The opening day of the 2026 World Canoe Marathon Championships in Argentina saw Jeanette Chippington (Bisham Abbey) take gold in the KL1 Women Paracanoe category in a time of 00:48:06. This sees Chippington retain her title that she achieved in 2025, showing her true dominance in paracanoe racing in both canoe sprint and canoe marathon.
Reflecting on her win, Jeanette said: “It was a pretty tough race actually. It was choppy out there. It was windy. The first lap was hard but I managed to find some sheltered bits and I was able to dig in harder. I am so pleased and so proud of myself to have retained my World Championship title.”
“It’s fantastic [here]. The Argentinians have been so friendly and so helpful. The competition has been so well run and they just can’t do enough or more to help you. Big thank you to all the organisers. We had the opening ceremony last night and the whole street was just packed with people watching. It was just a carnival atmosphere.”
“I love racing. I love paddling. My background has been sprint and I just wanted to take on a new challenge [with marathon]. [I would advise aspiring paddlers to] join your local canoe club and enter some Haslers.. and just get out on the river as much as you can and always try to challenge yourself.”
Jeanette will compete again on Friday when she takes on the VL2 Women race as she seeks to retain her world title there too.
The junior development team recently returned from Charlesville, near Reims, with several paddlers obtaining podium finishes and all athletes taking away experiences that will serve them well in the future.
Racing on the river Meuse in a beautiful park, the event had 78 clubs taking part plus the British Development team. The course had a tricky long portage which forced the competitors to adapt their portaging technique to ensure they maintained their positions through the different laps. They quickly learned that the ability to swap their boat quickly to the opposite side and running to the end of the pontoon gave them the best chance of a good performance.
The team received a warm welcome from the French competitors and there was great team camaraderie which all contributed to developing the athlete’s confidence and racing experience. Experiences that they can now take into their winter training with their respective clubs.
All juniors raced up into the age category above.
Saturday began with the K2 races, Fergus Barnett and Jack Wade (Both Reading Canoe Club) had a great start and, after entering the first portage in 7th, they exited in 3rd position. This resulted in them paddling on their own for a majority of the race but they kept strong and finished 3rd.
Adriana De Bilio (Royal Canoe Club) and Emily Wainwright (Nottingham Kayak Club) had a lovely start positioning themselves well on the start line and coming into the first portage in the top group. Running well and manipulating their boat enabled them to move into first, a position that they maintained for the rest of the race with a winning time of 1hr and 17 minutes. Lexi Small (Wolverhampton Canoe Club) and Edith Smerdon (Chelmsford Canoe Club) had a more difficult start but then raced really well, running the portage efficiently resulting in 5th place finish.
Both under 18 boy’s crews came into first portage in the leading group. Sam Bull and Finn Meredith (Both Elmbridge Canoe Club) unfortunately dropped off at the portage but Doogal Barnett (Reading Canoe Club) and Edward Stroud (Wey Kayak Club) remained in the front group finishing second. Despite Sam breaking his paddle, he and Finn were close behind in third place.
Ruth Shepherd (Reading Canoe Club) and Molly Bates (Richmond Canoe Club) had a great start and an exceptional race finishing first in 1 hr 31 minutes.
Sam Cribbett (Nottingham Kayak Club) was providing the support as team staff but also took part in the senior men’s K1 and took an amazing win in 1 hr 56 mins. His exceptional portaging skills clearly rubbed off on the junior team.
After a restful evening, the team returned to compete in the K1 events. We knew this was going to be more of a challenge as in the French system you are only able to paddle with someone from your own club for the K2 races, which held back the potential of the French K2’s on the first day of the championship.
In the boys under 16, Fergus led the group of three into the first portage, with Jack coming into the portage in 10th, leaving in 7th. Fergus took the lead for the first three laps and then after the fourth portage was dropped off the front group. After spending some time paddling on his own the second group caught him just before the last portage resulting in a fourth place finish for Fergus and 8th place for Jack.
Lexi and Emily both had a good start but did not quite make the front group. Working hard and making the most of their portage practice the final result was 5th place for Emily and 9th for Lexi. With a large field in the start line and several C1s, Edith capsized just off the start line but worked hard to get back in the boat and catch up with some of the group to finish 22nd.
Doogal and Sam both had a good start and were in the first group after the portage with Finn executing a great portage to bring himself up the field. Ed was not far behind in the third group. However, the exertions started to take their toll with all boys tiring towards the end. Doogal unfortunately retired with an injury. The final results were Sam finishing 5th, Finn 11th and Edward 13th.
Despite still being in U14s, Adriana raced in the U18 age category and went into the first portage in first place, finally finishing in 3rd place. Molly unfortunately damaged her boat on one of the portages and needed to stop to fix her rudder but still continued and finished the race. Ruth and Molly both had a great race finishing 4th and 12th respectively.
