It took Reading Canoe Club’s Dan Atkins just 36.835 seconds to power down the 200 metre course at Pitesti in Romania and win Gold and World Champion title in sprint kayaking. Over the previous two days he had dominated both his heat and semi final and was one of the favourites to win. Still it was a very close race, with 2nd place going to Germany’s Tom Maassen just six hundreths (.062) of a second behind him and Spain’s Gabriel Martinez in 3rd place just one hundredth of a second behind that.

Dan said “I didn’t know if I’d won it, but then I saw the scoreboard and heard the cheers from the crowd (the home team and rest of the GB squad) and knew I’d won it. It was a great race.”

He was back in a boat in the afternoon, racing K4 (four-man boat) with Reading’s Freddie Kemp, plus Andras Kereszturi and Philip Miles. They were delighted to finish 11th overall in the 500 metre K4 event.

Dan and fellow Club sprinter Freddie have been lucky enough to train this year alongside the UK’s reigning 200-metre Olympic Champion Liam Heath MBE and his coach Eric Farrell. In fact, this is the second title Dan has won in the space of two weeks – he took Gold and European Champion in Czech Republic just 14 days earlier.

Reading Canoe Club was proud to have four of their paddlers at the World Sprint Canoeing and Kayaking competition this year – an event which saw entries from 63 countries and the world’s very top Under 18 and Under 23 sprint canoeists. Besides Dan and Freddie, there was Sam Glover in the U23 500-metre K4 and Anna Palmer in C1 and C2 canoe events.

For further information on canoeing, please email info@reading-canoe.org.uk

What a weekend of sunshine and racing! What a weekend of results! Team Reading was on top form.

It was great to see our lightning paddlers increase from zero to three – first appearances from Ruth Shephard, Jenna Topham and Jensen MacNab. Awesome racing from all three with the K4 crews gaining a 1^st and a 3^rd.

Also new to sprints this regatta was James Nelson and Miklos Jnr, progressing to finals in many races. New to the team, but not to sprints was Edgar Boehm in Masters C, who managed a first in every race! Wow! Great points, Edgar.

Bethan D was also on top form, gaining a podium position for every race. Terrific results, Bethan. Georgia Boonham was also on fire, which was lucky as she was in so many races! Particularly impressive was 2^nd in her 1000m K1, 1^st in her K2 200m and 2^nd in K2 500.

Dan A also excelled – 1^st in Men’s A K1 200m was impressive stuff; making a course record as a junior was even more amazing. Many congratulations, Dan. Brother Matt, despite rarely being seen in a kayak, scored a trio of 1sts and a 3^rd.

There are so many to mention – Evan took 3^rd place in every race he was in, Jo Jo and Hannah were delighted to take 2^nd in their K2 1000m, Stefan had two 1^st places , a 2^nd in his K1 500 and 3^rd in his K1 1000m. Kat was up for a sprint too, with podium places in all her K2s. Tant was taking no prisoners in K1, scoring a 3^rd and a 1^st in Masters K4 along with Nigel, Stefan and Edgar.

Sam Glover, back from the Worlds, was 1^st in his Mixed K2. The Mixed K2 was a new event. We just want it open to Masters too. Our only canoeist this regatta was Max Kimberley. He gained two thirds and, along with Alex Tonkin, has been selected to Olympic Hopes as a result of this regatta. Many congratulations to the boys.

Many thanks to every member of the racing team, for all those who looked after the babies and toddlers at the event, and to all the support crews and those who volunteered at the regatta. What’s more, there were zero trips to the top of the tower. Amazing. Even more amazing was our 4^th place, a mere 4 points behind 3^rd place. Well done to all.

What a great start to the sprint racing year! Thank you all paddlers and those long-suffering support crews who made it up to Nottingham this weekend. We don’t often get a National Regatta in March and we were so lucky it wasn’t freezing or blowing a gale … yes, it was really sunny. Perfect Saturday; excessively choppy tail wind on Sunday, not easy.

14 paddlers strong, we were looking forward to a new season of sprints and our paddlers didn’t disappoint. First off, we were delighted to welcome new to the RCC team Maxim Kimberley and Anna Palmer, both excellent canoeists hoping for selection this season, plus kayakers Becky Swift and Jo Crossley (Matt Clarke’s sister).

