James Mahoney receives the Champion Club (Talent Development) plaque from BC’s Dee Paterson.
Devizes CC was awarded British Canoeing’s Champion Club. This programme is one of four club accreditation programmes that British Canoeing is delivering to support clubs to develop and improve in specific areas.
The Geoff Sanders Trophy originally provided a competition for the under 12’s. In the 2020/21 season, it was altered to cover athletes up to U14.
Sitting alongside the Hasler Series, the Geoff Sanders (GS) Series is specifically for younger paddlers. The series is designed to introduce them to marathon racing in a positive, supportive environment and prepare them for the transition into the Hasler divisions once they are ready.
Paddlers race over approximately 4km, in one of the three age/speed based categories, and are promoted through them based on speed.
At the Hasler Finals, Oct 2022, DCC won the GS Trophy, having amassed the most points of any canoe club in the 21-22 Hasler season.
Our GS paddlers in that season were:
- Alfred Scaplehorn
- Gus Cains
- Max Poole
- George Kenny
- Emma Peacock
- Simeon Kendall
- Luke Mason
- Hugo Percy
- Connie O’Hare
- Jared Kelly
- Harry Coomer
We have re-named our club U12 trophy this year to the Geoff Sanders Trophy in order to match the new age limit, U14.
The three highest point scorers in the 21-22 season were:
-
Max Poole 150pts
-
Simeon Kendall 190pts
WINNER – George Kenny 198pts
Hasler Points Trophy for the club paddler who won the most Hasler points in the SW region in the 21-22 season
Nominations:
- 3rd George Kenny – 198pts
- 2nd Nigel Chivers – 292pts
WINNER – Dylan Martin – 430pts
For a Senior paddler who first joined the club in 2022 and re-joined in 2023.
Nominations:
- Jules Ward – completed the Winter Training Programme, competed in Waterides and DW
- Sammy Sullivan – high kneeler C1
WINNER – Tanya Payne
– was support crew for Martin at DW 2022, completed an intro course in June 2022. Has paddled regularly since and has completed 2 x K2 Hasler races this year, coming 3rd in both.
Nominations:
- Andrew Park – for repairing the boat stands and making boat tags we can use for boats that are damaged or loan etc.
- Anna Hunter – for her efforts organising the junior section
- Nigel Chivers – for the success of the Chippenham hasler
WINNER – Danny Mason
– for organising the tuck shop on Saturday mornings
For a junior paddler who first joined the club in 2022 and re-joined in 2023.
Nominations:
- Freddie Hillier – completed an intro course in May 222, paddles regularly with the Adventure Group
- Georgie Ethelston – completed the Winter Training Programme, competed in Waterides and DW
WINNER – Fred Johnson
– completed an intro course in May 2022, has since been promoted from Div 9 to Div 8 and to Div 7. Won Div 7 K1 race at Bradford on Avon in June.
Anna accepted the trophy on behalf of Bev Hunter.
WINNER – Bev Hunter
The Club Racer trophy is for someone who has represented the club well at races in the past year.
WINNER – Dylan Martin
For representing DCC in every SW Hasler race, gaining points that took DCC to the Hasler Finals and finishing the season in Div 3.
Nominations:
- Roger Edwards
- Ian Thackray & Martin Payne
- Mark Bouch & Nick Poole
WINNER – Mark Bouch & Nick Poole
This year’s DW had it’s own exceptional challenges as a very wet March had approximately 150% of the average rainfall. Heavy wet weather about ten days before the event saw close to flooding levels and full Red Boards on the Thames. Additional screening of competitors was introduced so that only suitably competent and experienced crews could attempt to reach Westminster. This reduced the Senior Doubles field by around half.
The Thames conditions also necessitated a decision to finish the Stages race at Dreadnought Reach on Day 2, as opposed to the normal four-day event heading up to Westminster.
This year was a mixed bag of emotions; frustration at not getting to Westminster – the goal everyone had trained for and frustration for some at not adding to their tally towards the 1000 mile club. There was some relief at not having to paddle the Thames and Tideway in particularly challenging conditions and excitement at the prospect of a fast race. There was the usual celebration and sense of pride and fulfilment at finishing and there was a great atmosphere at both Reading and Westminster.
The conditions meant a very fast race and the DW Senior Doubles record was broken after standing for 44 years (15h 19m 35s)! Several other DW records were also broken.
