He said Mr Smith was an experienced and nimble canoeist.

BBC: Tribute to 'brilliant' canoeist Dave Smith

On Jack Paar's television show in 1964, Mr. Winters was handed a foot-long stick and he swiftly became a fisherman, violinist, lion tamer, canoeist, U.N. diplomat, bullfighter, flutist, delusional psychiatric patient, British headmaster and Bing Crosby's golf club.

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