Kayak Racing on the Kennet

As hinted at in yesterdays blip, I looked up the details of the canoe race and went to have a look.

For correctness, canoes are the open craft that we often call 'Canadian Canoes' in the UK, and kayaks are the enclosed ones we often wrongly call 'canoes'. Most clubs over here are called Canoe Clubs and they cater for both types of floaty thing.

I have used both in the past, but always on the sea and I've never been to a race, so didn't know what to expect.

Despite it being a grey, drizzly day, about 200 people and 130 craft turned out, and there was a friendly and busy club atmosphere in the rented village hall with helpers diligently providing hot drinks and bacon or sausage baps. The competition was open to many clubs, so nobody minded me mixing in.

The race was along the canal from Great Bedwyn to Newbury (fortunately a fresh following wind), some 13.5 miles with 21 portages which I'll explain. When you paddle along a waterway you sometimes have to negotiate locks and weirs - the normal way to do this is to pull up and get out, pick up and carry the craft along the path round the obstacle and often across a road, then put it back in the water, get in and paddle off. Given you've been paddling quickly until then, it's a real break of rhythm and a hard physical workout. I could quickly see that this is where time can be won and lost, and was definitely the place to watch from!

Entrants start alone or in small groups at 20-second intervals within a time period. Thereafter they can overtake on the water or running on the path, and gain time by being nimble getting in and out. Most craft were doubles, and although they needed good co-ordination at the portages they were much less prone to being blown about by the brisk wind!

Almost all of the craft were kayaks, which are generally faster but less stable.

The extras show you the stages of getting out, running down a muddy towpath and setting off again.

If you hear of this type of race I thoroughly recommend going to watch; you need no inside knowledge and the portages are exciting and impressive. Now I wonder ...