Category: Athletes

New champions crowned as Canoe Marathon Short Course Nationals makes it debut visit to Manvers Lake

   7 May 2026    Athletes, National, Racing

The British National Short Course Championships visited Manvers Lake for the first time in 2026. A busy one-day competition, the short course distance delivers high‑intensity racing with multiple laps and portages across a 3.6km course that tests speed, and tactics. Sunday’s championships showcased exactly that: tight packs, dramatic portage sprints, and fiercely contested finishes that kept spectators lining the banks throughout the day.

The event was created by James Smythe, the former secretary of the Marathon Racing Committee and former Team Manager of international teams, after witnessing the distance at World Championship competitions. The 2026 edition of the event took place at a new venue, after several years of competing in Peterborough. Sadly, the sunshine did not join in and competitors, spectators and event volunteers were “treated” to light rain showers for a large chunk of the day.

In the Senior Men’s K1, James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) retained his title after a hard‑fought race in which Matthew Collinge (Fowey River Canoe Club) and Matthew Johnson (Nottingham Kayak Club) kept the pressure on throughout. The trio hit the final straight together, with Russell producing a decisive sprint to secure the win for another year.

The Under‑23 Men’s title went to former junior short course world champion William Short (Elmbridge Canoe Club) in his first year out of the junior ranks, finishing just seconds ahead of Sam Cribbett (Nottingham Kayak Club). Fresh from winning the junior race earlier in the day, under 18 paddler William Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) delivered another impressive performance to take third overall.

In the Senior Women’s K1, Katie Brookes (Richmond Canoe Club) claimed her first national short course title, but only after a thrilling duel with under 18 athlete Dianora De Bilio (Royal Canoe Club). The pair were inseparable for much of the race, with Brookes edging ahead in a dramatic sprint finish off the final turn buoy. De Bilio’s performance also secured her the Under 23 women’s title, while Thames world record holder Brynde Kreft (Falcon Canoe Club) completed the senior podium in third.

With Dianora’s race putting her at the top of the Under 23 women, Sophie Dunlop (Elmbridge Canoe Club) took second in her first year out of juniors, with Jessie Urquhart (Nottingham Kayak Club) finishing third.

The canoe events featured a sole competitor, but a standout one: Hannah Toovey (Glasgow Kayak Club), who secured both the Senior Women’s C1 and Junior Women’s C1 titles.

In the Paracanoe KL categories, Jon White (Exeter Canoe Club) powered to victory in the men’s race, while Charlotte Creamer (Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club) added another national title to her name in the women’s event. Both won gold at the 2025 European Marathon Championships in their respective categories.

The junior races were among the most fiercely contested of the day, with spectators eagerly predicting podiums as the fields lined up. Before their senior race heroics, both Dianora De Bilio (Royal Canoe Club) and William Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) secured commanding wins in the junior girls’ and junior boys’ K1 races respectively.

The junior girls’ race produced a flurry of late‑race drama, with the final podium spots decided in the final 200 metres. Matilda Burton (Elmbridge Canoe Club) surged through to take second as well as the Under 16 title, while Imogen Field (Elmbridge Canoe Club) claimed third overall and second in the Under 16 category. In the Under 14 girls, Adriana De Bilio (Royal Canoe Club) took the win, followed by Edith Smerdon (Chelmsford Canoe Club) in second and Emily Wainwright (Nottingham Kayak Club) in third.

The junior boys’ race was equally intense. Sam Dickson (Falcon Canoe Club) secured second place, while Tyler Kinder (Reading Canoe Club) celebrated a hard-earned third after a close battle with Isaac Popham-Coveley (Falcon Canoe Club), who finished fourth. Doogal Barnett (Reading Canoe Club) dominated the Under 16 boys’ K1, with Finn Meredith (Elmbridge Canoe Club) and Edward Stroud (Wey Kayak Club) completing the podium. It was a successful day for the Barnett family, as Fergus Barnett (Reading Canoe Club) also claimed the Under 14 boys’ title, ahead of Marco Mangiantini (Royal Canoe Club) in second and George Ockenden (Elmbridge Canoe Club) in third.

In the Veteran Men’s K1, Matthew Enoch (Nottingham Kayak Club) delivered another confident performance to retain his title for another year, with Tom Dawson (Falcon Canoe Club) second and Juan Caruncho (Barking and Dagenham Canoe Club) third. Brett Sirrell (Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club) took the Over‑54 men’s win, while Guy Holmes secured the Over‑64 men’s title.

The Veteran Women’s K1 final came down to yet another sprint finish, with Anja Whelan (Gloucester Canoe Club) taking the victory just ahead of Joanne Bates (Falcon Canoe Club), who also claimed the Over‑44 women’s title. Maggie Dilai (Nottingham Kayak Club) completed the overall podium in third. Lynne Fender (Nottingham Kayak Club) won the Over‑54 women’s category, and Jane Millar (Nottingham Kayak Club) topped the Over‑64 women’s field.

