RESULTS at the start of the season may not have been to Ryan Westley’s liking but the Lower Wharfe Canoe Club ace is confident his form is turning around at just the right time.

Back in 2014 Westley, whose club are based in Tadcaster, enjoyed a breakthrough year, making the step up from the under-23s to the senior Great Britain side.

That included a 20th-placed finish in the C1 individual event and seventh in the team event at his first senior World Championships in Deep Creek, America.

However, this year has not been such plain sailing with Westley leaving it late to make the cut for the British senior side before falling short at the European Championships in May.

The World Cup circuit which started in June has provided reason for optimism, though, and Westley currently sits fourth in the C1 standings and 20th in the C2 standings after three rounds.

And with the final two rounds fast approaching in the coming weeks, starting with a competition in Spain this Friday to Sunday (AUG 7-9), Westley believes he is in a much better place.

“I have had a few ups and downs this year. It wasn’t as smooth in the first part of the season as last year when I managed to get through selection pretty easily and finished ninth in the European Championships at the start of the year,” he said.

“This year selection was more of a struggle for me as I fortunately just got through on the final day but then didn’t quite make the semi-final at the European Championships, which is my worst senior performance so far.

“But I have managed to pick it up and got a few really good results in the first three stages stages of the World Cup and made my first final, which is really good.

“Since moving down to Lee Valley I have been able to train a lot more alongside David Florence and I am able to compare my times with his and, knowing he is a medal performer who consistently makes the top ten, I had a reasonable hope that I could make the top tens as my times are competitive, but doing it on the day is a big step up to delivering times in training.

“I know I have a top-ten finish in me but being able to do it would be really nice.”

As well as this weekend’s competition in Spain, there is also the World Cup final in France from August 14 to 16, while the canoe slalom World Championships – at Westley’s home course of Lee Valley White Water Centre in September – is also on the horizon.

And the British paddler admitted a top-ten finish would prove a timely boost going into his home Championships.

“When I finished ninth I had a 50-second penalty which was a really close call and without that I would have had a medal,” he added.

“So my aim is to get into the final in both races and try to deliver a quick and clean run which a lot of the time is good enough to get to where you want to be.

“Finishing in the top ten of the World Cup rankings would be great. I am in the top 20 at the moment so maybe a couple of good results could get me in the top ten.”

l See the world’s top canoe slalom athletes in action on the Olympic course in London at the Canoe Slalom World Championships. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.uk/london2015