Our committee and coaches are made up of club members who freely volunteer their time to assist the club in its operation and activities.

BCCC Committee

  • James Freemantle - Chairman

    James’ primary interest is in flat water racing. He is currently a Division 3 marathon racer and through his coaching and leadership has helped develop a number of BCCC racing squad to Division 2 and national championship level. He has been awarded fastest K1 or K2 in the club Hare & Hounds event every year since 2008.

  • Ben Hansell - Secretary

    Ben is a division 2 Hasler racer who has been with the club for over 10 years. He also enjoys cycling and playing squash.

  • Jason Dyer - Treasurer

  • Sarah Francis - Committee member, boat store manager and L1 coach

    Sarah’s primary kayaking interest is K1 and K2 marathon racing. She also enjoys sea kayaking. If she ever misses a race, it is because whe is competing in an orienteering event.

  • Paul Sandy - Committee member and Race Captain

    Paul is an enthusiastic club member and assistant coach. He has been paddling and racing for the last 5 years and is always keen to encourage new paddlers into the sport at any opportunity. Paul is also one of our race captains and helps to organise our Hasler entries and team training.

  • Pina Napolitano - Committee member and L2 coach

    Pin is a sea kayaker mainly and loves to head out to Scotland to find a bit of empty beach, or an island to paddle around. She also enjoys paddling our own Basingstoke Canal, and can often be found in a canoe litter picking along its banks. Pina is a Level 2 Coach with 3* in sea kayak and canoeing, and enjoys helping out with some B3C coaching courses for new club members.

  • Zoe Griffiths - Committee member and L1 coach

  • Bill Hansell - Committee member and Communications Officer

    Bill is a part time Hasler competitor. Hobbies include amateur drama

BCCC Key People

  • Liz Murnaghan - Membership Secretary

    Liz is a Level 3 Coach. She has paddled most types of boat (slalom K1, C1 and C2, WWR K1, marathon K1 and K2, polo, open canoes, sea kayaks, river runners and playboats) with various degrees of success. She is now more often to be found in flat water boats, if only because Surrey is not well endowed with white water gems and time is too short to drive for hours to the good stuff. Lis is also known for bringing Canoe And Kayakers Energy Source (CAKES) to a wider audience.

  • Richard Boreham - Club Welfare Officer and Coach

    Richard is an experienced white water paddler and coach. A former Chairman, he is now the Club Welfare Officer

  • Paul Jeffs - Trip Coordinator and L3 Inland Kayak and L2 Racing Coach

    Paul has served several roles in the club but today he has settled down to encouraging both marathon and white water disciplines – as well as taking part in both. Paul’s enthusiasm for canoeing never lets him down as can be seen from his grin! He holds the Level 3 (Inland Kayak), Level 2 Racing and Level 1 Slalom Coaching awards and isn’t frightened of paddling an open boat either. He is a real proponent of trying every paddlesport discipline from river running through racing and sea kayaking to polo and more.

  • Richard Somerset - L2 Racing Coach

    Richard was a long serving member of the committee but stepped down to do more paddling. He is still very much involved in club life taking a leading role in coaching white water and flat water racing. He is a very experienced paddler holding British Canoeing 4 Star Kayak, British Canoeing 3 Star Open Canoe and Placid Water as well as being a Level 3 Kayak and Open Canoe and Level 2 Racing Coach

  • Brian Biffin - Level 3 Coach

    Brian is a Level 3 Coach. These days he prefers sea trips and Grade 2 inland paddles. He is also a qualified paddleboarder and a very keen skier.

  • Anne Biffin - Level 2 Coach

    Anne is a UKCC Level 2 Coach. She enjoys sea kayaking, kayak touring, paddleboarding and open boating. She tries, with little success, to keep Brian in check and can often be seen on the water with Calvin, the Border Collie.

  • Tina Looi - Race Captain

    Tina is the other half of our race captain team and helps organise our race entries and training, and diligently keeps our racers up to to date with upcoming events.

  • Rob Hansford - Safety Officer