The Marathon Racing Committee are greatly appreciative to Manvers Waterfront Boat Club for their support and time to host this event. It was amazing to run a national event further north and a great opportunity to support the Northern and Scottish regions as well as showing off the amazing sport of canoe marathon to new communities. Despite the rain, the event went down well with an excellent site for racers and spectators alike. 

Mark Benton, Chair, Manvers Waterfront Boat Club said,
“We were delighted to welcome Paddle UK to Manvers for the Canoe Marathon Short Course Nationals. Hosting an event of this scale was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Manvers Lake and the surrounding area, and to welcome paddlers from across the UK to our site. It’s always great to see the venue supporting high‑profile sporting events and being enjoyed by so many competitors and spectators.”

The National Short Course Championships is one of the early events in the 2026 season, with the main National Long Course Championships taking place on the 11-12th July in Laleham. The tight racing across all categories as well as the intense podium battles at the Short Course event highlights the potential excitement of the season ahead. In terms of internationals, James Russell will compete at the marathon World Cup in China at the end of this month, with the European Championships taking place during the last week of June. Excitingly, the World Championships will take place in Argentina during the month of October, with a small but exceptional team due to be selected for it. To follow along, make sure you are keeping an eye on the Marathon Racing Committee website and social media channels (Facebook Page and Instagram Page). 

For full results from all heats and finals, please visit our live results page here.  

To access all photos taken by Antony Edmonds during the event, please visit Google Drive here. 

If you are interested in marathon racing, use the PaddleUK club finder to find your closest marathon racing club and get in touch. We have regional races taking place all over the country most weekends throughout the spring and summer as well as many amazing clubs offering community spaces. It can also be a great way to get out and enjoy the incredible British countryside too!

European Championships and Sanabria K4: Availability Form now open!

   22 April 2026    Athlete Development, Athletes, International, Para, Racing, Selection

Assessment races for the European Championships and Sanabria K4 are being held on Saturday 2nd May in Nottingham, Sunday 3rd May at Short Course Nationals in Manvers, and Saturday 23rd May at Elmbridge Canoe Club. Results from these events will be used to select the teams. Selection will be announced following the assessment race on 23rd May.

For full information on the selection process, please see the selection policy published on the website here.

To be considered for selection athletes must complete an availability form by 22:00 on 30th April. This can be accessed here.

Entries and details for races available on the marathon racing entry site here.

The TruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race 2026: How to follow along!

   2 April 2026    Athletes, Racing

The Marathon Racing Committee would like to wish all competitors racing in the 2026 edition of the ThruDark Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race the best of luck. We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable race with many memories and stories to share for many years to come.

We would also like to thank all the volunteers (directors, committee, marshals and more) out on the course over the next few days. Without you, these events could not happen.

There is a variety of coverage happening over the next four days as the straight through crews, juniors and stages compete and you can follow their progress in a variety of ways.

The official DW organisation channels include the following:

PaddleDaily, an independent paddling media company, will also be following the race through their channels. In particular, they will be running a non-stop live stream throughout the senior doubles event on their Youtube channel. You can find their channels below.

We look forward to following along ourselves!

Kreft & Petersen smash River Thames World Record!

   15 March 2026    Athletes, Racing

Joe Petersen and Brynde Kreft have set a new world record for paddling the navigable length of the River Thames, completing the route from Lechdale to Teddington in just 14 hours and 3 minutes – 1 hour and 44 minutes faster than the previous mark.

The pair launched beneath the bridge at Lechlade at 6:26am, beginning a relentless push down the Thames that would see them cover nearly 200km of river, tackle 43 lock portages, and paddle the final stretch in darkness before reaching Teddington at 8:29pm.

To read the full article and interview, visit the Paddle UK News page here.

International Selection 2026 Policy now finalised and published

   6 March 2026    Athlete Development, Athletes, International, Selection

A number of updates have been made to the 2026 marathon selection policy, these reflect feedback received from members of the marathon paddling community during the consultation period. It is strongly advisable for all athletes to read and familiarise themselves with the finalised policy, which can now be viewed here.

Senior athletes seeking selection for both sprint and marathon teams are advised to review section 9 of the policy. 

Athletes seeking selection for the Waterlands marathon are advised to review section 11 of the policy. 

If anyone has any questions, please contact Nanette North, Chair of the selection panel via email: [email protected]

Marathon 2026 Selection Policy – Published for Consultation

   14 February 2026    Athletes, International, Para, Selection

The Marathon 2026 Selection Policy is now published for consultation. Members of the marathon community have until the end of Sunday 22nd February to feedback any comments to the marathon selection committee for review. Please send any comments directly to the selection committee chair via email: [email protected].

