# Joe Clarke (canoeist)

Joseph Clarke (born 3 November 1992) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2009, specializing in the K1 (kayak) and KX1 (extreme kayak/kayak cross) events. He is the 2016 Olympic champion in the K1 event, the 2023 World champion in the same event, and a triple World champion in the kayak cross discipline, and has won multiple medals at World and European Championships. He is the most successful kayak cross competitor at global level in the history of the event.

## Early life

Clarke was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He first tried canoeing during a trip with The Scout Association at the age of eight. He then applied to join the Stafford and Stone Canoe Club, but was rejected for being too young. He was given the chance to reapply through his middle school's canoeing club during year six at Walton Priory Middle School, but as they only had eight places available which were greatly oversubscribed he was required to write a letter to demonstrate why he deserved a place. His application was successful and he began training with the club, competing in his first race in 2004 at the age of 11. Clarke supports local team Stoke City F.C.
Clarke attended Alleyne's Academy high school, after going to his middle school Walton Priory Middle School. At the age of 15 he contracted bacterial meningitis which caused an abscess behind one eye. He was in hospital for two weeks and was treated with intravenous antibiotics, after which he made a full recovery.

## Career

Clarke made his debut for the British junior team in 2009, winning junior European Championship silver medals in the K1 team event in 2009 and 2010. He has trained at the Lee Valley White Water Centre since 2012.
He won a European Championship under-23 silver medal in the individual K1 in 2013, and World Championship silver medals in the under-23 team event in 2013 and 2014.
At senior level, he won eight medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with five golds (K1: 2023; Kayak cross: 2021, 2022, 2023; K1 team: 2018), one silver (K1 team: 2022) and two bronzes (K1 team: 2014, 2015). He also won six medals (1 gold, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes) at the European Championships, including a bronze medal in the K1 event at the 2023 European Games in Kraków.
Clarke won the overall World Cup title in Kayak cross in 2023 and 2024.
Clarke was selected for the 2016 Summer Olympics after winning the individual K1 at the British selection trials in October 2015. At the Olympics he qualified for the final of the K1 event with the third fastest time in the semi-final. He won gold in the final with a time of 88.53 seconds, the first time a British competitor had won gold in this event.
Clarke was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to canoeing.
In 2018, Clarke guest starred in the third episode of the fourth series of the CBBC children cooking show Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch.

## World Cup individual podiums

| | | | | Total |
| K1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| Kayak cross | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Total | 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
| Season | Date | Venue | Position | Event |
| 2014 | 16 August 2014 | Augsburg | 2nd | K1 |
| 2018 | 24 June 2018 | Liptovský Mikuláš | 3rd | K1 |
| 2018 | 1 July 2018 | Kraków | 1st | K1 |
| 2019 | 16 June 2019 | Lee Valley | 1st | K1 |
| 2021 | 11 September 2021 | Pau | 3rd | K1 |
| 2022 | 12 June 2022 | Prague | 2nd | Kayak cross |
| 2022 | 18 June 2022 | Kraków | 2nd | K1 |
| 2022 | 19 June 2022 | Kraków | 3rd | Kayak cross |
| 2023 | 2 June 2023 | Augsburg | 2nd | K1 |
| 2023 | 4 June 2023 | Augsburg | 3rd | Kayak cross |
| 2023 | 18 June 2023 | Tacen | 1st | Kayak cross |
| 2023 | 2 September 2023 | La Seu d'Urgell | 2nd | K1 |
| 2023 | 3 September 2023 | La Seu d'Urgell | 2nd | Kayak cross |
| 2024 | 14 June 2024 | Kraków | 1st | K1 |
| 2024 | 22 September 2024 | La Seu d'Urgell | 1st | Kayak cross |

## Results
### 2009

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 22–26 July | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 110.28 | 108.97 | 108.97 | 27 |
| 22–26 July | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Team Heat | N/A | N/A | 121.97 | 4 |
| 22–26 July | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 115.45 | 2 |

### 2010

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 8–11 July | Junior World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 102.40 | 101.18 | 101.18 | 3 |
| 8–11 July | Junior World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 122.79 | 30 |
| 8–11 July | Junior World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 116.40 | 5 |
| 4–7 August | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 98.23 | 96.97 | 96.97 | 4 |
| 4–7 August | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 104.88 | 16 |
| 4–7 August | Junior European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 115.02 | 2 |

### 2011

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 1–3 July | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Heat | 102.40 | 103.92 | 102.40 | 44 |
| 14–17 July | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 97.84 | 100.54 | 97.84 | 15 |
| 14–17 July | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 101.60 | 18 |
| 14–17 July | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Team Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 106.02 | 2 |
| 14–17 July | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 117.73 | 6 |
| ~ | World Cup Final Standings | K1 Men Individual | N/A | N/A | N/A | 117 |

