Waterside C

Sunday saw the Waterside C race from Pewsey in Wiltshire to Newbury in Berkshire, a distance of 24 miles with 35 portages including the infamous Crofton Flight where crews could run over a mile with their boat.

The day started Gray and damp with a chillier feel in the air than the thermometer said, with crews meeting at Pewsey Wharf although the School Buildings were closed due to the Corona Virus there was still a feeling of anticipation in the air there was a knot of Southampton Crews starting in the first start window including Nigel, Richie, Sharon and Fred plus the majority of other crews. Phil Amey and Alan took a break from their Great Canal Journey to pop in and say hello.

Whilst waiting for the second start the temperature seemed to drop even further, and despite Richard and Guy trying to jump the start, all got away safely. At the three mile point there are four locks run as two pairs and both are mainly uphill, several crews took a tumble in the mud at this point with Rick saying he could not wait, towing James behind him on his knees. Next is the Tunnel, for Rick and James this was no problem as they were the only boat in the tunnel but we suspect the vicious chop where unseen waves try and throw you in to the tunnel wall was still experienced by many. Plunging out of the darkness there is a short trot to the run at Crofton, and then on to Bedwyn where the A race would have started if it had run. This year possibly caused by low entries or the split start system Rick was head to complain he was Lonely during the race.

After Bedwyn the crews are in more familiar territory with shorter more regular portages and gave some of our crews the chance to catch up with each other and have a chat. Through Hungerford (where a canal barge did a good job of barging Rick and James allowing the competition to slip away) and onward’s to the very welcome sight of the A34 Bridge signalling that Newbury and a hot dog is within reach, but the race had another laugh at this point dropping the temperature so that you could see your breath. And on in to Newbury where the flow made the last 100m under the bridge really exciting.

So the scores on the doors, James and Rick came in in 2nd Vet Male K2 with Damon and Russ in 3rd, Guy and Richard were 5th and Nigel and Richie were 13th in the Mixed K2 Class Sharon and Fred were 14th with Lexie and Lennie from Hamble Sea Scouts coming in, in 28th position in the hotly contested Junior K2 class.

Unfortunately the Virus has put pay to the final race in the series and Devizes to Westminster so the decision as to the outcome of the Team and any Series trophies rests with the organisers.

Thank you to our fab support crews – knowing when to and when not to stuff that crumbled bit of Hot Cross Bun into your mouth is a Science as well as an art, and also thank you to Newbury Canoe Club to put the race series on in what has been this year a series of very challenging conditions.

Results are here

WATERSIDESERIES.ORG.UK

www.watersideseries.org.uk

Waterside B. Following the cancellation of A this was the first of this years Waterside races, for some the best race in the series and for the rest the worst – a real Marmite race! This is in-part for the format of an out and back race of 17.5 miles and 19 portages between Newbury and Aldermaston, but the real killer is the first half is with the Wind and flow and then you have to turn and slog you way back up where you have just come from, many crew have come unstuck in the past working too hard on the way down to find no gas left in the tank when the race toughens up.

This year Southampton fielded 5 crews with another 3 from our friends at Hamble Sea Scouts, Sharon Cruse and Fred Taylor in the Mixed K2 Class swooped round the course in a time of 3 hours 56 mins with Sharon re-acclimatising to the cool (read cold) British weather. Nigel Jefferson and Richie Morris in Vet male K2 trotted around in 3:11 with Richie even having time to lend his hat to a Poole Harbour Paddler in need who had bumped his head on one of the low bridges. The other Three Southampton boats all in the vet male class came in within ten minutes of each other Damon Grimsey and Russell Meyer in 2:38 having struggled with a leaning boat, Richard Elliott and Guy Holmes in 2:36 to take Third place, to earn the first part of their dimmer set leaving Richard Kent and James Hinves to come in in 2:28 their 5th WS B Class victory. For the Hamble Scouts, Southampton member Toby Evans took the honours in Junior Single in a time of 2:36 that bodes well for the rest of the season, another Southampton member Alistair Brown and his partner Mike Preston just missed out on a mug coming 4th in Junior Doubles, with Lexie Brown and Lennie Cann following them in in fifth.

It was a great day out finishing under a big blue sky, with some fantastic performances. Next week Thameside Two should provide some exciting challenges as the crews race from Reading to Marlow, with the only mass start of the season, there should be plenty of crashes, Washes and splashes to enjoy!

