British K4 Squads Impress at International Races in Spain
Great Britain fielded a strong team of developing athletes to compete in the 2025 International K4 series, held across two stunning venues in Spain: Valladolid and Sanabria.
Senior Men K4 Selected: Joe Petersen (Banbury), Arthur Morley (Wey), James How (Norwich) and Matt Collinge (Fowey).
Senior Women K4 Selected: Matilda Enoch (Nottingham), Mollie Ball (Devizes), Nerys Hall (Wey) and Sienna Payne (Chelmsford).
A last-minute curveball hit the women’s team when Beth Perry (Southampton) was taken ill just 24 hours before the first race. Reserve paddler Sienna Payne stepped in with impressive composure considering the last minute change of plans. As in previous years, the Spanish Federation provided excellent hospitality, including transport, accommodation, meals, and boats, making the travel-intensive event smooth and enjoyable for the team.
The first 5K race unfolded in Valladolid’s tight river course, demanding top-tier teamwork and precise handling. Both British boats showcased superb boat control, particularly around the narrow top turn.
An electrifying finish saw British Men’s K4 neck-and-neck with Hungary, Czechia, and Portugal. Judges had to deliberate to decide the silver medallist, ultimately placing Czechia 2nd, Britain 3rd, and Portugal a boat length behind in 4th.
The British Women’s battled Portugal for 4th, pushing hard to close the gap in the final 150m but alas not having enough firepower to overhaul them.
Most GB athletes were debuting in K4 5000m racing, making the 16–17 minute endurance effort a true test of mental and physical strength. As Arthur, stroke of the men’s boat, reflected: “I couldn’t believe how fast and hard the race was—I really thought we were going to take gold from the Hungarians, but we just didn’t have enough to get past.”
The next day’s venue, Sanabria, offered expansive water ideal for strategic manoeuvring. As with the previous day, the International K4 races served as the grand finale following domestic competitions, which included around 50 K4 crews in action, alongside races in K1 and K2, with an estimated 600 participants to this regional venue.
The men’s race again was tight with only Germany and Spain slipping out of the leading group, leaving Britain, Denmark, Portugal, Czechia and Hungary to fight it out. This time Britain swapped places with Portugal from the day before, securing 4th this time.
In the Women’s race, Nerys led a powerful charge as stroke, but the team remained in 5th. Mollie summed up the experience: “It was amazing racing. We all tried so hard. I want to come back next year and I’ll know exactly what training I need to do to get on the podium.”
Final Result Summary
- 🥉 1 Bronze (Men, Valladolid)
- 🎖️ 1 Fourth Place
- 🎖️ 2 Fifth Places
- Overall fourth place position for this British team for the International event
A solid showing from a young and determined group of British athletes, many of whom are likely to earn further international honours in the seasons ahead.
Several British paddlers remarked on the sheer enthusiasm and participation in Spanish racing culture, a likely contributor to Spain’s global success. With 50 K4s and exciting racing, its clear culture was evident: More fun fuels more participation, more racing drives more medals.
Thank you to Paul Dimmock, the trip team leader, for his support with the words for this article.