Peter Linksted is set to compete at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Oklahoma this summer after overcoming a dislocated shoulder that sidelined him for nearly two years. The 25-year-old from Falkirk used his recovery time to pursue a Master's degree in Advanced Motorsport Engineering at the National Motorsports Academy.
Return from Injury
Linksted's last major success came in 2023, when he won C1 bronze and team gold at the U23 European Championships in Bratislava, adding to his C1 team silver from the 2022 U23 World Championships. However, a freak shoulder dislocation during a routine overhead manoeuvre kept him off the water. Despite successful surgery and extensive rehabilitation, he admits lingering apprehension. “They did surgery on it, and the consultant said it's as good as it will be,” Linksted said. “I’ve done loads of rehab... I’m still probably a bit more apprehensive... It still plays up a little bit and gets more tight than it used to.”
World Championships Challenge
The World Championships venue in Oklahoma presents a physical challenge. “The water pushes against a lot more powerfully than somewhere like La Seu,” Linksted explained. “It's also quite wide and long, more distance to cover, more powerful water... a lot of times you'll end up pressing against it.” He remains realistic about his goals: “If I can get into a final and kind of see where that leaves me, happy days. But I've not had the smoothest start this season, so I'd be pretty happy if I can come out of that knowing I've put down a run that I'm very happy with.”
Academic Pursuits During Recovery
With an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering, Linksted enrolled in a remote Master's in Advanced Motorsport Engineering during his time off. He considered applying his fluid dynamics knowledge to canoeing but concluded, “I don't think there's enough speed or money to do any improvements that would actually make a feasible difference.”
