There is only so much Capsize/Rescue/ Support/Turn/Empty Boat before you need to get out and do some real paddling on a real river
The Ancholme is ideally suited to Marathon Canoeing which can be enjoyed by anyone from 8 to 80+ and from Novice to ‘Olympic Hopeful’.
Our race on 27th March will give the opportunity for any club members to give it a try in a 4 mile race suitable for adult and youth newcomers and a 2 mile race for age 14 and under (on January 1st 2022).
Experienced marathon racers from a number of different clubs will also be competing over 4, 8 and 12 miles.
Experienced competitors tend to have their own boats – long and narrow – but marathon can be done in ANY canoe, kayak or even SUP
We have a number of specialist club boats available so that you can learn all the skills and start to move up the divisions without having to commit to buying a boat which can cost anything between £50 and £2000.
Our current fleet consists of
· An Eclipse K1 – fast but not very stable – suitable for experienced paddlers
· An Arrowcraft K1 for moderate ability paddlers who need a bit more stability
· Two Tor K1s – Excellent for paddlers with some experience who are looking to progress up the divisions.
· Three Pulsar K1s – More stable than the Tor but great for the larger paddler.
· Three Tempest K1s – Even more stable and a good starter boat for those who might be more used to general purpose kayaks
· One Trimmer – a good medium stability boat for the smaller paddler (We have two more on order but they may not be here in time for the marathon).
· Two Polypippins – a great starter that ‘almost’ anyone can get in and paddle.
· Five Lightnings – specifically aimed at the under-12s
· Two old Espadas – medium stability for the smaller paddler – soon to be retired from the fleet.
· A “George Oliver” K2 – Ideal for younger paddlers wanting to experience the fun of two-person kayaking over 4 or more miles
· A Glassglider K2 – suitable for a pair with some marathon experience. Fast but still quite stable.
· A Stiletto style K2 – for more experienced pairs – slightly less stable but faster in the right hands.
· An old K2 set up to be steered by the rear paddler (normally the front person steers) – heavy and a bit slow.
· We also have a marathon C1 – This is designed for a single paddler to use with a canoe (single blade) paddle. A bit heavy but a good introduction to “Sit and Switch” paddling over 4 miles.
The club has a number of plastic general purpose kayaks which can be used and some 2-person Canadian canoes which are suitable for the 4 mile course.
If you fancy giving it a try you can pick up an entry form at the pool on Saturday OR come and join us on the river on Saturday afternoon to learn more (1:45 for 2pm start).
For more info contact me at disciplines@gscc-online.com or see me at the pool.
Graham