There was some really exciting racing from all. A few highlights … top spot must go to Dan Atkins coming first in both his K1 selection races 200m and 500m, which should secure him a place to the Euros in June. Congratulations, Dan, tremendous racing, great results. Also congratulations to Sam Glover whose win in K4 sees him selected for the U23 K4 slot.

Well done also to Finlay coming 2nd in his Boys D 200m final, then Toby and Finlay storming to 1st in both 200m and 500m K2 Boys D. Not forgetting Toby’s performance with the RLS team in Boys C/D K4 500m, coming 1st. Impressive racing boys, and Toby’s first time in Boys D.

Georgia was first time in Girls C and was well up there, making all finals bar one. Alex and Sam B were amazing in their K2 races in particular, coming 3rd in Boys A/B 500m final. There was much more from all our paddlers.

Finally, hats off to Matt and Jo, who suddenly realised that, yes, they had got into the Men’s D (Jo was racing in Men’s D as all ladies had bowed out of her race) 500m K1 final and they had just 10 mins to change, sort their boats and get to the start line. They did it. Impressed!

The Olympic Hopes 2018 regatta took place 14th-16th September in Poznan, Poland. Competition was tougher than ever, with 716 paddlers from 36 countries. Eastern Europe and Germany once again dominated the event. Qualifying from semi-finals to finals was a feat in itself, with only the top two going through in most semis.

The GB squad, comprising 29 athletes, included two of Reading’s top Junior paddlers – Daniel Atkins and Freddie Kemp. They performed particularly well in their K2 200m, in a hugely tough field, coming 8th in the final. The crowning glory was taking Bronze in their K4 500m race, with Andras Keresztuzi (EAL) and Philip Miles (RLS).

Well done, boys. Great performances.

A team of 19 RCC paddlers, plus dedicated support crews, made their way up to Nottingham for the last regatta of the year – the National Championships for Juniors and U23s. We were blessed with almost perfect weather and some great results.

Unsurprisingly Juniors by far outnumbered Masters, but it was great to have Nik, Lee, a fit Nigel and Jan, who hadn’t raced at a sprint regatta for 15 years! Nik excelled in K1 winning a 1st and 2nd, plus a 2nd in K2 with Lee. Nigel and Jan were 1st in their 1000m K2 and the four of them together did an amazing K4 200m, taking 3rd, losing 2nd place by a hundredth of a second. Exciting stuff.

Matt Clarke chose the toughest regatta to launch his U23 sprint career but seemed right at home on the course, particularly with the K1 200m. Sam Glover, with a few more regattas under his belt, was our other U23 competitor and took two Golds (and National Champion) and a Silver in crew boats.

Our lightning/U12 paddlers, Annabel and Toby, did us proud, gaining a 2nd in K2 and 3rd in K4 and good placings in K1 to boot. It was great to see our U14s, Georgia and Finlay, in A finals and frustratingly close to medals with 4th places. Last race of the day, Georgia, as stroke, took bronze with her scratch K4 crew. Well done.

There was tough competition among the U16 paddlers too, but our quartet of Rory, Sam B, Joseph and Alex put in some terrific racing, their K4 taking 4th, so close to a medal. Other highlights were Sam’s 1000m K1, winning 1st in Final 2 and Rory’s 2nd place in Final 2 of the K1 500m. Well done to all four of you.

Our solo U18 girl, Fran, found a new K2 partnership and first time in a boat together, they won Silver in K2 200m. Super impressive.

It was great to have Jarvis, Thomas, Dan and Freddie battling it out in the U18s. This was an enormously competitive field, as you’d expect. Thomas was a delight, always with a big smile after every race – and it was tough out there. Good to see you in a final. Jarvis seemed to favour the long distances, winning 5th in Final 2 of K1 1000m and good placings in his K2 finals.

Dan and Freddie were awesome in their K2 200m, winning Gold with more than a boat’s length and a very convincing Gold in their K4. In addition, Dan took Silver for his K1 200m and Bronze K1 500m, while Freddie took Bronze for 200m K1. Congratulations National Champions.

2018 has been an awesome season of racing. Thanks to all those who took part and those who have supported. We look forward to more great racing from Reading paddlers in 2019.