I would like to thank Sam Cribbett, Neil Pollock and Donna Pollock who gave up their own time to enable this trip to happen and were all incredible on their first trip as staff. Claudine Le Roux who used to coach in the UK and now works for the french federation was key to helping the trip run smoothly and for translation prior to the event. Another thanks goes to Adriana for being the team translator most of the trip!
Thank you to Katie Williams, the team manager for the trip, for her leadership on the trip and her support with this write-up, alongside Donna.
Coaches from across the UK are invited to come together at the GB-ONE Conference for an afternoon of interactive workshops, shared learning and open conversation.
It will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and explore how we can build greater connection and consistency across training programmes and throughout coaching in the UK on the topics of: Understanding what are the Sports demands – Technical – Tactical – Physical – Psychological; Building robust programs for retention, development & competition.
These sessions will be facilitated by James Train and Scott Hynds.
The conference will take place at Falcon Boat Club, Oxford, on Saturday 10 October, from 12:00–17:00. Coaches attending the full event will receive 10 CPD points for their coaching record.
We’d love to see you there – please register your interest HERE.
For any queries or questions, please contact Scott Hynds here.
The Spanish K4 racing circuit, taking place in Valladolid and Sanabria, once again delivered an outstanding spectacle of world-class marathon racing. This year’s events were not only incredibly fast but also competed in soaring temperatures, providing a stern test for athletes from across Europe.
Just one week after being crowned European Marathon Champion, Hungarian star Adrian Boros found himself outside the medals in a fiercely contested men’s race. Czechia led the field, closely challenged by Portugal, Denmark, Hungary, Spain and Germany, with the British men’s crew of James How (Norwich Canoe Club), Tim Dowden (Norwich Canoe Club), Cassian Payne (Chelmsford Canoe Club) and Flynn Holt (Richmond Canoe Club) securing a respectable position in an exceptionally strong international field.
The British women’s crew of Nerys Hall (Wey Kayak Club), Matilda Enoch (Nottingham Kayak Club), Sienna Payne (Chelmsford Canoe Club) and Lucy Guest (Nottingham Kayak Club) produced an impressive performance, narrowly missing out on fourth place after a close battle with a strong Danish team. Spain, racing on home waters, proved dominant throughout the competition and claimed gold in both women’s events.
The K4 series once again highlighted the challenge faced by British crews against some of the world’s strongest marathon nations. While pure acceleration and top-end speed remain areas for development, the determination and resilience displayed by the British athletes were evident throughout the racing. Every crew fought relentlessly for position and refused to give ground against more powerful opposition.
A standout moment came from the British women’s crew, stroked by Sienna Payne. Adopting an ambitious tactical approach, the crew chose their own racing line during the opening 800 metres, avoiding the heavy wash created by the leading pack. The bold strategy paid off brilliantly, allowing the crew to reach the first turning buoy in a highly competitive position and catching many rival teams by surprise. The concern and admiration visible among opposing team managers reflected just how effectively the British crew had executed their plan.
Despite the intensity of the racing and temperatures exceeding 30°C, the event also showcased the strong camaraderie that exists within the international paddling community. Once racing had concluded, athletes from across the competing nations could be found cooling off together in the waters of Lake Sanabria, celebrating both competition and friendship.
The event was, once again, superbly hosted by the Spanish Canoe Federation. With more than 70 K4 crews lining up across the various races, the scale and quality of participation were remarkable. Experiencing such a large and highly competitive field offers a clear insight into why Spain continues to enjoy such success on the international stage. Their thriving culture of participation and competition provides a strong foundation for excellence.
The British team leaves Spain motivated and eager for more. The experience has inspired the athletes to continue their preparation and return even stronger next year.
As Team Manager, I would like to place on record my thanks and congratulations to all eight GB athletes. Every athlete gave 100%, conducted themselves with professionalism both on and off the water, and proved themselves worthy representatives of the British vest.
Please note the Data for the 2026 selection season is now published below, we apologise for the accidental delay with publication of this. We have extended the request for review deadline to 7pm Friday.
The Selection Committee met following the National Marathon Championships to select the teams for the 2026 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships and the Development Team for the French National Marathon Championships.
The Selection Committee would like to thank Wey Kayak Club for hosting the National Marathon Championships and for their hard work in delivering a successful event.
We would also like to congratulate all athletes selected to represent the team and wish them every success in their preparations and racing.
We look forward to following their performances in France and Argentina.
As per the 2026 Selection Policy (published here), any requests to review the selections must be made in writing to the Chair of Selection Committee, Nanette North via the email address [email protected] within 48 hours of the publication of this document. I.E. by 7pm on Thursday 16th July 2026.
