Marathon

Marathon racing is a fun, but challenging endurance outdoor sport, happening across the country on rivers, lakes and canals. It offers progressive challenges from a couple of miles to the ultimate challenge of the 125 mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race. As you learn more boat handling skills, it becomes tactically as well as physically challenging, with boats racing in groups and contesting sprint finishes.

Marathon boats are designed to be a light as possible so athletes can quickly scoop them up and run across a portage (where competitors get out of the boat, run round an obstacle, typically a lock, before getting back in and carrying on). Very similar in design to the sprint boats athletes compete in the canoe and kayak singles and doubles.

There are marathon races run all over the UK throughout the year, usually on Sundays. Competitors have an official Marathon Division Ranking from 1 to 9 and U14 Geoff Saunders A, B or C . New competitors start in Division 9, and progress through the divisions by winning or coming close to winning races.

Divisions 7, 8 and 9 race over a course of about 6.5km (4 miles). Divisions 4, 5 and 6 race over a course of about 13km (8miles) and Divisions 1, 2 and 3 over 20km (12miles). To find out more about marathon racing in the UK visit the British Canoeing Marathon Racing site.

Hasler

The main championship that our members enter is the Hasler Trophy, an national inter-club competition. Qualification for the Hasler Trophy finals is done on a regional basis, in our case London & South East. Points are awarded for race positions and the top four clubs in each region go forward to compete in the Hasler Final, which is held in September. To take part in the final you have to have competed in at least three qualifying races during the season (1st September – 31st August). We compete at Clubs such as Royal (Kingston), Elmbridge (Weybridge), Richmond, Maidstone, Hastings, and Tonbridge.

Wey Marathon

We have our own race, the Wey Marathon, in April/May, when over 200 canoeists will compete. Wey has a strong tradition in the Hasler Trophy series, having been in the top three most years and winning it many times.

Marathon Nationals

The Marathon Nationals are age group race events, where paddlers compete for medals in over 50 national titles, ranging from under 10 events to the masters over 69s across individual K1 and C1 classes on Saturday, and K2 and C2 on Sunday, with the mixed K2 team event the last race of the weekend. This event is also traditionally used as an assessment event for selection GB marathon team for upcoming international races.

Waterside Series

The Waterside Series is recognised as being the classic build up for the Devizes to Westminster Race. However. the Waterside Series offers its own challenge, and to complete the series is an achievement in itself. The Series is run on a Time-Trial basis, boats departing on their own at 30 to 60 second intervals. The series is run over four weekends and much of the Devizes to Westminster course.

More information can be found at the Waterside Series website.

Devizes to Westminster

DW, for the uninitiated, is a 125 mile canoe marathon held every Easter weekend between Devizes in Wiltshire and finishing just downstream of Westminster Bridge in central London, opposite the Houses of Parliament.

The race is 125 miles long and has 77 portages, where competitors get out and run around locks, weirs and low bridges. The first 52 miles are along the Kennet and Avon Canal to Reading, the next 55 miles are on the River Thames to Teddington. The final 17 mile section is on the tidal portion of the Thames.

Some classes of entry race non-stop from the Saturday, typically taking 20+ hours to complete the course. Other classes split the distance over 4 consecutive days.

The race is a severe test of skill, physical and mental stamina and planning which produces a memorable sense of achievement for those successfully completing it.

More information can be found at the Devizes to Westminster International canoe race website.