A Cornish sport lecturer has received a call up to the Great Britain stand up paddleboard team, ahead of the Olympic Games in Rio.

Glenn Eldridge, who lectures on the sport health and fitness degree at Cornwall College Camborne, is now preparing himself for the ISA World Stand Up Paddleboard competition.

“I am really pleased to be called up," said Glenn, "it’s a sport I have only just got involved in, despite racing for the last 20 years at various levels and in various water disciplines. I thought I’d got to that stage that it was time to hang up my paddles, but I had a go at a race and did well and now I’ve been called up to the team.”

Glenn has been training for the last few months ahead of the call up but is now preparing, along with his team mates, thanks to support from the students. The group studying the BSc in sports performance and coaching, are analysing the squad’s oxygen levels and optimising their stroke rate, which is the first time this research has ever been done in stand up paddle boarding.

Glenn added: “The competitions officially start next month, in the meantime I am working with the students, who are being a great support. Some of the other team members are coming to be tested in our sports lab; it’s great for our students to being involved in pioneering research.”

This is not Glenn’s first taste of an international competition as he previously competed as a "surf ironman" in Surf Life Saving, European medalists as well as training and racing as part of the British Olympic racing squad in sprint kayak and is now a world medallist in long distance ocean ski.

“I love racing internationally, you push yourself harder than you’ve ever done before and it’s extremely rewarding," said Glenn. "I want to prove that us Brits can compete in a sport which is normally found in much warmer climates.”