The medal frenzy continued at the Canoe Marathon European Championships in Pitesti, Romania as Dianora De Bilio and Jeanette Chippington both secured European titles, with Tim Lodge also securing a bronze medal in a packed schedule of junior, paracanoe and under-23 long course racing.
The day kicked off to a fantastic start in the K1 Junior Women’s race with the crowning of another British European Champion, Dianora De Bilio (Royal Canoe Club). A strong start saw her take the race straight to yesterday’s winner Anderson but a capsize for Anderson at the first turn blew the race wide open. De Bilio showed off her blazing running on the first and second portages to break away briefly with Hungarian Zatyko repeatedly before being closed down by Ireland’s Caffrey, Hungary’s Jambor, and eventually Spain’s Cecilia. The group of 5 continued to travel the distance together until the final portage. The 19km race came down to an epic sprint finish which De Bilio dominated to hold off Caffrey in silver and Zatyko in bronze.
De Bilio said: “As each portage went on I realised that I can run pretty well and I was happy to linger back a bit. The plan for the final portage was just to stay safe, I didn’t really mind if I came into the portage first or not.”
Reflecting on the sprint finish, she said: “I felt pretty good, I felt I could give more if I needed to give more.”
De Bilio will now travel to Halifax, Canada, to compete at the Sprint Under 23 and Junior World Championships, which begin next week.
Jeanette Chippington (Bisham Paddlesports) added a second British European title with a dominant performance in the Paracanoe VL2 Women’s race. Racing over 8.6km, Chippington executed her race plan to perfection, using her sprint background to establish an early position before settling into a strong rhythm. She finished less than a minute behind Germany’s Adler, who was racing in the KL3 category.
“The start was really good. With my sprint background as well, you get those first 20 seconds of energy for free so I wanted to make use of it, go out hard, but then settle in because 8.6km is a long way,” said Chippington.
Speaking about her chase with Adler, Chippington said: “She got away just after the start and I thought ‘I’ve got to do my own race, if I try to stick with her then I’m doing her race.’ She was in my sights, I gained a tiny bit on the last turn and then on that last stretch, I did close the gap a little bit. It was good because it just kept me going.”
Tim Lodge (Wey Kayak Club) continued the medal success with a bronze in the 11.8km Paracanoe KL3 Men’s race, setting a significant personal best over the distance. Lodge stayed with last year’s European Champion Yemelianov and World Champion Martínez until they broke away at the first turn. He spent the remainder of the race in a close battle with KL2 athlete Pineiro before securing the third place.
Lodge said: “I knew I was going well. I’ve been training over at Elmbridge a lot, chasing juniors up and down the river. The start was just like an Elmbridge session. I got a really good start, I knew I was in good shape.”
“I love the sport. I love what it’s given me. To go home with a medal is really cool,” he added.
Jon White (Exeter Canoe Club) narrowly missed out on the podium in the Paracanoe KL2 Men’s race, finishing fourth after 11.8km. A fast start from the leading trio of Spain’s Junquera and Pineiro and Hungary’s Kiss created an early gap, while White engaged in a close contest with Italy’s Aiello for much of the race.
Once he had dropped the Italian due to his turning skills, White said: “Then it was just head down and keep going in the heat, try and hold it as best I could. I think I managed to keep a reasonably even pace.”
In the K1 Women’s Under 23 race, Sophie Dunlop (Elmbridge Canoe Club) showed impressive composure in her first year in the age group. A strong start from Dunlop bought her a ticket into the lead group of nine athletes, where she moved well in a large group with lots of changing paces. However, a breakaway at the first portage saw Dunlop lose contact with the leaders and unfortunately,a shoulder injury, brought on the fast paced sprints in the lead group, forced her to withdraw.
British representation in the 26.2km K1 Men’s Under 23 race came from Will Short and Harry Freeland (both Elmbridge Canoe Club). A blitzing start from Short saw him lead a group from far out left on the course to come together onto the lead side wash with Freeland. The two handled themselves well, shifting between V washes in an enormous group of 18 boats. A series of high-intensity surges began to splinter the field, and despite both athletes fighting hard to maintain contact, the demanding pace took its toll. Short briefly lost ground after an incident at the first portage but worked impressively to regain the group before the next turn. Freeland also showed determination, chasing back onto the leaders by running down the waves wide out after being distanced on the second lap.
The sprints and heat finally took their toll on Short, he dropped behind the front group on lap four. A valiant effort from Freeland allowed him to regain contact with the leaders before the third portage. On the sixth lap, a big breakaway from Hungary’s Sellyei blew apart the front group yet again, leaving Freeland working alone. Heat exhaustion eventually caught up with him, forcing Freeland to withdraw from the race at the penultimate portage. Short continued to work through the field over the closing stages, finishing 14th after winning a sprint against Ireland’s Higgins. Both athletes gained valuable experience racing within front groups at this level, providing strong foundations for future competition.
