News

News

New Athlete Representative required for selection committee – Urgent!

   25 May 2023    Athletes, Governance, Selection

The MRC Selection Committee are seeking a volunteer to join as Athlete Representative. 

The athlete representative will be invited to all selection meetings, and will be able to contribute to the discussion, but is not a voting member of the selection committee.

Requirements of the athlete representative:

  • Act as an independent member of the committee (not MRC, a current athlete seeking selection or club coach).
  • They should bring with them experience of being an international athlete (where possible).
  • Know and understand the selection policy.
  • Question and challenge the process during the meetings to ensure selections are made in line with the policy

The next meeting of the selection committee will be in the days following the assessment weekend 10th/11th June, and the new athlete representative should be available to join this meeting. 

For more information and to register interest please contact Tom Sharpe by Sunday 4th June.

K1/C1 & K2/C2 Assessment Weekend June 10/11th

   22 May 2023    Athletes, Selection

This assessment weekend will have a singles long course race on the Saturday and doubles long course race on the Sunday. The assessment will be used for the following:

  • Lead assessment for the European Championships
  • The K2 assessment will be used with the Short Course Nationals as joint lead assessment for the Sanabria K4 (date now updated in the selection policy here).
  • Continuous assessment for the World Championships (although is not the lead assessment for selection to this international)

To be considered for selection for the below internationals, you must complete the availability forms by Midnight on Wednesday 7th June: 

The assessment weekend was due to take place in the Thames Valley. Unfortunately, this has not been possible due an extremely high number of regattas and fates taking place over the same weekend on this stretch of the Thames. Elmbridge have kindly offered to host again. We would like to thank them. It not only keeps the event close to the original area announced but it also an excellent venue for the assessment weekend. We would like to recognise that the K2 race clashes with Royal’s Hasler, which is unfortunate as it is in the same region. We hope that this change in location does not impact their event.

Due to a local raft race, the busy time of year on the Thames, and to reduce interclass wash hanging, the starts will be split across the day into two starts. The Saturday will see a large gap between starts to avoid the local fete raft race. The Sunday starts will be run back to back. We appreciate the timetable may not be ideal for some, however Elmbridge have taken a lot of time to consider the best way to execute a professional and fair assessment event which is reflected in the schedule they have produced. They will shortly publish the race pack and open entries to the event. When open, entries can be found on the entry site: K1/C1 Entries, K2/C2 Entries.

Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the Selection Policy: 2023 Selection Policy. If you have any further questions regarding the Selection Process, please contact the Chair of the Selectors, Nanette North on: marathon.selectors@vol.britishcanoeing.org.uk

Updated Team Announcement for 2023 World Cup and German Nationals

   11 May 2023    Athletes, Selection

The Marathon Selection Committee wanted to provide an update on the team attending the 2023 World Cup and German Nationals. Congratulations to the athletes on their selections to their respective teams.

Ted (Edward) Tandy

   9 May 2023    Uncategorised

We were saddened to hear the news of Ted ( Edward ) Tandy’s death on 2nd April 2023. Ted was an active member of Bradford on Avon CC for many decades, and Commodore and Coach at the club from the late 1950’s.

Ted was instrumental in developing and introducing proper on- and off-water training techniques into long distance kayaking in the early 60’s, using his background in the Royal Marines as the foundation. Competing many times, and winning the 125 mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race on several occasions, Ted built up a fierce reputation as a coach, producing many top class paddlers – a number of whom went on to represent Great Britain as well as win multiple national titles.

After retiring Ted moved to Lancashire, but he recently relocated back to his home city of Bath.  Last summer, at the age of 87, he was back down at his club helping to carry over sections of a new building, always wanting to be in the thick of any action!   Seen by some as a hard task master, he achieved and got results from himself and his paddlers. Long distance racing, the forerunner to today’s marathon kayak racing, owes a lot to a number of determined individuals such as Ted, without whose drive our sport might not exist today.  

A great character, who had a huge and positive impact on so many, Ted always made sure everyone achieved their best, whether that was on and off the water.

National Short Course Marathon Championships 2023 – Final Details

   3 May 2023    National, Racing

The final race briefing for the 2nd edition of Short Course Nationals 2023 can be found here.

During the event, live streaming can be found via our Facebook group as well as updates throughout the day on our other social media channels.

Marathon Racing Major Events 2023 – Hasler Final Update

   24 April 2023    National, Racing

The MRC Major Event team are excited to finally announce the Hasler Finals 2023 date and venue. Thank you to Worcester Canoe Club for hosting another major event.

MRC Annual Consultative Meeting 2023 – Initial Information

   24 April 2023    ACM, Governance

The MRC Annual Consultative Meeting will take place online on Wednesday 28 June 2023, starting at 7.30pm.  This will include the elections for the 2023/24 committee.