Provisional results are available here http://www.watersideseries.org.uk/results/2020resb.pdf

Its a Hat Trick on the Thames.

Thameside 1 saw five Southampton Paddlers take part in what was an exciting and challenging race on a course swollen by the recent rainfall. Due to the conditions the organisers introduced additional measures such as having to have a support crew, and wearing Buoyancy Aids along with additional warnings about the reduced height under the bridges.

The race runs down the Kennet and Avon Canal, through the River Kennet and in to the Thames with County Lock having reappeared from being under water and both sides of county weir being at the same height causing a lot of crews to consider the shoot rather than the portage, the Oracle was swirly and exciting – just the thing to prepare for the hard slog upstream into the very strong Thames. Several crews (including James and Rick) took the easy option of running to the lock.

Rick and James came in First Vet Male K2 with Russ and Damon coming up close behind to take second despite having to stop to fix a broken rudder. and Phil Pearce completing a paddling comeback in Senior Male

Reading provided very fetching Hats as prizes so we now have 4 new ones!

Full results are here http://reading-canoe.org.uk/results/thamesides/2020_T1.html

On 2nd February 2020 Southampton Canoe Club held its first Wild Water Race at Woodmill Activity Centre, Southampton.

With the River Swollen from the previous night’s rain the course proved a challenging but exciting sprint down the River Itchen finishing with a splash down the drop at Woodmill Weir. Racing through obstacles such as Broken Weir and the salmon Chicane proved to be a testing course with several athletes and paddlers opting for an early bath!  

Over 20 Athlete’s competed on the course with the fastest time being posted by local paddler Xavier Hinves from Southampton Canoe Club. However, there were also fantastic class wins for, Andre Hinves in U14 Boys, Molly Gwym from Wiltshire Youth CC in U16 WWR and Poppy Gilbert- Johns from Southampton in U14 Wavehopper. Jacob Parker from Southampton and Lenny Cann from Hamble Sea Scouts, battled it out for bragging rights in the U16 Boys with Jacob finally winning through. Meanwhile in the Senior Classes Martine Huisman (Southampton CC) took honours in the ladies Wavehopper, with Lyn Jack (Upper Hamble CC) winning the Ladies Recreational Class and for the Men Richard Kent (Southampton CC) led closely followed by John Dyke (Hamble Sea Scouts) and Neal Underwood (Sharks CC).

Southampton Canoe Club is a British Canoeing Talent Club Partner and runs a series of beginner and developmental courses throughout the year for more information please visit www.southamptoncc.org.uk

Thanks should be given to all the volunteers that made the event possible and we look forwards to holding a nationally ranking event in the future.

On Sunday 5th January myself and four others, James, Damon, Russ and Xav woke up in the early hours of the morning to take on this challenge. This race came with many new experiences for me, it was the first race that I had been to without my mum and only the second time I had done a race where you start and finish at different places.

The race started at Elmbridge canoe club and finished at Richmond canoe club, which are roughly 13.5 miles apart. Getting on the water I didn’t really know what to expect as I was paddling on new water. As James and I approached the first portage we realised that the portage was under water and we couldn’t really see the get out. This portage was one of the most crowded portages that I had ever done, there was lots of boats on a very small set of rollers, that were even smaller due the high water.

As we continued through the race James and I began to start feeling the distance and we were starting to get tired and we were left with another crew that we finished just behind.

We finished 5th out of 13 which is where we thought we would come and we where very happy with our time.

Damon and Russ also did very well finishing in 1st place, although a slower time than ours.

Xav and his partner Zak also did very well as they raced up a division to challenge themselves.

Report produced by Jacob Parker

 Dec 23rd, 2019

Southampton Canoe Club is a registered charity and would not be here without our fantastic team of volunteers, including our volunteer coaches.

The club would also not be able to move ahead with exciting projects and improvements without some of the generous financial support and funding that we receive.

 This year we have be lucky enough to have received funding from:

 Lloyd’s Bank -£500 Matched Volunteer Giving 

Asda Community Funding (West End Store)  – just under £1,000 to fund some amazing kit for our junior paddlers

Tesco Bags for Help Scheme – £2,000 to fund the equipment for the Club’s first ever weights gym 

Local Giving and Postcode Community Trust – a £500 grant towards two stable boats for the newer, less experienced members of the club

 We are also very grateful to continue to receive donations through the Coop Card, Easyfundraising and Amazon Smile.

 Many thanks everyone for your help and support this year and we hope you have a very Happy Christmas.