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:
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 12th July. 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].
Words by Freya Peters
Reigning European marathon champion James Russell started his season strong with a bronze medal in the short course race at the 2026 Canoe Marathon World Cup in Bazhong, China.
An early season opportunity for the world’s best marathon kayakers to assess their form on the international stage, this year’s World Cup saw James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) take on the Senior Men’s short course and long course K1 races.
To read the full article, visit the PaddleUK website here.
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.
REQUESTS FOR REVIEW
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.
Nanette North, Chair of Marathon Selection Panel
25 / 05 / 2026
James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) will be the sole representative for Great Britain in the first major canoe marathon international of the 2026 season. The marathon world cup will take place this weekend in China, where the top international competitors have been invited by the organising committee to compete.
James will race over the short course and long course distance with some races at sociable hours for British viewers to tune in.
On Saturday morning, James will race his short course heat at 02:15 BST and, if he qualifies to the final, he will compete for medals at 08:30 BST. On Sunday morning, James will line up for the long course distance at 09:45 BST. With a large pot of prize money on the line, it is set to be some intense racing!
You can follow along via our socials throughout the weekend as well as through the event live stream here. Live results can be found here.
The MRC Development Team delivered an impressive set of performances at the 2026 Waterlands Marathon on Saturday 18 April, taking on the renowned 24-km course through the canals and waterways surrounding Amsterdam. The British squad of 12 athletes, nine juniors and three under‑23 paddlers, joined a world‑class international field for one of Europe’s most distinctive marathon races.
The Waterlands Marathon is famous for its variety: tight right‑angle turns through narrow dykes, long exposed stretches of wind‑affected canalsl, and fast mass starts featuring up to 80 boats. The route forms a rough loop from the Amsterdam Viking Club, weaving through the surrounding fields and villages.
One of the race’s most iconic features is the second portage, where paddlers must drive their boats straight out of the water and onto a bed of cut reeds. The British team took time on Friday to practise this unusual obstacle, quickly discovering that a fast and committed approach is the key to success.
The British women and girls were first onto the water, setting off alongside the veteran categories in calm, favourable conditions. A fierce battle unfolded at the front of the junior girls’ race, with Kyla Holt (Richmond Canoe Club) locked in a head‑to‑head duel with Italian competitor, Elisa Cardella. After a hard‑fought final sprint, Kyla secured an excellent silver medal, narrowly missing out on the win. Ruth Shephard (Reading Canoe Club) finished in fifth and Molly Bates (Richmond Canoe Club) in sixth.
A similar storyline played out in the junior boys’ race. Will Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) went stroke‑for‑stroke with Italy’s Candela, an athlete with a strong international pedigree, all the way to the line. Will claimed a superb silver, with teammate Marcel Nagy (Reading Canoe Club) delivering a powerful final third of the race to take bronze, completing a double podium for Great Britain. Benjamin Eskriett (Gailey Canoe Club) finished in fifth, and Tyler Kinder (Reading Canoe Club) in sixth. The under-16 athletes Doogal Barnett (Reading Canoe Club) finished in eighth and Edward Stroud (Wey Kayak Club) in twelfth.
Across all categories, the British athletes demonstrated exceptional adaptability and boat handling on a course that demands constant tactical and technical adjustment. The under‑23 paddlers provided excellent role-modelling throughout the trip, setting a great example for the junior athletes both on and off the water and achieving strong results in tough fields. Lochlain Lovell (Worcester Canoe Club) finished in ninth, Cassian Payne (Chelmsford Canoe Club) in twenty-first and Sienna Payne (Chelmsford Canoe Club) achieved seventh in the senior women’s race.
After racing, the team enjoyed an evening walk through central Amsterdam, a chance to stretch tired legs and celebrate a successful day before the long journey home.
Special thanks go to the volunteer staff team of Brian, Tom, Estelle, and Tim, whose work made the trip possible.
In addition to the selected development squad, several British paddlers travelled independently to compete. James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) continued his outstanding form, securing his third consecutive victory at the Waterlands Marathon, confirming his strength against other world-class athletes.
Official results for all categories can be found on the event website here.
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.
Please see below invitation and entry form for the 2026 K1/C1 Vienna Canoe Marathon sent from the event organisers.
Following the assessment race at Norwich, the MRC Selection Committee selected the Under 23 and Under 18 team for the Development trip to Waterlands International Marathon. The team was selected according to the published policy.
To see the full selection note by the selection committee, click here.
REQUESTS FOR REVIEW
As per the 2026 Selection Policy (published here), any requests to review the selections must be made in writing to the Chair of the Selection Committee, Nanette North at Marathon Selectors [email protected] within 48 hours of the publication of this document,. by 18:00 Thursday 2nd April.
On behalf of the Marathon Selection Committee – Fay Lamph, 31/03/26
The first marathon assessment race of the 2026 season is being held at Norwich Canoe Club on Saturday 28th March. Results from this event will be used to select the Under 18 and Under 23 Waterlands Marathon development team for the trip in April. For full information on the selection process, please visit the selection policy here.
To be considered for selection, athletes must complete the availability form by 22:00 on 25th March. This can be found here.
Entry and details for the race are available on the marathon racing entry site here.