Joining details for the meeting will be available on the MRC website nearer the time, as will a full set of papers.  Each BC affiliated club which has participated, or has an interest, in marathon racing is entitled to a vote, and that club’s voting member will need to be registered in advance.

In addition to the annual election of the Chair this year there will be an election for seven committee members.  

The following are due for re-election and have expressed an intention to stand again to stand again:

  • Stan Missen (Chair) – elected annually
  • Graham Warland
  • David Enoch
  • Evan Shephard
  • Holly Mobbs

Standing down mid-term or/not seeking re-election:

  • Dyson Pendle
  • Kat Wilson
  • Siobhan Urquhart

Anyone wishing to stand for a place on the MRC must inform the Secretary of their candidacy by 18 May 2023.  They must be a full member of British Canoeing and be proposed and seconded by two other full individual members of British Canoeing.  

Standing as an elected member of the MRC is a great way to make a difference to our sport and be involved directly in how it is run. Committee members are expected to attend around four meetings per year (there is usually an online option), and to play an active role in the administration of the discipline in between meetings.  Roles covered by those named above include:  Treasurer, Committee secretary, rules, short course, communications, junior development, secretary to Selection Committee, major events, safeguarding and race management.  If you are interested in standing and becoming involved in any of the above, please feel free to contact the Chair (Stan Missen) or Secretary (Siobhan Urquhart) by 18 May, supported by two full members of British Canoeing. 

Anyone wishing an item to be raised at the ACM needs to be a full member of British Canoeing and have submitted it to the secretary by 18 May 2023 supported by two additional full members of British Canoeing.

Other items may be discussed at the meeting at the Chairman’s discretion.

Email addresses:
Stan Missen – Chair – marathon.chair@vol.britishcanoeing.org.uk
Siobhan Urquhart – Acting Secretary – marathon.secretary@vol.britishcanoeing.org.uk

Team Announcement for 2023 World Cup and German Nationals

   23 April 2023    Selection

The Selection Committee would like to thank Elmbridge Canoe Club for hosting the first assessment of 2023. Following the assessment, the teams for the World Cup and German Nationals 2023 have been selected. Please view the linked documents below for the full selection note and assessment results and HC data.

Congratulations to the athletes on their selections to their respective teams.

As per the 2023 Selection Policy (published here), any requests to review the selections must be made in writing to the Chair of the Selection Committee, Nanette North, within 48 hours of the publication of this document, i.e. by 10pm on Tuesday 25th April 2023.

Updated Race Details for Elmbridge Assessment Race tomorrow

   21 April 2023    Selection

In advance of the assessment race tomorrow and due to the current flow of the river, the organising committee have taken the decision to alter the course. Please see below for updated race details.

Briefing at 11:30am.

Start Order:

  • 12pm – 18 miles for Senior and U23 Men K1 – 6 long laps, 1 short lap, 6 portages
  • 12:01pm – 12 miles for Junior Boys K1 – 4 long laps, 1 short, lap 4 portages
  • 12:02pm – 15 miles for Senior and U23 Women K1 – 5 long laps, 1 short, lap 5 portages
  • 12:03pm – 9 miles for Junior Girls K1, Junior Boys C1 and Senior Women C1 – 3 long laps, 1 short lap, 3 portages

The course will take the following format:

  1. Start at the White House, heading upstream towards the back of the little island.
  2. Turn anti-clockwise around the 3 buoyed turn and head downstream on the same side of the island.
  3. Paddle back towards the White House, staying on the right-hand side of the separation buoy and around Desborough Island.
  4. Turn clockwise upstream around the 2nd term 250 metres downstream of Desborough Island and paddle towards the bottom cut bridge.
  5. The portage is a further 1000m upstream from the bottom turn, outside the clubhouse. It uses a floating landing stage as the get out and the existing landing stage as the get in.
    • There is a gap between the floating landing stage and the bank – paddlers need to be aware and careful!
  6. Continue upstream after the portage and turn above the little island and the 3-buoy turn, heading downstream again towards the White House.
  7. On the last short lap, you turn in the same place as normal after the portage (3-buoy turn) but finish at the bridge downstream of the club. This is roughly 500 metres from the 3-buoy turn.

Update to Marathon Selection Policy 2023

   19 April 2023    Athletes, Selection

It was brought to the attention of the Selection Committee that the mitigating circumstances policy was not inclusive of the early selections from the first assessment in 2023. Please find the updated policy with changes made to section 4.1 via the link below. 

If you have any questions on the Selection Policy for 2023, please direct them to Nettie North, Chair of the Selection Committee, here.

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