Ryan Westley and Adam Burgess know the meaning of 'friendly rivalry' more than anyone.
Only one spot is available for Team GB in the men's C1 canoe slalom event at Paris 2024 and the two paddlers will be going head-to-head over the coming weeks to secure it.
Teammates and friends off – and occasionally on – the water, Westley and Burgess are two of Britain’s strongest C1 athletes.
Westley's 2023 European Games title secured a quota spot for the boat next summer but the two athletes must now face each other for a chance at individual qualification.
“There’s only two more races now between us and Olympic selection," said Westley.
“Ours is the only category where I believe it’s going to come down to such a narrow point.
“We have a national race in October, and we will both be going into that wanting to beat the other, which is exciting.
“Hopefully, it means that whichever of us ends up going is in very good shape and will be challenging on that stage for Team GB.”
Adam Burgess
Burgess’ Olympic debut in Tokyo came to an agonising end as he finished fourth, just 0.16 seconds off a medal.
Now he hopes a consistent season in the lead up to selection will secure a chance to right those wrongs in Paris.
"Fourth in Tokyo is unfinished business and I still wake up in the night sometimes thinking about it,” he said.
“It would mean everything to me have another go.”
Burgess finished fifth on home waters at the 2023 Canoe Slalom World Championships.
The paddler slipped just short of a podium place once more with a time of 99.80 seconds at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, a bittersweet experience for the 31-year-old.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience of racing a home Worlds in my back garden," he said.
"There has been a lot of pressure and a lot of nerves, and it's been really uncomfortable at times, but these are the moments that really make you feel alive.
"I'm proud with how I performed, it might not be the results I wanted but there was some great adaptability to keep the run alive on a really hard course.”
Despite consistent results across the season, Burgess has seen a big change on the water this year: his boat.
The paddler decided to switch equipment halfway though the season to keep up with his competition, a risk he believes has paid off.
"It was a bit of a gamble but I'm happy with the decision,” he added.
"The changes are quite radical; I've gone from something quite wide and flat to something very round and narrow.
"I felt a little forced into it because most of the field jumped into this design and were flying the first half of the season, so I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about and it seems to have made a big difference.
"I'd really like to feel really set and solid in this boat ahead of Paris next year.”
Ryan Westley
Westley missed out on a place in the World Championship final by just 0.07 seconds.
Receiving a two second penalty on the third gate, he was forced into 11th place just days after earning silver in the team event alongside Burgess and James Kettle.
“There’s nothing you can do about it, I just need to try and go again,” Westley said.
“I know I’ve been good here in the past. I thought I was paddling really well coming in and was in a position for a medal.
“It’s really frustrating.”
Crossing the finish line with an agonising wait to see if he had made the final or not, Westley was immediately comforted by his close friend and kayak cross expert, Joe Clarke.
And the Somerset paddler expressed his gratitude in having a teammate he could always reply on, without having the underlying battle for Olympic qualification always on his mind.
“Joe and I have been mates since we left home and have been training partners since 2016,” he said.
“I get on with Adam and James [Kettle], the other two guys in my event, but at the end of the day we are trying to beat each other so it’s not quite the same.
“Joe is in another category, so it’s great having someone who knows exactly who you feel.”
🥇 A M A Z I N G 🥇@Ryan_Westley storms to an incredible canoe GOLD!
— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 2, 2023
A brilliantly-executed race catapulted the paddler up the rankings and to #EuropeanGames2023 champion. pic.twitter.com/rscSOSh2OO
The one to qualify the boat but yet to make his Olympic debut, Westley has had a rollercoaster of a year so far.
And with the clock ticking down until team announcements, the C1 star is eager to be back on top and listening to ‘God Save the King’ in Paris next summer.
“I went into the European Games with zero expectations and couldn’t believe the run I pulled off in the final,” he said.
“I never thought I would get back on that top step again and hear that national anthem.
“I’ve had silvers and bronzes a few times but nothing compares to hearing that.
“My mindset is that if you’re not first, you’re last and I’ll be carrying that into Paris.”
Sportsbeat 2023