JONNY Schofield will be hitting the rapids again in a bid to clinch gold in the European Championships this weekend.

The 21-year-old canoeist from Sawley is part of the Great Britain team looking to win the European crown in Pontevedra, Spain.

He will partner former junior marathon world champion Ben Brown in the Men's Kayak Doubles event.

The pair have dominated the 500m event domestically this season, and will go into the event as hot favourites. They will also compete in the 200m race.

Schofield has been canoeing for over 10 years, and in 2002 became Junior World Champion in Bala, Wales.

Three years later, he claimed third overall in the senior world Cup, winning two gold medals in individual sprint events.

In May this year, he won gold at the European Wild Water Championships and finished seventh in the 500m Sprint World Cup alongside Brown.

Great Britan team manager Alan Williams said: "The training has gone well, and we're all looking foward to the Championships. With Jonny Schofield and Ben Brown, we have a very strong crew for the doubles."