To review, reflect and build on the successes of the 2022 Major Events Season, the MRC Major Events team is seeking feedback from the community of paddlers, coaches and clubs to allow us to make our events even better for the future.
Please fill out the following form for any of the major events you attended this year. If you did not attend one or two of the major events detailed, please skip onto the next section.
The Marathon Racing Committee and Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race Organisation are proud to present details for the National Schools Canoe Championship 2022. Taking place at Hawley Lake on Sunday 20th November, this will be the first addition of the event with the Marathon Racing Committee’s support after many years of hard-work and success on the part of the DW organisation and Marsport Canoes.
All details and information on the revised qualification criteria can be found here. Entries must be submitted by Monday 14th November.
Any queries or questions can be directed through Holly Mobbs, the MRC Junior Development lead, or Gareth Scragg, the Junior Teams Liaison for Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race.
There was a hectic day of kayak racing on Sunday 25th September as more than 600 paddlers took to the River Thames at Runnymede Pleasure Grounds. For the first time ever, Wey Kayak Club and Addlestone Canoe Club paired up to joint host the event at a brand new location for canoe marathon. With the incredible support of Runnymede Council, Environmental Agency and Surrey County Council, the venue was ready for the final national event of the 2022/23 season.
The early morning sunshine was a welcome backdrop for the lowest-ranked classes taking to the water just after 9am. In several races the clashing of paddles and jostling for space left some in the water and out of the action until they could swim to the side, empty their boats and set off again. Tight racing the division 7 K1 saw Rachel Hampton, from Chelmsford Canoe Club, take the win just 2 seconds ahead of Delilah Webb from Wey Kayak Club. Similarly the division 8 K1 podium were all only 3 seconds apart, with Martha Roberts (Elmbridge Canoe Club) taking the top position.
The division 4-6 races had the most dramatic portages of the day, with some of biggest fields all entering the pontoon get out at the same time. Honor Lewis (from Wey Kayak Club) took the win in the division 4 K1, as well as earning the Ross Warland Memorial Trophy. The Ross Warland Memorial Trophy is presented to the highest placed junior in division four at the Hasler Final every year and Honor is the first junior girl to ever win it.
Just after lunchtime, the fastest racers in the country set off for Old Windsor Lock, with smaller but even more-determined fields of paddlers lined up, decked out in their club colours. Completing over the standard 12-mile course, the division 1 race was won by Joe Petersen from Banbury & District Canoe Club, closely followed by Tom Lusty from Solihull Canoe Club. The division 1 K2 race was won by Keith Moule and Matthew Johnson from Chelmsford Canoe Club.
It was also a personal highlight for the Marathon Racing Committee to see the younger (U14) paddlers being able to race in both K1 and K2 in the Geoff Sanders races. This is the first Hasler Finals to ever run a K2 race for that age group and clubs fully engaged with it as eleven crews started the race. It was won by Jessica Peters & Eira Shaw from Wey Kayak Club and the K1 GSA title was taken by Bjorn Bartsch-Cotta from Falcon Canoe Club. Overall, the winning club for the Geoff Sanders Trophy this season was Devizes Canoe Club with 1480 points.
Runnymede mayor Cllr Margaret Harnden joined in the afternoon to present a series of trophies, as well as the coveted Hasler Trophy. Elmbridge Canoe Club were crowned the winners (after an 11 year hiatus from holding the trophy), with Norwich Canoe Club and Wey Kayak Club also making the podium.
Away from the racing, the day also had a focus on the environment and helping to keep the river and surrounding area clean. Recycling of food packaging, a water station and regular litter picks ensured the event left a minimal impact on the area. British Canoeing set up a Check, Clean, Dry stand to encourage cleaning of boats coming off the water to prevent the spread of non-native species, such as floating pennywort. Pippa Rowlandson, Wey Kayak Club’s environment lead, said that at least 50 boats were cleaned on the day.
Thank you to Wey Kayak Club and Addlestone Canoe Club for putting on a great event and we look forward to returning to this new venue at some point in the future.
For full details of the results, please visit our race management site here.
If you, as a club or a group of clubs, are interested in finding out more about hosting a major event, contact our major event lead, Dan Seaford, here.
The Lechdale Junior 200m Sprint Regatta and 2000m Dash is hosted by Devizes Canoe Club. To enter, please email Bev Hunter using bdhunter59@gmail.com.
Final results for the inaugural Short Course National Championship (by class), and club points.
Promotions have been applied to the class results
Congratulations to all the new National Champions and Norwich for taking the win in the club competition.
It has come to the notice of the MRC that there have been a small number of complaints regarding paddler behaviour during recent events, aimed towards other, slower crews taking part in the same event. It should be borne in mind that everyone is racing in their respective class, and faster crews should respect slower crews who will also be competing in their own race. Faster crews coming up behind another boat should try and indicate their presence and avoid conflicts with the crews they are catching and passing. A friendly warning shout is acceptable, aggression is not.
Additionally, at a recent event the starter was sworn at for not starting the race early, when most but not all crews were lined up. Such behaviour is totally unacceptable and could lead to disqualification from the event or a longer ban.
Please be courteous towards all other competitors and the marshals at events.
We are pleased to officially announce that the 2022 National Marathon Championships will take place at Worcester Canoe Club on 27 and 28 August 2022.
Many thanks to Worcester CC for agreeing to host the event again.
We are delighted to announce that the 2021-22 Hasler season has started, from 1st September. The inter-club Hasler competition and paddler qualification rules will re-start from the first races of this new season, with qualification towards the 2022 Hasler Final in September next year.
Hasler races will now be available to enter through the new Race Entry System.
The start of the season will see one rule change: the first in-region boat in each division will earn 50 points (100 for K2s/C2s), with points decreasing by one for each position as usual. The reason for increasing the points is that some start lines see over 20 paddlers, so there will still be points to race for below this position. There will still be a 110% cut-off time, where paddlers outside this time will earn a single point.
An organising club and venue for the 2022 Hasler Final have been proposed – confirmation and announcement to follow.