Will Short adds a third medal to his European Canoe Marathon Championship tally as he takes bronze in K2 with Alex Worgan

The final day of racing kicked off with what is often the most chaotic event at any canoe marathon championship: the Junior Men’s K2. Representing Great Britain were Will Short (Elmbridge Canoe Club) and Alex Worgan (Richmond Canoe Club), both racing for the third time during this championship. The question on everyone’s mind: could Will make it three-for-three in the medals with Alex’s support?

The race began with difficulty, as Will and Alex found themselves squeezed into the back washes and positioned off the outside of the front group almost immediately, forcing them into chase mode within the first twenty strokes. Undeterred, they showed grit and determination, setting a relentless pace as they fought their way back through the field.

By the end of the second large lap, the British pair had made up significant ground, closing in on a lead group of four. A disorganised first portage from the leaders created the perfect opportunity for Will and Alex, and they successfully moved up into a chase group of five. The two Hungarian boats managed to slip away at the front.

The next lap was marked by frustration, as indecision within the chase group prevented any meaningful pursuit of the Hungarians. Despite their best efforts to rally a cohesive chase, Will and Alex had to shift focus to securing the bronze.

Approaching the penultimate portage, a strong run broke the group apart, leaving just the British duo and a capable Italian crew in contention for third. A tactical and controlled final lap followed, with Will and Alex taking the lead from the bridge onward. Holding off a final sprint from the Italians, they crossed the line in 1:34:50 to secure the bronze medal.

This result marked a remarkable achievement for Will Short, who became the only Junior Man to medal in all three of his events at the championships; completing the full set of gold, silver, and bronze.

Reflecting on their championships, Alex said: “The first two laps were pretty hard. I was throwing up before the start because I was quite nervous, which didn’t really help. But then we put the hammer down after the first turn and just pushed hard until we caught up with the group. We managed to get into a group of four before the first portage and then we saw the two Spanish boats fall in and we got into a group with them from there.”

“It was pretty hard to deal with [co-ordinating the group to chase the lead pair]. It was quite frustrating. The Spanish weren’t really agreeing with anything that the group was doing and didn’t want to do much work but we managed to get away from them with the Italians and worked hard to the end.”

“[My personal highlight] was catching the other group up. Will did a really good job and then we managed to break away at the second to last portage as well.”

Will said: “[We had to] stay relaxed after the start because it is pretty hard, we were quite far back and we just did what we knew what we were good at so I think we executed that well.”

The Senior Women’s K2 event featured a smaller, yet competitive field packed with experienced international paddlers. Great Britain fielded two crews for this race. Katie Brookes (Richmond Canoe Club) and Elise Montagna (Royal Canoe Club) teamed up after strong individual performances in the Under 23 Women’s K1 race earlier in the week. The second British crew featured marathon debutants Jessie Urquhart (Nottingham Kayak Club) and Brynde Kreft (Falcon Canoe Club), both making their first appearance together on the international stage.

A tough start saw both crews miss the front group and its vital washes. Nevertheless, they quickly settled into a determined chase. Within the first two laps, both British boats had overtaken the Danish crews and began reeling in one of the Portuguese pairs, catching them just as they entered a portage.

From there, Katie and Elise broke away alongside the Portuguese team, while Jessie and Brynde, beginning to feel the fatigue, were forced to drop back slightly. A small rudder issue toward the end of the race cost Jessie and Brynde additional time, though they managed to hold their position.

Katie and Elise delivered a strong final lap to secure 7th place in a time of 2:04:01. Jessie and Brynde followed shortly after, finishing in 9th with a time of 2:07:33, a commendable performance in their international marathon debut.

The final race of the day and of the entire championship was the Senior Men’s K2, an event that consistently delivers high drama and excitement. As the afternoon wore on, temperatures climbed to nearly 30°C, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the gruelling 30km course.

Great Britain was represented by two boats: newly-crowned European Champion James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) partnered with Charlie Smith (Nottingham Kayak Club), while young Under 23 athletes Joe Enoch and Sam Cribbett (both of Nottingham Kayak Club) lined up in the second crew.

A blistering start saw both British boats secure spots in the front group. The pace was relentless from the outset, quickly stretching out the field until a lead group of ten formed; a mix of seasoned competitors and promising younger crews. That group remained largely intact through much of the race, with any small splinters managing to rejoin thanks to well-timed efforts. Joe and Sam delivered a particularly impressive performance, repeatedly catching back onto the group and positioning themselves smartly on the wash after each effort. 

However, as the race approached the penultimate portage, the intense pace began to take its toll. Both British crews slipped off the back washes and, despite their best efforts, were unable to re-establish contact with the leaders. The final long lap followed by a short lap saw James and Charlie secure 8th place with a time of 2:03:31, closely followed by Joe and Sam in 9th with 2:03:37, just 90 seconds outside the podium.

This race brought a close to an outstanding championship for the British team. Finishing 4th in the overall medal table, the squad delivered numerous standout performances, not only in medal finishes but also in top five and ten placements, as well as many promising debut appearances. All of which should boost this team going into the next events in the 2025 season. 

To see the full results from Sunday’s racing, you can visit the Memosoft results site here.

Looking ahead, attention now shifts to the National Canoe Marathon Championships, set to take place in Norwich on the 26th and 27th of July. In August, the spotlight turns to the World Games in Chengdu, where James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) and Melissa Johnson (Nottingham Kayak Club) will proudly represent Great Britain on the global stage.