The full published draft policy can be found on our selection webpage here.

Trevor Wetherall

   11 February 2026    Athletes, Coaching, Volunteers

The Marathon Racing Committee is deeply sadden to hear the passing of Trevor Wetherall. A steadfast and influential figure in our sport for many years, Trevor was a true backbone of the canoe racing community. He will be fondly remembered by countless paddlers for his unwavering commitment to Richmond Canoe Club and for the encouragement and support he offered to the next generation of athletes.

Through his involvement in junior development training days, camps, and his work as a National Coach, Trevor shaped the journeys of many. His connection to marathon racing began long before his coaching career, having proudly represented Great Britain on the international stage as an athlete.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

Canoe Marathon Major National Events & Dates 2026 – Get them in your diary!

   14 January 2026    ACM, Athletes, Governance, National, Racing

The Marathon Racing Committee are excited to finally confirm all the dates and venues for the 2026 Major Events. The variety of venues and locations, particularly new ones, makes 2026 a great time to get racing as much as you can!

Thank you to Manvers Lake Trust and Boathouse, Wey Kayak Club and Richmond Canoe Club for supporting canoe marathon by hosting and organising one of our major national events this year.

Keep your eyes peeled for a confirmation of the ACM date and further details on all our major events in the coming months!

25th Anniversary Ross Warland Memorial Canal Challenge Raises £1,500 for Bone Cancer Research as Records were Smashed

   7 December 2025    Athletes, Racing

On Sunday 30th November, Banbury & District Canoe Club hosted the 25th Anniversary of the Ross Warland Memorial Canal Challenge, with over 192 competitors taking part. The course ran 20 miles from Cropredy to Nell Bridge near Anyho and back, including 12 portages along the Oxford Canal. Paddlers travelled from across the country, from Truro to Norwich to Runcorn, with both international-level crews and newcomers to racing. The event raised almost £1,500 for the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

The race is held each year in memory of Ross Warland, who died of bone cancer in February 2000 at the age of 21. Ross joined Banbury Canoe Club at the age of 8 and was an active and popular member. When he was no longer able to paddle, he devoted his time to coaching and training others. His courage and attitude during his illness inspired everyone who knew him.

The format of the Challenge is distinctive, offering options for different abilities. Competitors can complete the full 20 miles in K1 or K2, race in relays over 10 miles, or enter special categories if clubs are short of paddlers. This makes the event particularly appealing to junior crews and those new to racing, providing valuable training in a competitive but welcoming environment.

This year’s race produced several notable results. Sam Dickson (Falcon Canoe Club) matched the Junior Men’s K1 record with a time of 02:33:22. Andrew Birkett (Richmond Canoe Club) set a new Veteran Men’s K1 record at 02:41:32. Elise Montagna (Royal Canoe Club) and Katie Brookes (Richmond Canoe Club) won the Senior Women’s K2 title in 02:42:25. Brynde Kreft (Falcon Canoe Club) set a new Senior Women’s K1 record at 02:51:29, while Frankie Scrivener (Falcon Canoe Club) broke the Junior Women’s K1 record with 03:07:39. Rebecca Bird (Newbury Canoe Club) and Anja Whelan (Gloucester Canoe Club) also set a new Veteran Women’s K2 record at 03:18:55.

The 25th Anniversary Canal Challenge was a successful day of racing and community spirit, continuing the tradition of honouring Ross Warland and supporting bone cancer research. The MRC would like to thank Banbury Canoe Club for their support in creating this write-up as well as their dedication to creating such a stable winter marathon event within the British racing calendar. 

What is AquaPaddle?: An interview with the Founder, Brett Scillitoe

   5 November 2025    Athlete Development, Athletes, Racing, SUP, Volunteers

The PaddleUK Marathon Racing Committee invited Brett Scillitoe to discuss AquaPaddle to highlight an emerging, community-led initiative that combines accessible 5 km timed paddles with safety education and charitable outreach; this interview explores how AquaPaddle supports youth development, broadens club membership, benchmarks performance across craft, and funds BlueSpace therapeutic sessions that extend paddling opportunities to vulnerable and underprivileged local groups. 

Who are you, and what is AquaPaddle?

I’m Brett Scillitoe, and I have been in and around the water since I was 9, whether it was sailing, canoeing, rowing or stand-up paddleboarding. I also have a tendency to start clubs: Dittons Velo (Cycling) in 2012, Dittons Paddle Boarding in 2017, from which AquaPaddle grew.

AquaPaddle is a free, community-run, 5 km timed social paddle. It’s not a race; you can paddle it as fast or slow as you like. We also run therapeutic and educational sessions under the BlueSpace banner.

Why did you start AquaPaddle?

