Flat Water Racing at the BCCC

Flat Water Race Training

Winter (Nov-March)
Tuesdays 6:00pm
Thursdays-Circuit Training 7:00-9.00pm
Saturdays 9:30am

Summer (Apr-Nov)
Mondays-Time Trial 6:00pm
Tuesdays 6.00pm
Thursdays 6.00pm
Saturdays 10.00am, (Please note these are ON the water times!)

Detailed TRAINING SCHEDULE now available:
PDF (schedule only) or
Excel spreadsheet for the schedule and all the detail behind it.

Hare and Hounds (monthly event) and other Time Trials

Link to the clubs Hare & Hounds pages here.

Other Time Trial Times to download

BCCC Hasler Race

The BCCC Hasler event was held on Sunday 15th May 2011.
Full results can be found here.
A summary of club points can be found here.

BCCC Winter Challenge!

New Winter Race from the BCCC on Sunday 11th December 2011!
15.7 miles (25.4Km) time trial from Odiham Wharf to Mytchett with one portage and unsupported.

Download the 2009 Challenge race results here here

Devizes to Westminster 2010

• Junior Double - Isobel Smith & Naomi Smith - Boat 137
    2nd all-female crew, 4th of 76 finishers
    16 hrs, 35 min, 58 sec at Westminster.

• Junior Double - Jason Dyer & James Taylor - Boat 148
    6th of 76 finishers
    17 hrs, 36 min, 12 sec at Westminster.

• Junior Double - Nick Boreham & Michael Rees-Clark - Boat 152
    8th of 76 finishers
    18 hrs, 25 min, 24 sec at Westminster.

• Senior Double - Derek Campbell (Leighton Buzzard) & Jamie Cox (B3C) - Boat 376
    14th of 85 finishers in Civilian in Snr Doubles, 20th of 101 in All in Snr Doubles
    20 hrs, 58 min, 5 sec at Westminster.

• Senior Double - Jason Ashwell & Steve Rees-Clark - Boat 422
    53rd of 85 finishers in Civilian in Snr Doubles, 66th of 101 in All in Snr Doubles
    24 hrs, 8 min, 36 sec at Westminster.

• Senior Double - Liz Murnagham & Tracey Rees-Clark - Boat 414
    1st of 2 finishers in Ladies in Snr Doubles, 54th of 84 in Civilian in Snr Doubles, 67th of 101 in All in Snr Doubles
    24 hrs, 8 min, 44 sec at Westminster.

• Senior Single - Sarah Louise Francis - Boat 733
    1st of 2 finishers in Veteran Female in Snr Singles, 4th of 5 in Ladies in Snr Singles, 29th of 40 in All in Snr Singles
    22 hrs, 0 min, 30 sec at Westminster.

There are several 'team' awards available, and our teams were placed as follows:

• Fastest Senior Double, Junior Double, Senior Single team
    Liz Murnagham & Tracey Rees-Clark, Isobel Smith & Naomi Smith, Sarah Louise Francis
    3rd place

• Three Fastest Junior Double
    Isobel Smith & Naomi Smith, Jason Dyer & James Taylor, Nick Boreham & Michael Rees-Clark
    1st place

Click here to visit the DWRace website.

Other News

Trial pages for other race pictures here.

Club's previous Hasler races:
B3C Hasler 2010 Results
B3C Hasler 2009 Results

About Flat Water Racing at BCCC

Flat Water Racing could be regarding as one of the club's "Specialist Subjects". There are a significant number of very experienced racers in the club.

This exciting part of our sport is known as Flat Water Racing or Marathon Racing but very few of us paddle the 26.2 miles that this implies.

The BCU's excellent web site for this discipline can be found at: BCU Marathon Site

The Distances

If you are under 12 you can enter races in boats called Lightnings which are stable craft ideal for young people up to 12 years old and under 60Kgs. The distance raced is typically 2 miles. There are also sprint events for Lightnings with distances from 500Mtres to 1000Mtres.

Races for the various divisions are:

Divisions 9, 8 & 7 - 4 miles

Divisions 6, 5 & 4 - 8 miles

Divisions 3, 2 & 1 - 12 miles

The actual distances may vary a little from event to event, largely due to the safe and accessible length of water available to race on. Most races have portages which means you have to get out of your boat and walk or run around the obstacle such as a weir or lock getting back in your boat to continue the race. Portages are usually only for the 8 and 12 mile races (division 6 and above).

Equipment

Basically the longer and narrower the boat the faster it will be but narrower means less stable and the length is limited within international rules.

The BCCC has a wide variety of boats suitable for beginners and improvers alike with fast tourers to full racing craft either with or without a rudder operated by your feet via a tiller bar. For clarity the boats are mainly described as K1/C1's or K2/C2's where K is for Kayak and C is for Canadian. A K1 is a single racing boat, K2 a double and K4 has 4 paddlers.

You can use a standard paddle but the lighter the better. Most people very quickly prefer an Asymmetric paddle and move to racing wings for the ultimate power advantage.

If you are under 16 you must wear a buoyancy aid for a race and all paddlers in divisions 9, 8 and 7 whether they are over 16 or not must also wear a buoyancy aid.

The Races

The racing season is normally from May to November but the racing year runs from September to August (so the finals can be in September rather than December!) Each participating BCU affiliated club is in a region i.e. London. Southern Eastern etc. Clubs in that region offer to run a race in the Hasler series championship. Clubs in that region enter teams of paddlers who gain points for their finishing position in the races i.e. winner 20 points, second 19 points and for K2 crews; winner 40 points etc. Points per club are gained at each race and the top 4 clubs in each region then compete at the Hasler final where they meet other clubs from all around the country.

Additional races throughout the year can be found including the gruelling 125 mile Devizes to Westminster race held over the Easter weekend.

There is also a sprint series for Lightnings, kayaks and Canadians held in Nottingham racing in straight lines for 200m to 1000m.

There are local people that have represented the UK from BCCC such as Mike Martin, Yael Chance and James Lee plus other local clubs such as at Reading, Elmbridge and Guildford so why not you?

What to wear?

You will generally get too hot wearing a wet suit and arm movement could be restricted. Our advice is to wear a thermal top or a man made fibre T shirt (NOT cotton!), either shorts, track suit trousers or wet suit shorts with light shoes, neoprene booties and lastly a cag and hat if it is cold, wet or windy.

How to start?

Get in a boat and paddle!

The BCCC racing squad meet twice mid week during the summer on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.15 and throughout the year on Saturday mornings from 9.15. During the winter months the midweek times and days will vary.

The BCCC have a Hare & Hounds series held on the third Saturday morning of each month. Paddlers race against the clock every month over 2, 4 or 6 miles and, hopefully, improving their times with training and coaching that we can provide.

For more information call...

Richard Somerset - 01252 683584

Charles Hicks - 01252 850657

Brian Gandy - 01252 622630