DCC had one Senior Doubles crew, Pete Clarke and Alex David who completed in 19hrs 28mins and claimed a new club record!
WINNER – Pete Clarke and Alex David
for a new club record
DCC Stages Race paddlers were:
- Ros Gill & Nicola Davey K2 Ladies
- Georgie Ethelston & Alex Lascelles Junior Ladies
- Beth Tuke-Hastings & Jules Ward Junior/Vet
- Andrew Park Park and Jeff Mason Endeavour
- Dan Colby Endeavour (paddling with a Dauntsey paddler (Dan stepped in just a few weeks before Easter when Iona’s partner dropped out)
- Beatrix Fooks represented Dauntseys
Some of these crews also made up the mileage over the Easter weekend either paddling, running or cycling so they could complete the distance for their sponsorship efforts!
WINNER – Dan Colby
Nominations:
- Georgie Ethelston
- Beth Tuke-Hastings
WINNER – Beth Tuke-Hastings
for the fastest junior time.
Chosen by the Coaches.
Nominations:
- Tanya Payne
- Ros Gill
- Debbie Ryall
- Nicola Davey
This year given to a paddler who completed an intro course in 2021 and has in the last year completed and won several Hasler races, been promoted to Div 8, completed the Waterside Series coming 2nd in the K2 Ladies class, and completed the Stages DW race having decided at Christmas to maybe ‘give it a go’.
WINNERS – Nicola Davey & Ros Gill
– first time given to 2 people.
The first of three awards where the nominees and winners were chosen by the juniors.
Nominations:
- Gus Cains
- Philippe Ehrnrooth
- Fred Johnson
- Dylan Martin
- George Kenny
WINNER – Philippe Ehrnrooth
who wasn’t present, so his father, Albert accepted on his behalf.
Nominees and winner were chosen by the juniors.
Nominations:
-
- Cam O’Hare
- Fred Johnson
- Max Poole
- Nigel Chivers
- George Kenny
- Dylan Martin
WINNER – Max Poole
Nominees and winner were chosen by the juniors.
Nominations:
- Arthur Hunter-Hopkins
- Mollie Ball
- Philippe Ehrnrooth
- Charlie Mayo
- Dylan Martin
WINNER – Phlippe Ehrnrooth
Two nominees:
Georgie Ethelston – who along with her partner, Alex, managed to break an overstern rudder completely off on the Pound, 7 miles in to DW Day one. We heard they had broken their rudder and all said but it’s an overstern, it won’t be completely broken. It was! They had snapped it off completely and carried the rudder in hand up to Honey Street where a replacement was found and fitted – with a hairband! The rest of DW was then completed!
Graham Burgess – nominated by Nick Prichard.
This is Nick’s email:
As you know, we go out two to three times a week, early mornings, in all weathers and conditions. Nothing really stops us – if it is raining we wear waterproofs, if it is frozen we rug up and break ice, bright sun means sunglasses and hats!
That is until old Gumpyguts, the Swan up by the Marina, appeared in early March. For a while we took him on but after being buzzed , our boats were hit multiple times so we stopped before the Marina to leave him in peace and reduce hassle.
This lasted until a morning in late May, when Graham announced, “I have had enough of that bugger, we are going to take him on.” Where Mr Tough and Rough had suddenly come from, no one knows, but he was a man with a mission.
Up we paddled to the Marina, nervously looking out for the raised wings of Grumpyguts, Sure enough he appeared near the entrance to the Marina and Graham headed straight to him! Using his paddle he splashed Grumpyguts, swearing and shouting. Not to be outdone the swan headed straight for Graham and flapped those big wings.Chaos.
After all this noise and kerfuffle, on we went to beyond 2M bridge with Graham chuntering how he had taken on the swan and sent him packing!!!
The return journey was less noisy but the big old bird did chase us twice after we had passed the Marina.
All the way back Graham went on and on about how you have to confront the swans as it teaches them a lesson.
When we got back and had packed the boats I pointed out how damp Grahams kit was on the side the swan was when he was splashing – Mr Tough and Rough them took his top off to find that the swan had gut his arm and the damp was his own blood!!!
Needless to say we did not go past Grumpyguts until his mate stopped nesting, a couple of weeks ago, Graham always insisted we turn around well before the Marina!!