AquaPaddle developed out of a tragedy on The Thames when a teenager went missing while the paddleboarding club were about to go out on a Social Paddle. I wanted to help reduce preventable drownings by offering gentle on-water teaching and awareness through BlueSpace sessions. To fund that work and harness community energy, I introduced a Parkrun-style 5 km timed paddle. A number of our members had started racing, and I wanted to tap into that enthusiasm and community spirit. 

How does AquaPaddle differ from a traditional club time trial? 

I think the biggest difference is that you are lining up with unknown paddlers. Within a club, there is a “pecking order”, and very quickly, you pretty much know your place in that order. Yes, from time to time, you might have a good day and rise up the rankings or some paddlers from another club come and join your time trial. But most of the time, you will be following the same boats and paddlers as you did last time.

With AquaPaddle, that is not the case. Anyone can show up, and chances are you won’t know them. Then you add to the mix other paddle craft, and that is where the fun and magic happens. It becomes a mini paddling festival. Hardened SUP racers chasing K1s and sometimes overtaking them. People in inflatable kayaks, being inspired to buy something solid. The chat around craft and equipment before and after the event is now an established part of AquaPaddle. Then you add in the fact that the times are published online immediately after the event, which means you can see the times of other events on the day or recently, to compare paddlers you might know. It all adds to the enrichment of the whole time trial experience than a closed club time trial.

Why would marathon clubs benefit from running an AquaPaddle event at their club?

There are many reasons why a Marathon club would want to run their own event.

It is about regular training, particularly for the youth side of the clubs. It adds a different dimension to a training outing. The fact that the club paddlers could go out and do a warm-up and then take part in the AquaPaddle is all part of the fun, as happens at Nottingham Kayak Club. It gives a focus to the warm-up/training as the paddlers know they will be pushing for that personal best. AquaPaddle allows juniors to take part as long as it is part of an organised Club paddle and the coach is on the water with them, as they would normally be.

It is a great way to attract new members. We have all seen the inflatable kayaks out on the water, and to the casual paddler, speedy K1s flying by can seem quite daunting, and when Kayakers are in the “Zone”, they can seem fairly unapproachable. AquaPaddle takes all that away as ordinary people come to their clubs and chat before and after. I’ve seen this work first-hand with Hampton Canoe Club, gaining members as they let the AquaPaddlers have a go after the event.

AquaPaddle is becoming a benchmark for 5 km times. Especially from some of our faster locations, such as Lincoln, Hampton or Kilsyth, where the record has recently been broken with a time of 22 minutes 45 seconds, by a young 17-year-old paddler called Rory.

Can you tell us about any marathon club success stories already?

John Handyside from Nottingham Kayak Club says: “NKC has embraced Aquapaddle in quite a big way. Initially attracting mainly SUP’s, there is now a healthy mix of canoe, kayak, SUP’s and outriggers. The events are friendly, relaxed and fun. There has also been an increased interest in joining the club, and our rules now include membership from other craft users.”

John’s final point is very good for Marathon Clubs in general. Don’t limit yourself to one type of craft. We have just witnessed the “DW” have a successful SUP trial with Paddy McCormack and AquaPaddle’s own Patron, Emily King, taking part in the stage race. The juniors with whom they were paddling and themselves got a lot of pleasure pushing each other along and hopefully improving their finish times. It is also worth noting that Nottingham Kayak Club is currently AquaPaddles second busiest location with one event attracting up to 43 paddlers! That’s a lot of teas, coffees and bacon butties sold for the benefit of the club!!

You have recently started a BlueSpace sessions initiative. What does this mean?

BlueSpace is the heart of AquaPaddle. They are the Charity sessions we run for underprivileged or those in need. We are working with Young Carers, Neurodiverse, Refugee, and Veteran communities, to name a few. They have been slow to get off the ground due to the nervousness of other charities and groups we work with to trust us with their vulnerable people out on the water. You can imagine the risk assessments some of these organisations need to do when booking sessions with us.

The way it works is that AquaPaddle funds local Delivery Partners to run the sessions. We are not asking for anyone to volunteer for these sessions as there is cost and equipment that needs to be maintained.

Our Delivery Partners are generally involved with AquaPaddle Locations in some form, but not exclusively. For instance, if a Marathon Racing Club were to run AquaPaddle, then we would be happy to talk to them about becoming a Delivery Partner and starting to help their local community. They could, obviously, do this themselves; however, as we grow, we will be able to help more people through the publicity of the events we run nationally. 

All our locations have their own donation pots that local paddlers can donate to their local BlueSpace sessions. Once there is enough in the pot, we then work with the local charities and groups to help people in need. 

Thank you to Brett for spending some time chatting with us about AquaPaddle and how it could strengthen marathon club offerings and more. If you are intrigued about how AquaPaddle and also the BlueSpace sessions could integrate into your club offering already, feel free to get in contact with AquaPaddle directly to start the conversation or explore their website for more information. The MRC strongly believes the more people getting on the water safely, the better. 

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