Category: Club News for the Public

Drum roll please 🥁 🥁 🥁

👋 I’m excited to announce that entries for the Reading Circuit Race (aka Hasler) are now open!

I’ve ordered the sunshine and a gentle flow… 🌞 Delivery is not guaranteed, unless we are in, so I need you to join me at the race. 😉

Regardless, the BBQ will be out and there will be racing galore for all the divisions and all of the boat types including SUPs… so what are you waiting for!?

Enter now at the Canoe Marathon Entries site!

If you have any questions or queries please reach out via info@reading-canoe.org.uk

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Karina (Lead organiser)

We’re delighted to announce dates for this year’s adult and junior kayak beginner courses.

Got to https://reading-canoe.org.uk/start-paddling/ for more information on the courses and dates available and how to sign up.

Dear Paddling Community, while the weather has improved a bit recently, the state of the Thames is still nowhere near anything that would provide for a safe race so with a heavy heart, we need to cancel the Thameside 2 race scheduled for the 1st of March. As previously and always, the safety of all paddlers is our top priority. It’s a shame that the weather has not been kind to us this year.
 
The Club would like to thank all volunteers and organisers who have been working in the background to make this race happen and we very much hope that you will join us for our Reading Circuit Race (Hasler) later in the year.
 
All entries will be notified with the Canoe Marathon Entries site and entry fees will be refunded via the system. Refunds will be processed today but they may take a few days to show on your account.

If you have any questions about the races or the decision, please reach out to us at info@reading-canoe.org.uk

Best regards, Reading Canoe Club

Due to the adverse weather, the Thames is not suitable for most paddlers and especially as the Juniors draw ever closer to the key racing season it was time to get out on the water and off the ergos for some quality sessions. At the time of writing this post (15^th of February), we are on red boards, which means that most members will need to stay off the water from the club. Last week, Imogen, our Lead Coach has arranged that our junior team and some of the NITS group were able to go paddling on the lakes at Dinton Park near Woodley following Amber Owen setting up a recce paddle the Sunday before. Saturday greeted us with gorgeous weather and Sunday was back to the usual seasonal grayness but this did not deter the team and they had a great session on both days.

Here are a few photos from the Saturday session to share how it looks:

And just to provide a reality check…one from Sunday morning when the weather was less permitting 😊:

Going forward, this opportunity may be opened on other weekends too. There are three major requirements to paddling at Dinton: 

1. It needs to be an organised session and a club coach needs to be present

2. The cost of using the facilities at Dinton is £5 per person per session and you also need to be prepared to pay for the parking (unless you can organise drop off and pick-up). The cost of parking is £2.40 per hour in the first 3 hours.

3. All paddlers must wear buoyancy aids

If you are interested in joining a session at Dinton Park, please watch out for announcement in our Facebook group and/or talk to your coach to signal interest and hear about the details.

Dear Paddling Community, it is with sadness we share that due to the ongoing weather conditions and their impact on our waterways, we have to cancel our Thameside 1 race that was scheduled for Sunday, February 15th. Safety of all paddlers is the top priority and the current conditions do not allow for a safe race.

All entries will be notified with the Canoe Marathon Entries site and entry fees will be refunded via the system. We are hoping for a turn in the weather in time for our next race on the 1st of March that is currently planned as Thameside 2. Please check our website for the latest on that race at reading-canoe.org.uk/thameside-series/

If you have any questions about the races or the decision, please reach out to us at info@reading-canoe.org.uk

We will be missing racing this Sunday – if you feel similar and have any memories or photos to share about previous Thameside 1 races, please visit our Facebook page a leave a message for other paddlers at https://www.facebook.com/ReadingCanoeClub

Best regards, Reading Canoe Club

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛’𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧!

Both Thameside 1 and Thameside 2 are great stand-alone, long distance races, and also great training in your DW build up!

Thameside 1 takes place on 15th February. Entries are now open and can be found on Canoe Marathon – https://entries.canoemarathon.org.uk/…/thameside-1-2026…

More details:

Thameside Series

Thameside 2 is on March 1st so please save the date. More details and entries coming soon.

Saturday 29^th November was the big night … drum roll … the night all the Trophies of the year would be announced at Reading Canoe Club. There was a new ‘game’ theme too, delivered to perfection by our compère, with décor in the hall to match. 

72 members and guests turned up for a great evening out, complete in their gaming, Christmasy outfits, eager to hear a round-up of the year’s events, the wins and successes, as well as the ultimate – those Trophy awards.

Imogen did a fantastic job, talking us through, with a little bit of help from coaches giving the highlights from their training groups. 

This was followed by a three-course supper (highlight the Portuguese tart!) and more fun and games in front of the polaroid camera. 

Thank you hugely to the key organisers Imogen and Amber, and the whole team who put the evening together.

Trophy winners:

Cruse Cup (for most hasler points scored) – Aidan Teeuwen

Swimmer of the Year – Bruno Paczolay

Marathon Paddler of the Year – Marcel Nagy

Veteran Paddler of the Year – Ben Saxby

Junior Paddler of the Year – Ruth Shephard

Sprint Paddler of the Year – Oli Mazur

Most Improved Junior Paddler of the Year – Jack Morgan

Most Improved Adult Paddler of the year – Nikki Tyrell

K2 of the Year – Sam Boughton and Matteo Bellofatto

Bill Mowbray Trophy (for the best DW race) – Radek Zielski

Jean Boatman Trophy – Aryahi Chavan

Ashes Trophy (for always going just that bit further to help … all the time) – Trevor Mills

Club Colours:

Katherine Martin

Karina Phillips

Ben Saxby

Joe Webb

Nikki Tyrell

Nigel Markey

Xavier MacLeod

Looking for a fun and competitive K4 racing opportunity? The Reading K4 Multi-Event is your chance to test your crew’s marathon stamina and sprint speed all in one exciting day of racing!

Join us for a unique event that combines 5km mass-start racing with 500m sprint showdowns, giving paddlers a chance to showcase both endurance and raw power in larger K4 boats.

Event Format

Morning Session – 5km Marathon Race
Each crew will race in a mass-start 5km event around the club’s classic course, featuring multiple turns and challenges. Boats will compete in ability-based categories: A, B, C, or D, with Category D completing a 2.5km course.

 All crews will earn points based on their placement in this race.
Afternoon Session – 500m Sprints

Crews will return to the water for two exciting 500m sprint runs:

1. A Time Trial to determine seeding for the finals.

  2. Finals Races – go head-to-head with other boats in 3–4 races
to prove your sprinting power!

Points from the 5km and 500m finals will be combined to determine the overall champions in each category.

Who Will Be Crowned the Top K4 Crew?
Can your team master both distance and speed to take the Reading K4 Multi-Event title? There’s only one way to find out!

 Enter now to secure your place – don’t miss out!
Spots are limited and demand is high – make sure your crew is on the start line (no entries on the day). Scan QR code below.

See details on poster attached and you can find details and enter on the MRC entries website: https://entries.canoemarathon.org.uk/entries/new-reading-k4-multi-event-2025-onPWb2YJ