Category: Racing

European Masters Championships 2025

   22 February 2025    Athletes, International, Racing

Registration for the European Masters Championships to be help in Portugal is now open and you can find the first bulletin for the event here.

Paddle UK need to be informed of any team members going. Information to follow on this.

Transport of Boats

The plan for the trailer taking kayaks to the European Masters Championships has been finalised.

The Trailer will be loading on the 24th May and the 25th May from Maidstone. This is a weekend to facilitate people bringing boats.

We will be returning to Maidstone on the 6th June and boat collections will be on the 7 & 8th June.

This will allow boats to be delivered at the weekend and collected likewise at the weekend after we return from Portugal.

The cost per boat will be £170.00.

As usual the cost will include the Insurance needed to cover any import / export duty for a boat not able to be returned to the UK.  This does not cover the actual boat, and paddlers are reminded that you can organise your own Boat Insurance through your Household Insurance or through Paddle UK Deal.

Team Kit

Joe Fitzpatrick, MRC Kit Lead, is ordering the new Paddle UK kit. If you still have the Team GB kit, we used last year this will still be valid for the European Championships. We will provide an update soon on the new kit if you wish to update.

Bryn, the MRC Masters Lead, will have a couple of Podium Jackets that will need to be worn when you get on the podium.   

K2 Races 

As usual, we hope to field a strong team in both the K1 and K2 events. If you have not yet found a K2 partner, please use the Masters WhatsApp group to try to link up with a paddler in an age group the same as or near your age group. Access can be achieved by emailing the MRC Masters Lead here.

UPDATE: 2025 Key Marathon Dates

   5 February 2025    National, Racing

Due to reasons completely out of Worcester Canoe Club’s control, the original published date for the 2025 Hasler Finals has had to be moved to the 5th October.

Please update your personal calendars as well as any club calendars used. We look forward to seeing lots of competitive racing from qualified clubs and paddlers on the new date.

Non-Hasler Marathon Races 2025

   8 January 2025    Racing

Have you set a new years resolution to do more racing? Why not try out some of the marathon races that do not sit within the Hasler series? In the UK, we are incredibly fortunate to have a wide variety of races, from descent races to ultra marathons or even 10k time trails.

Have a look at our current list below. For live and up-to-date information on events throughout the year, keep an eye on our racing calendar here. Entries for lots of these races can be found on our entries site here.

2025 Key Marathon Dates

   3 January 2025    Governance, National, Racing

As we enter 2025, four key dates must be in your calendar so you can get involved in marathon throughout the year.

As always more dates can be found on the racing calendar throughout the racing season, including dates for local regional Hasler’s, international races, sprint regattas and even ocean races! This is the most up-to-date version of racing dates.

Masters International Racing 2025 Opportunities

   17 December 2024    Athletes, International, Masters, Racing

2025 will see three great international races that we hope to have GB Masters competing in.

The Waterlands International race, 12th April,  in Holland is a challenging marathon on canals and a lake. The windy conditions make this a true test of stability and stamina. Entries are now open and there may be places on the Paddle UK trailer or car share with other paddlers.

European Masters Championships will be on the 2nd & 3rd June in Portugal. Provided there is enough interest, we will be taking the Masters trailer.

World Masters Championships will be in Hungary on the 2nd & 3rd September. We will be taking the Masters trailer to this great event.

To help with planning and coordination please let the Masters lead, Bryn Price, know if you want to join the team for any of these events via his email here.

National School Championships 2024 – Entries now open!

   17 October 2024    Athletes, National, Racing, Schools Racing

The MRC and Devizes to Westminster Organisation are looking forward to hosting the 2024 edition of the National School Championships on Sunday 17th November at Hawley Lake.

For full information on entry requirements, please visit the DW website page here.

To enter, you can download the entry form here.

Hasler Finals 2024 Cancellation

   2 October 2024    Athletes, National, Racing

Please see the below letter from Richmond Canoe Club, the organisers of the 2024 Hasler Final.

Dear Participants, Volunteers, and Supporters,

It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the cancellation of the Hasler Final 2024, scheduled for Sunday, 6th October, at Ham Riverside, Richmond upon Thames. This difficult decision was made with the safety and well-being of everyone in mind.

Why we’ve made this decision
As of 1st October, river flow at Kingston is 246.171 m³/sec—far exceeding safe levels for paddling. Unfortunately, with more rain expected and high water levels unlikely to recede in time, we cannot guarantee safe conditions for the race.

