April 2026 Newsletter
A catch up of all things DCC as we enter the warmer months and have lots of competitions and activities happening!
CLUB MEMBERSHIP – if you have not yet renewed your club membership, now is the time to do so. Gate codes will be changed soon and we don’t want to lock you out! Spond groups will also be updated at the end of April to the current membership.
Dates for your Diary
** New Club Calendar**
We have a new Club Events Calendar here on the website so that you can keep up to date with what is happening.
There is also a new Calendar on the noticeboard in the Clubhouse entrance.
These calendars will include dates for Races, including Hasler races; social events, and group training sessions. We have monthly dates planned for senior Crew Boat sessions, Canoe group/technique sessions and Kayak group/technique sessions so keep an eye on the calendar so that you can stay up to date and can join in the fun! We will put the sessions on Spond, please ‘Accept’ if you would like to attend.
Sunday 19th April, 9.30am – Kayak Technique Session (Seniors)
A chance to work on better paddling technique. This will include an option to be filmed so that you can review your paddling.
Please note – There will still be a normal Sunday club session for anyone not wanting to take part in the technique session, but it will not be coach led.
Saturday 25th April, 11.30am – Canoe Group Session
Activity focus – TBC
Friday 8th May, 6.30pm – CREW BOAT Evening & BBQ (Paddlers over 16yrs)
Canoes and Kayaks. This month – Lucky Dip partners! Come along and join in! This is a great opportunity to paddle with different people and get more paddling experience!
Saturday 9th May, 11.30am – Canoe Group Session
Activity focus – TBC.
Saturday 9th May, 6.30pm – ANNUAL CELEBRATION and AWARDS EVENING
at Braeside Education Centre, Bath Road, Devizes, SN10 2AP. The cost is £5 per person which can be paid on the door (cards preferred) and there will be a buffet. Please bring your own drinks.
Please contact Sue Colby (shop@devizescanoeclub.co.uk) with numbers so that we know how many people to cater for.
Come along and meet up with other club members, and celebrate the successes within the club over the last year.
Recent Activities
Devizes to Westminster Start Village
We send a huge Thank You to everyone who helped out with the DW Start village. We had an exceptional team of over 30 volunteers involved from setting up the site on the Thursday through to clearing up Saturday afternoon, and the commitment and teamwork created an environment that was welcoming, organised, and truly representative of the very best of our club. Jobs varied from selling merchandise, race starters, carrying boat & compulsory kit checks, car park marshalls, fitting trackers and more. The DW management team repeatedly thanked us for our efforts, which set a new standard for the Devizes site.
Devizes to Westminster Race
We had 5 crews compete in the Devizes to Westminster Race this year, 1 crew in the Senior Doubles straight through race and 4 crews in the Stages race. Storm Dave brought strong winds that made for challenging paddling conditions, particularly overnight for the straight through crews and unfortunately, our crew of Phil and Gareth had to retire.
In the Stages race:
- Nick Poole came 1st in the C1 class and 8th in the overall Singles class with a time of 19.36.28.
- Jeff Mason came 12th in Senior K1 in 22.00.57.
- Stuart Hillier came 16th in Senior K1 in 23.36.02
- Stephen Cullip had to retire.
Our Senior Singles team took 2nd place in the Team results!
Waterside Series
14 DCC paddlers competed in at least one of the four races of the series. 3 DCC crews completed the whole series which earned us 3rd place in the Team results!.
Nick Poole won the C1 Series trophy for the second year running, having come 1st in Races A, C and D.
Ian Thackray and Sue Colby came 2nd in the C2 Series class.
Ros Gill and Nic Davey also completed the series in K2 making up the 3rd place Team.
#PaddleFest#
Good Friday saw the Adventure Group run the first Devizes PaddleFest, which offered taster paddling sessions and an ergo challenge from the DW Start Village. Approximately 40 people were given paddling sessions in canoes or kayaks in the Wharf area and hopefully we will see a number of those come along to join the club. Many thanks to the Adventure Group coaches who ran the event and to the juniors and parents who supported the coaches and made it a great success!
Visit our FaceBook page to see the photos.
Other News
Club Kit
Get ready for the new race season by ordering your Club Colours early! Race Vests and T-Shirts are available from the our website shop plus we have our new kit in the PB Teamwear Shop.
If there any other items of kit you would like to see added, let us know and we will see what we can do.
It would be great to see more Devizes Canoe Club kit at events.
Safeguarding Reminder
Changing Rooms – Please be mindful of the need to avoid being the only adult in the changing room with a single junior. Our changing room policy states:
Where at all possible there should not be a time when one adult is alone with one junior in the changing room unless the adult has parental responsibility for that child.
Where possible adults should shower and change at a different time to juniors or use the cubicles in the changing rooms when juniors are present.
This is for everyone’s protection and the situation can be avoided by:
Junior paddlers not leaving another junior member on their own if an adult is also using the changing rooms.
Juniors and/or adults using the shower cubicles to ensure privacy.