Cononley’s Beth Latham has become the leading junior female canoe slalomist in the United Kingdom.

The 18-year-old clinched the honour by coming first in the J18 selection series, winning in Bala in Wales and Grandtully in Scotland and coming third in the other race at Holme Pierrepoint, near Nottingham.

With the best two results counting, the South Craven School student goes into international races this summer ranked as the top junior in the country.

Latham has a senior selection trial this weekend on the 2012 London Olympic course at Lee Valley but her main target for 2011 will be the Under-18 European Championships at Banja Luka in Bosnia on July 12-18.

Her dad Mike said: “It isn’t a surprise that Beth is ranked No 1 junior in the country as she has been in the junior squad since she was 15 and is now in her final year there.

“After silver and gold medals at last year’s European and World Championship junior team events, Beth is targeting the top ten individually this year.

“Last year she missed out on a final place in the Europeans by just 0.1 of a second. She also hopes to break into the national under-23 squad.”

Latham added: “Unlike many top venues, Banja Luka is a natural course in a canyon of the Vrbas river, with the river edge being taken over by specially-erected platforms to take the 2000-plus spectators who converge for the races.

“Between selection races, Beth’s focus has been on getting to grips with the new Olympic venue in the Lee Valley.

“Like almost all who have been able to train on the site, she believes it is the best venue in the world at present and looks forward to welcoming racers to the UK in 2012 for the Olympics - and then beating them!

“But Beth is only an outside bet for the London Olympics herself as she is concentrating on her A-levels in biology, business studies and design (textiles) at the moment.

“I would say she has a ten per cent to 20 per cent chance of being selected for the 2012 Olympics as there are three more experienced canoeists ahead of her for whom European and World Championships are their bread and butter.

“Beth will have a much better chance for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro by which time she will be physically stronger.”

Latham is targeting two As and a B in her A-levels in the hope of starting a four-year course in international business in the autumn at Loughborough University - which is where she already receives dietary and strength conditioning support.

“That would be the dream scenario,” said Mike as his daughter would also be able to train at the National Water Sports’ Centre at Holme Pierrepoint, near Nottingham. An alternative university would be Nottingham Trent.

Mike’s other daughter Jenny is currently sidelined from triathlon as she has had an operation on her hip following damage caused during the Pendle Hill Race a year ago.

Mike said: “A car pulled out in front of her and she struggled on with the injury later last year but it was eventually decided that she needed an operation.

“She will be on crutches for the next two weeks but hopes to get fully fit by training and will hopefully be racing again before the end of the year.”

Unfortunately, this meant that the 23-year-old could not defend her Skipton Triathlon title earlier this month and also missed out on the chance to retain her World Age Group Triathlon Championships in Beijing.

Her immediate target is to represent Great Britain in Spain later this year.