We know it’s a regular occurrence for races to be cancelled on this stretch of river. Even though we Richmond paddlers like to blame all the water from upstream, we also know how dangerous this stretch of water can be, and as such, we have spent significant time in our risk assessments and PLA condition negotiations, all of which are telling us it’s not safe to proceed. 

The river is just too dangerous, with strong currents and increased debris that even experienced paddlers would struggle to navigate. Safety measures we’d normally rely on are also less effective in these conditions. We cannot take the risk.

Looking ahead
We are considering the possibility of rescheduling the event. We are looking at the feasibility of holding the event at a November race date at an alternative location. We will keep you updated with any developments over the next 14 days, including refunds and transfer of entries.

Volunteers & Vendors
Volunteers will be contacted personally with further information. Vendors and suppliers will hear from us individually to discuss arrangements.

Thank You
We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone. Athletes, volunteers, sponsors, and the community of Richmond Canoe Club, your support has been incredible, and it means a lot. We know how much time, energy, and passion you’ve all invested in this event and the Hasler series in 2024, and we share in your disappointment. 

While we can’t race this time, I have no doubt that we’ll come together for future events when conditions allow us to enjoy the sport we love.

Please stay safe on the water, and we look forward to seeing you all soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected], and stay tuned to our website and social media for updates.

World Championships 2024 – How to follow along

   15 September 2024    Athletes, International, Racing

The final international of the 2024 season is here and it is going to be a busy week of racing in Metkovic, Croatia. Our Masters racing team kick off the event tomorrow morning with the K1/C1 races, followed by the K2/C2 races on Tuesday. You can follow along via the live results page here. There does not seem to be a live stream for this part of the event.

The team of junior, senior, under 23 and para athletes will start competing on Wednesday afternoon with Shaun Cook’s VL2 race and conclude on the Sunday afternoon with the Senior Men’s K2 race. Last time we competed in Metkovic was the 2018 European Championships where we came away with four medal (1 gold and 3 bronzes). Those who competed will remember the hot and bumpy racing conditions, which will make for some more challenging races this year. Good luck to all! We will be cheering you on every paddle stroke of the way!

Start lists and live results for all events can be found here. Any live updates from our British team will be shared via our social media platforms throughout the event.

All racing will be live streamed via the PlanetCanoe Youtube Channel. For full information on how to join to access the live stream, visit our how to watch Canoe Marathon website page.

Wednesday 18th September Schedule

14:25 BSTVL2 MenShaun Cook (Norwich)

Thursday 19th September Schedule

08:00 BSTK1 Junior WomenKamila Sklenarova (Norwich)
Sienna Payne (Chelmsford)
09:50 BSTK1 Senior Women Short Course Heat 1Greta Roeser (Wey)
10:15 BSTK1 Senior Women Short Course Heat 2Melissa Johnson (Chelmsford)
11:05 BSTK1 Senior Men Short Course Heat 2Matthew Johnson (Chelmsford)
James Russell (Chelmsford)
13:30 BSTC1 Junior MenOwen Chisholm (Richmond)
16:00 BSTK1 Senior Women Short Course Final
16:30 BSTK1 Senior Men Short Course Final

Friday 20th September Schedule

08:00 BSTK2 Junior WomenKamila Sklenarova (Norwich) & Sienna Payne (Chelmsford)
Annabel Hutchinson (Reading) & Mollie Ball (Devizes)
08:05 BSTC1 Under 23 MenOwen Chisholm (Richmond)
10:05 BSTKL2 MenJonathan White (Exeter)
10:05 BSTKL3 MenTimothy Lodge (Wey)
13:30 BSTK1 Under 23 WomenGreta Roeser (Wey)
15:45 BSTK1 Under 23 MenTim Dowden (Norwich)

Saturday 21st September Schedule

07:15 BSTK1 Senior WomenMelissa Johnson (Chelmsford)
13:00 BSTK1 Junior MenJoe Enoch (Nottingham)
Will Short (Elmbridge)
15:10 BSTK1 Senior MenJames Russell (Chelmsford)
Finn Cadell (Nottingham)

Sunday 22nd September Schedule

08:00 BSTK2 Junior MenJoe Enoch (Nottingham) & William Short (Elmbridge)
10:00 BSTK2 Senior WomenGreta Roeser (Wey) & Fay Lamph (Wey)
Melissa Johnson (Chelmsford) & Sienna Payne (Chelmsford)
13:00 BSTK2 Senior MenTim Dowden (Norwich) & James How (Norwich)
Matthew Johnson (Chelmsford) & Matthew Collinge (Fowey)

We are looking forward to some exciting racing over the next few days!

