ACOMB'S canoe slalom international Joe Stephenson is looking for sponsors to help him compete in this year's Junior European Championships.

Stephenson, 17, is due to fly out to Krakow, Poland with the Great Britain team this July and is a genuine medal contender but the cost of competing is proving prohibitive.

The Yorkshire captain, who led the county to Inter-Regional Championship success last year, has already had to shell out £850 for a shorter kayak due to recent rule changes and is also finding travel costs and competition entry fees a financial drain.

All Saints School sixth form pupil Stephenson, who is ranked 20th in Britain for all age categories and second at Under-18 level, said: "I have a lot of expense and because my sport takes up most of my time I can work very little so I have limited income. I would like to hear from anybody willing to sponsor me and even a small amount would help a great deal."

Anybody able to offer financial assistance should call Joe Stephenson on 01904 790782.

Updated: 10:39 Friday, April 08, 2005