### 2012

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 11–15 July | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 115.37 | unknown | unknown | 30 |
| 11–15 July | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 108.96 | 12 |
| 11–15 July | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 131.15 | 10 |
| 6–9 September | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 113.38 | 111.02 | 111.02 | 8 |
| 6–9 September | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 105.12 | 5 |
| 6–9 September | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 107.60 | 7 |
| 6–9 September | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Team | N/A | N/A | 128.61 | 9 |

### 2013

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 6–9 June | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | N/A | N/A | 85.76 | 8 |
| 6–9 June | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 138.07 | 13 |
| 6–9 June | European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 103.24 | 7 |
| 21–23 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 21–23 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 107.85 | 4 |
| 5–7 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 5–7 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 103.40 | 30 |
| 5–7 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Team Final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 17–21 July | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Individual | unknown | unknown | unknown | 31 |
| 17–21 July | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Team | unknown | unknown | unknown | 2 |
| 30 July – 4 August | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Individual | unknown | unknown | unknown | 2 |
| 30 July – 4 August | U23 European Championship | K1 Men Team | unknown | unknown | unknown | 4 |
| 16–18 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 16–18 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 112.05 | 29 |
| 16–18 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 125.27 | 8 |
| 11–15 September | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 140.81 | 88.10 | 88.10 | 9 |
| 11–15 September | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 97.64 | 6 |
| 11–15 September | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 101.07 | 6 |
| 11–15 September | World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 113.94 | 5 |
| ~ | World Cup Final Standings | K1 Men Individual | N/A | N/A | N/A | 35 |

### 2014

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 22–27 April | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 95.06 | 94.44 | 94.44 | 9 |
| 22–27 April | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 100.93 | 11 |
| 22–27 April | U23 World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 106.32 | 2 |
| 29 May – 1 June | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 87.52 | 136.35 | 87.52 | 13z |
| 29 May – 1 June | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 88.30 | 15 |
| 29 May – 1 June | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 91.47 | 11 |
| 29 May – 1 June | European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 98.75 | 2 |
| 6–8 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 6–8 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 97.88 | 11 |
| 6–8 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 108.71 | 1 |
| 13–15 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 13–15 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 152.10 | 34 |
| 13–15 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 122.92 | 8 |
| 20–22 June | World Cup Race 3 |
| 20–22 June | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 20–22 June | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 20–22 June | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 98.76 | 6 |
| 20–22 June | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 157.21 | 10 |
| 1–3 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1–3 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 97.68 | 24 |
| 15–17 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 15–17 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 15–17 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 95.49 | 2 |
| 15–17 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 113.92 | 6 |
| 17–21 Sep | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 101.05 | 204.40 | 101.05 | 19 |
| 17–21 Sep | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 156.36 | 36 |
| 17–21 Sep | World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 123.24 | 3 |
| ~ | World Cup Final Standings | K1 Men Individual | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4 |

### 2015

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 28–31 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 94.91 | unknown | unknown | 1 |
| 28–31 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 95.14 | 3 |
| 28–31 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 96.16 | 8 |
| 28–31 May | European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 108.01 | 2 |
| 19–21 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 19–21 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 19–21 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | DSQ-R | 10 |
| 19–21 June | World Cup Race 1 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 103.19 | 4 |
| 26–28 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 26–28 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 26–28 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 82.48 | 4 |
| 3–5 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 3–5 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 98.77 | 29 |
| 3–5 July | World Cup Race 3 | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | DNS | =16 |
| 7–9 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 7–9 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 7–9 August | World Cup Race 4 | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 96.05 | 9 |
| 14–16 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 14–16 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 100.23 | 18 |
| 14–16 August | World Cup Final | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 106.48 | 2 |
| 16–20 September | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 81.47 | unknown | unknown | 2 |
| 16–20 September | World Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 142.57 | 38 |
| 16–20 September | World Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 106.38 | 3 |
| ~ | World Cup Final Standings | K1 Men Individual | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7 |

### 2016

| Date | Tournament | Event | Score | Score | Score | Place |
| Date | Tournament | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Best Run | Place |
| 13–15 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Heat | 92.58 | unknown | unknown | 19 |
| 13–15 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 94.98 | 5 |
| 13–15 May | European Championship | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 144.58 | 10 |
| 13–15 May | European Championship | K1 Men Team Final | N/A | N/A | 118.17 | 4 |
| 10–12 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Heat | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 10–12 June | World Cup Race 2 | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 96.16 | 18 |
| 7–11 August | Olympic Games | K1 Men Individual Heat | 135.89 | 86.95 | 86.95 | 2 |
| 7–11 August | Olympic Games | K1 Men Individual Semi-final | N/A | N/A | 90.67 | 3 |
| 7–11 August | Olympic Games | K1 Men Individual Final | N/A | N/A | 88.53 | 1 |
| World Cup Final Standings | K1 Men Individual | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 61 |