Sutton Bingham & District Canoe Club

Marathon Page

For my sins I am the clubs marathon coach, click this to contact me- Dan Brown

Marathon

Marathon racing is one of the most popular sections of canoe sport. It attracts large numbers of canoeists of all abilities and takes place on most types of water; e.g. Canals, lakes, rivers, estuaries and even the sea. - and throughout the whole year. Two attractive features of Marathon racing are that it caters for people of different levels of ability from beginner to world class international athletes and also caters for competitors of a wade age range from under 10 to over 70.

You will be welcome if you want to take up Marathon racing what ever your age or previous kayaking or canoeing experience.

The Club’s coaches can give you guidance on the boat most suited to your ability and provide equipment and coaching to help you improve your speed and skill to enable you to progress to specialist racing canoes or kayaks.

The Marathon Racing Committee organises the National Championships, the Haslar Trophy Series and the Lightning Series on behalf of the British Canoe Union. It is also responsible for selecting and administering teams representing Great Britain at International Events.

There is a wide range of other races which take place throughout the year. The Devizes to Westminster and the Cheshire Ring, at 125 and 95 miles respectively, are amongst the longest races.The Frank Luzmore K2, the Waterside and Thames side series are between 13 an 34 miles and attract large entries despite being held in January, February and March. These together with local and regional races and descent races, held down stream on faster moving water, mean that there are races suitable for all abilities and ages throughout the year.

So come and give marathon racing a try. Speak to one of our coaches.

2010 South West Marathon Events

For more details contact Geoff Oliver

The Lightning Series

A Lightning is a stable, single seat, racing kayak for juniors aged from 8 to 12 years. It is an excellent boat in which children can develop basic paddling and racing skills before moving into full sized racing boats. It is used in competitions at both sprint regattas and at marathon races.

The Lightning Series is generally run alongside the Haslar Series and races are held at most of the regional Haslar races. Races are over distances of approximately 2 miles and are organised on and age basis in four separate classes - boys and girls under 10 and boys and girls under 12 years. The Series is an ideal way to introduce children to racing.

Points are awarded to each competitor and the Geoff Sanders Memorial Trophy is awarded at the Haslar Final race each September to the club that has gained the most points based on regional races plus the race held at the Haslar Final.

The race organisers of races listed in the calendar will give you more details of their own races.

Juniors can also complete in Lightnings at the Marathon National Championships held each year. There are separate races for the four age groups mentioned above in which the competitors must race in a Lightning. Points are awarded to each competitor and the club that scores the most points is awarded the Spanish Galleon Trophy.

The Haslar Trophy Series

The Haslar Series is based on a divisional system and is competed throughout the Season (September to August) on a regional basis. It is at the heart of Marathon Racing in Britain with over 100 clubs competing in some 60 or more races each year. Races, organised within regions, are held over distances of approximately 4, 8 and 12 miles depending on competitor’s ability. Promotions and demotions from one division to another are based on performance to ensure that competitors of similar ability race against on another.

Clubs compete on a regional basis to qualify for the Final which is held each September hosted by one of the racing clubs. The Haslar Trophy is awarded to the club that gains the most points at the Final.

The story behind the Haslar Trophy

One of the most daring raids of World War II took place on December 11th 1942 in enemy occupied port of Bordeaux, France. Operation Frankton involved 12 men in six canoes being taken by submarine to a position 10 miles south of the Gironde Estuary on December 7th. One of the canoes was ripped passing through the hatch of a submarine, but the other five then had an 85 mile paddle ahead of them. Two boats were lost in the tidal race and the remaining three carried on for three days, paddling in darkness and lying up during the day. One more boat hit a submerged rock and sank. The final two boats went on to Bordeaux harbour, where they attached their Limpet mines and, assisted by the ebb tide, paddled silently back down the river. The four remaining men beached before reaching the sea, scuttled their canoes and travelled overland to reach safety. Two were captured but Major “Blondie” Haslar and Marine Bill Sparks made their way to Spain - the only two of the original 10 men to survive. Haslar was awarded the DSO and Sparks the DSM.

After the war, Haslar went on to found the Single Handed Transatlantic Yacht Race after a bet with his friend Francis Chichester. The Haslar Trophy was presented by Lloyds Underwriters to commemorate the raid of the so-called “Cockleshell Heroes” and has been competed for since 1957. Major Haslar died in 1987 and Bill Sparks died on November 30th, 2002, only 10 days short of the 60th anniversary of the raid. In 2003 the Marathon Committee decided to inaugurate a new trophy named in honour of Bill Sparks, which goes to the highest placed veteran in the highest division at the Haslar final.

The rules for the Haslar Series and the Haslar Final can be found in the racing handbook.