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German Nationals 2023 Report

   1 June 2023    Athletes, International, Racing

The annual development trip to German National Marathon Championships fielded a twelve-strong team of juniors and under 23’s after successful selection from the long course assessment race in April. Consisting of seven juniors and five under 23’s, the team traveled to Rheine to take part in three days of racing two weeks ago.

After a long travel day, the team took on the short course distance on Friday evening as a warm-up to the long course events on Saturday and Sunday. Short Course marathon racing consists of a 3.2km course over small laps. In the junior boys category, the British team produced a dominant 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th finish order with Arthur Morley (Wey Kayak Club) taking the overall win. Flynn Holt (Royal Canoe Club) finished in the bronze medal position, Lukas Schleiter-Nielsen (Falcon Canoe Club) in 4th position and Alex Worgan (Royal Canoe Club) in 5th.

In the junior girls race, Chloe Ritchie (Wey Kayak Club) had a lightning start with Nerys Hall (Wey Kayak Club) and Beth Hall (Southampton Canoe Club) benefiting from her wash. A tough fight at the front of the race resulted in Nerys taking the silver medal with Beth Perry and Chloe Ritchie not far behind in 4th and 5th position respectively. Elise Montagna (Royal Canoe Club) had a consistent race in the senior women’s category to finish in 4th position. 

In the senior men’s race, a fast pace off the start line broke the race up quickly. Matthew Collinge (Fowey River Canoe Club) made the break into the front group and was able to battle it out to achieve the silver medal. Tim Dowden (Norwich Canoe Club) finished 7th, James How (Norwich Canoe Club) in 8th and Tim Gannicott-Porter (Chelmsford Canoe Club) came in 9th.

Saturday saw the turn of the long course K1 races and the results of the previous day were almost completely replicated. Racing over a 19km course, Arthur Morley took the gold medal again, with Flynn Holt replicating his short course result with another bronze medal. Lukas Schleiter-Nielsen finished in 5th and Alex Worgan secured 9th position, despite racing up an age group from under 16’s. The juniors girls also competed over a 19km course. Nerys Hall secured a hard earned silver medal, despite having issues with her boat pump, and Beth Perry secured 4th. Chloe Ritchie ended up retiring after a frustrating incident involving a post in the water. 

Elise Montagna competed over a 19km course and had a successful sprint finish to secure herself another fourth position. The senior men’s race was another packed field with a quick start. Matthew Collinge finished the 24km course in silver position again, with Tim Dowden not far off the pace securing fourth. Tim Gannicott-Porter finished in 6th and James How in 7th. 

As tradition for a canoe marathon national weekend, Sunday was the turn of the crew boat with all our athletes combining into K2’s. Yet more podium positions and medals were secured, despite a chaotic move of a race start that disrupted some of our paddlers’ later breakfast! 

In our junior races, our strength in crew boats nationally showed, with every boat entered securing a medal. Chloe Ritchie and Beth Perry won the start and continued the form to take the silver medal behind an experienced German K2. In the junior boys race, the two K2’s of Arthur and Flynn, Lukas and Alex, dominated the field and made an early break away from the rest of the boats to secure a first and second place finish order. Nerys Hall raced up to the senior race, partnering with Elise. A disappointingly small field meant that they didn’t experience the race they would have enjoyed but they still managed to earn a silver medal. In the senior men’s race, a fast paced front group of four challenged our two K2’s through some tight portages, with Matthew and Tim securing the overall victory and a gold medal. Tim and James finished in fourth.

A successful weekend of racing which enabled all athletes to put their hard winter training to the test away from home. Thank you to all volunteers who made the trip possible, especially our trip staff of Nanette, Suzanne, Charlie and Graham.

Leighton Buzzard Hasler

   29 May 2023    Uncategorised

Please find here the information for the 2023 Leighton Buzzard CC Hasler race, which will take place on Sunday 18 June.

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.

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