News

News

Junior Development Squad Winter Series 24/25 Day 1 Sign-up

The MRC, SRC and Paddle England Talent Department pleased to announce that our first JDS winter series event is now open for booking. Please click HERE if you would like to book a spot. 

The event will be taking place at Gloucester Canoe Club on Saturday 19th October. The day will be in K2/C2s and will seek to develop crew boat skills amongst paddlers, including building an understanding of how to run the boat, the importance of communication skills and pacing. Paddlers will need to bring a K2/C2 to the event, please speak to your club about borrowing if needed and/or liaise with other paddlers who may attend.  

The day will be led by Alice Murphy & Holly Mobbs. 

For more information about the JDS, including entry criteria and to sign up please click HERE. As a reminder, the cost is £10. Sign up closes on Friday 11th October at 17:00. Late entries won’t be accepted.  

Club Coaches are encouraged to attend. If any coach would like to play a more formal role in the day by supporting the delivery to paddlers we would be very appreciative, to do this please sign up HERE. Coaches that will earn 10 CPD points for their coaching record. These days would not function without volunteer coaches and we are greatly appreciative of ALL coaches that can offer some time to support and are also willing to learn and develop practices during the day.

Hasler Finals 2024 Cancellation

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 marathon@richmondcanoe.club, and stay tuned to our website and social media for updates.

World Championships 2024 – How to follow along

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!

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!

Paddle England Competition Athlete Support Fund

Paddle England’s Athlete Support Fund is open for a third and final round of applications from eligible English athletes competing internationally this year.

The purpose of the fund is to provide some financial assistance to support athletes competing at British or English team representative competitions.

Deadline for applications in this window closes on Monday 26th August.

To apply and to check eligibility, please visit the website page here for more information.

Selection Note for the World Championships 2024 and U14/U16 Development Trip 2025

Please see below the selection notes for the 2024 World Championships and the 2025 Under 14 and Under 16 Development Trip as well as the Assessment Data used to support selections.

We would like to congratulate the athletes on their selections to their respective teams.

REQUESTS FOR REVIEW

As per the 2024 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 marathon.selectors@vol.paddleuk.org.uk within 48 hours of the publication of this document, i.e. by 6:30pm on Thursday 14th August 2024.

World Championships 2024 Assessment Races & Selection Details This Weekend

The lead assessments for the World Championships 2024 takes place this weekend, 10th-11th August, at Falcon Canoe Club. Standard entries close Friday at 9pm, although entries are possible until 1pm on the day. Live entries can be found here: Assessment Entries

The program sees the K2 / C2 racing on Saturday 10th and K1 / C1 on Sunday 11th. Note that Sunday is looking very hot at 28 degrees. We remind all athletes to ensure they have the right clothing, sun protection, hydration and nutrition for the conditions.

Following the European Championships, the following athletes have secured pre-selection onto the team:

  • James Russell – Senior Men K1
  • Tim Lodge – Para
  • Jon White – Para
  • Shaun Cook – Para

We would like to congratulate these athletes on their achievements. Please note this leaves only one place for the Para team which will be selected by benchmarking cross class. Further selections for SMK1 can only be achieved through securing a release place. Please ensure you have read and understand section 3.3 of the policy.

If you are seeking selection for the World Championships, you must have completed an availability form. Note the deadline has now passed (7th August at 10pm). 

Please find a full list of available athletes below. If your name is not on this list but you still seeking selection, please contact Kat Wilson urgently.

First NameLast NameClubCategoryInterested Classes
FayLamphWeySWKK2
MelissaJohnsonChelmsford SWKK1
EmmaRussellChelmsford Canoe ClubSWKK1, K2
FreyaPetersRichmond Canoe ClubU23 WKK1
SamMartynWeyU23 WKK2
KatieBrookesExeter U23 WKK1, K2
EliseMontagnaRoyal Canoe ClubU23 WKK2
NerysHallWeyU23 WKK2
GretaRoeserWEYU23 WKK1, K2
AnnabelHutchinson Reading Canoe ClubJWKK1, K2
Mollie Ball Devizes Canoe Club JWKK1, K2
KamilaSklenarovaNorwich canoe clubJWKK1, K2
George DurdenElmbridge SMKK2
AlbertHicksNorwich SMKK1, K2
MatthewJohnsonChelmsfordSMKK1, K2
JamesRussellChelmsfordSMKK1
FinnCadellNottingham Kayak ClubSMKK1, K2
Matthew Collinge Fowey SMKK1, K2
TimothyDowdenNorwichU23 MKK1, K2
Benji CabreraFoweyU23 MKK1
DanielSklenarNorwich Canoe ClubU23 MKK1
FlynnHoltRichmondJMK K1, K2
JosephEnochNottingham Kayak ClubJMK K1, K2
LochlainLovellWorcesterJMK K1, K2
WilliamShortElmbridgeJMK K1, K2
Jack Niland Falcon Oxford JMK K2
Alexander WorganRichmond JMK K1, K2
MarcellNagyRDGJMK K1
MalachiGrantNottingham Kayak ClubJMK K1, K2
OwenChisholm Richmond canoe clubJMCC1
Andrew Elliot Richmond Canoe Club JMCC1
LucyKeyworthLeamington Spa ParaKL1
ShaunCookNorwichParaVL2

For more information on the selection policy and process, please refer to the selection policy: 2024 Selection Policy . If you have any further questions please direct them to the Chair of the Selection Committee, Nanette North, via email marathon.selectors@vol.paddleuk.org.uk

European Championships 2024 – How to follow along

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!

World Championships & U14/U16 Development Trip Selection Information and Availability Forms

The last selections for 2024 will be announced week commencing 12th August. 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 13/14th July in Reading.
  • World Championships (including Para): lead assessments to be held on the 10/11th August at Falcon Canoe Club. Information and entries can be found here: Entries

If you are seeking selection for either event, you need to complete an availability form by 22:00 on the 7th August. Forms can be found here:

  • U14/U16 Development Trip: Form
  • World Championships (including Para): Form

If you have any questions about the forms, please direct them to Kat Wilson katburbeck@yahoo.co.uk.

For more information on the selection policy and process, please refer to the selection policy: 2024 Selection Policy. If you have any further questions please direct them to the Chair of the Selection Committee, Nanette North, via email marathon.selectors@vol.paddleuk.org.uk.

National Canoe Marathon Championships 2024 – Club Points and Junior Points Trophies

Thank you to all competitors, clubs, volunteers and spectators who made the National Canoe Marathon Championships 2024 at Reading such a success, particularly Reading Canoe Club for hosting and organising. 

There were a number of medals not claimed at the prize giving on both days. If you made a podium position but have not collected your medal, please email our secretary here

At the end of Prize Giving on Sunday, there are normally two club trophies awarded: the overall club points and the junior paddlers club points. However, this year, only one set of points was read out. After a review, we have discovered that the wrong points and podium was read out for the overall club points awards. The points announced were instead those for the junior club points and the overall club points were not announced. We apologise for this mistake and any disappointment this might cause. 

Below are the correct points for both trophies. Congratulations to Wey Kayak Club for winning both the overall club points and the junior club points trophies. 

We will be in contact with clubs directly to arrange the correct plate awarding.