The team returns to action tomorrow for another exciting day of racing. Thursday’s short course champion Will Roeser will compete in the K1 Junior Men’s event, while short course silver medallist Beth Gill lines up in the C1 Senior Women’s race. Matilda Burton and Imogen Field will race in the K2 Junior Women, Katie Brookes and Brynde Kreft take on the Senior Women’s K1, and James Russell defends his European title alongside Matt Collinge in the K1 Senior Men’s race.
Hot, humid and storm-charged conditions set the scene on the opening day of the 2026 Canoe Marathon European Championships but they did little to slow the British paracanoe team, who delivered a flawless performance with a clean sweep of medals.
Hosted in Bascov, Romania, on the regatta lake, the Championships return to a venue that last staged the World Championships in 2021 – one of the first major international events following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The venue had already seen three days of competition with the Masters Championships, where a 20-strong British contingent delivered an impressive medal haul. The team secured four gold, three silver and two bronze medals, highlighting the growing depth and standard of British master marathon paddling. A full Masters round-up will follow, with complete results available online here.
As the Elite competition began, all eyes turned to the opening paracanoe races.
Reigning KL1 Women’s World Champion Jeanette Chippington (Bisham Paddlesports) made her Canoe Marathon European Championships debut in commanding fashion. Leading from the start, she powered through the 8km course to claim gold in 00:54:55.49, finishing more than eight minutes ahead of the field.
Speaking after the race, Jeanette said: “It was a fantastic race in very hot conditions and a very long race for me coming from a sprint background. I am extremely proud to be representing GB and to be part of the marathon team. I’ve been given fantastic support from the whole team; athletes and staff. There is a great sense of camaraderie. Best of luck to everyone racing today and the rest of the week.”
In the KL3 Women’s race, Charlotte Creamer (Leighton Buzzard) faced a significantly stronger field than in her 2025 European title-winning campaign. A fast start saw her immediately in medal contention, and she held her ground in a tightly contested race to secure bronze in 00:55:39.86, just one minute behind silver.
Charlotte reflected: “I feel incredibly honoured to have been selected to represent GB at the European marathon championships. The race was a step up from 2025 with lots of incredible female athletes in all classifications which made for really exciting racing and I am very pleased to have come third and close to second. The extra excitement for the race was the visible thunderstorm and lightning that you could see and hear while racing – however fortunately the storm was just far enough away to allow for safe racing.”
The final British competitor of the day, Jon White (Exeter Canoe Club), competed in the Open Men’s paracanoe race – a category for athletes whose impairments do not fit within the current classification system, which focuses on trunk and leg disabilities more.
A triple amputee who also competes in KL2, Jon built on his 2025 World Championship gold with a strong performance to take silver in 01:19:31.00, despite difficulties during the race.
He said: “I got off to a good start and felt physically strong until I was frustrated by technical boat steering issues which slowed me down but now looking forward to racing on Friday [in the KL2 class],”
As competition continues today, the Short Course heats are already underway, with encouraging results for the British team. All junior K1 athletes have successfully qualified for their respective finals, and British paddlers will feature in six medal races later today.
The Marathon Racing Committee are urgently seeking volunteer staff to support the French National Development Trip on the weekend of the 26th-27th September in Charlesville near Rheims.
If you think you are available to support, please contact Graham Warland as soon as possible to start a conversation.
The last selections for 2026 will be for the World Championships and French Nationals with a U14/U16 Development team. There are two teams that will form part of this announcement:
U14/U16 Development team: selected from the age group races at the National Championships held on the 11/12th July in Laleham.
World Championships (including Para): lead assessment will be the European Championships on the 22nd/29th June, with the National Championships held on the 11/12th July in Laleham being a supporting assessment.
Information and entries for the National Championships can be found here.
If you are seeking selection for either event, you need to complete an availability form by 22:00 on the 12thJuly. Forms can be found here:
For more information on the selection policy and process, please refer to the selection policy: 2026 Selection Policy. If you have any further questions please direct them to the Chair of the Selection Committee, Nanette North, via email [email protected].
Following the conclusion of the assessment races held at Nottingham and Elmbridge Canoe Clubs, the Selection Panel are pleased to announce the team selected for the 2026 European Championships as well as the Sanabria K4 team. The Panel would like to thank Nottingham Kayak Club and Elmbridge Canoe Club for hosting the assessment events.
We would like to congratulate the athletes on their selections to their respective teams.
Please view the selection note below for full explanation of selections and teams as well as results and HC data from the recent assessments.
As per the 2026 Selection Policy (published here), any requests to review the selections must be made in writing to the Chair of Selection Committee, Nanette North via the email address [email protected] within 48 hours of the publication of this document. I.E. by 6pm on 27th May 2026.
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