2024 FISU World University Championships Marathon – Follow along!

   23 August 2024    International, Racing

Tomorrow will see the debut of marathon races at the FISU World University Championship Canoe Sports. Hosted by Montemor-O-Velho, the 2024 edition has been running since Wednesday with the Canoe Sprint races but Marathon will debut tomorrow with four races. Two of which will have British representation.

At 14:40 tomorrow, Freya Peters (Richmond) and Katie Brookes (Exeter) will race in the K1 Women race over a 4 laps, 2 portages course. Matthew Collinge (Fowey) and Tim Dowden (Norwich) will race in the K1 Men race at 16:30 over a 5 laps, 3 portages course.

You can cheer them via the FISU official live stream here and live results can be found here.

Are you a University student or about to be a University student? Do you want to keep paddling at your local flatwater racing club? Visit our guide here to find the closest club and key contacts for you.

Good luck to all four!

European Championships 2024 – How to follow along

   22 July 2024    Athletes, International, Racing

It is European Championships week and the team of junior, senior, under 23, para and even masters paddlers will be competing across all days this week in Poznan, Poland. Masters racing kicked off today with the K1 races and tomorrow will be the turn of the K2 races. The main European Championship races will start from Wednesday 24th July, with some of the para classes, and run until Sunday 28th July.

Start lists and live results for all events can be found here. Any live updates from our British team will be shared via our social media platforms.

All racing will be live streamed via the Canoe Europe Youtube Channel.

Wednesday 24th July Schedule

14:20 BSTVL3 MenWilliam Trowler (Norwich)
14:25 BSTVL2 MenShaun Cook (Norwich)

Thursday 25th July Schedule

09:30 BSTK1 Junior Men Short Course Heat 1Joseph Enoch (Nottingham)
William Short (Elmbridge)
10:20 BSTK1 Junior Women Short Course FinalKamila Sklenarova (Norwich)
Annabel Hutchinson (Reading)
10:45 BSTK1 Senior Men Short Course Heat 1James Russell (Chelmsford)
11:30 BSTK1 Senior Men Short Course Heat 2Matthew Johnson (Chelmsford)
13:30 BSTC1 Junior MenOwen Chisholm (Richmond)
15:00 BSTK1 Junior Men Short Course Final
16:15 BSTK1 Senior Women Short Course FinalElise Montagna (Royal)
Melissa Johnson (Chelmsford)
16:40 BSTK1 Senior Men Short Course Final

Friday 26th July Schedule

07:50 BSTK1 Junior WomenKamila Sklenarova (Norwich)
Sienna Payne (Chelmsford)
11:20 BSTKL2 MenJonathan White (Exeter)
11:35 BSTKL3 MenTimothy Lodge (Wey)
William Trowler (Norwich)
13:45 BSTK1 Under 23 WomenKatie Brookes (Exeter)
16:25 BSTK1 Under 23 MenHarry Freeland (Elmbridge)

Saturday 27th July Schedule

07:15 BSTK1 Junior MenJoseph Enoch (Nottingham)
William Short (Elmbridge)
09:35 BSTK2 Junior WomenAnnabel Hutchinson (Reading) & Mollie Ball (Devizes)
Kamila Sklenarova (Norwich) & Sienna Payne (Chelmsford)
13:00 BSTK1 Senior WomenMelissa Johnson (Chelmsford)
15:10 BSTK1 Senior MenJames Russell (Chelmsford)

Sunday 28th July Schedule

07:45 BSTK2 Junior MenJoe Enoch (Nottingham) & William Short (Elmbridge)
Flynn Holt (Richmond) & Nelson Kinzler (Richmond)
11:00 BSTK2 Senior WomenKatie Brookes (Exeter) & Elise Montagna (Royal)
13:00 BSTK2 Senior MenJames Russell (Chelmsford) & Harry Freeland (Elmbridge)
Matthew Johnson (Chelmsford) & Matthew Collinge (Fowey)

We are looking forward to some exciting racing over the next few days!

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