Results
Provisional results from Malton can be seen by clicking here
Photos
Photos can be downloaded from these links:
The first turn
The finish (only a few)
Ken’s photos (These cover the pre-race activity, launching, and racing shots)
The presentations
Report by John Niland
๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ โ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ผ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ
There are many fine traditions in paddlesport: early starts, questionable weather, and at least one paddler confidently misreading the race briefing. This yearโs GSCC trip to Malton delivered all threeโwith interest. The plan was simple: head north, paddle hard, win things, and return home looking heroic.
What actually happened wasโฆ wellโฆ heroic, but in the way that legends are usually blurred slightly by heatstroke and sunburn. The trouble began, as these things often do, before anyone had even dipped a paddle in the River Derwent. The organisers had a BIG problem โ two trees blocking the river meant they had to totally reroute the course and, somewhere along the way, they got the distances wrong BIG TIME. Somebody claimed at the Brigg Hasler that the lap distance seemed a touch short – Suspiciously short (but they werenโt). Paul therefore tried to play safe, casually, adding an extra 1000m โjust to be sure.โ It later emerged that each lap was already 4.5 miles so the extra 1000m meant each lap was over 5 miles (it should be 4) and there were multiple laps. On a twisting, windy, tree-choked Derwent that meandered like it had lost its satnav the course felt even longer. Definitely a character-builder and excellent value for money.
๐๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
The weather, of course, was glorious. The kind of sunshine that looks delightful in photos but quietly melts paddlers from the inside. By the end of the day, everyone resembled a carefully curated collection of various shades of red. Fortunately, Connor and Oscar had come preparedโnot just physically, but aestheticallyโwith matching water bottles. Itโs unclear whether this improved hydration or simply boosted morale through symmetry, but either way it worked: they powered home as first GSCC boat, 1st in Division 5, and 2nd overall after the thoroughly unplanned 10.48 miles. A casual stroll, really.
๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ ๐ฏ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ (๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐)
Next home was Karl, who delivered what can only be described as a fully immersive experience of the Derwent. His first swim was reportedly due to โconfusion amongst the lower division paddlers,โ which is a polite way of saying he was gently shepherded toward a delightful set of hidden rocks. Always a crowd favourite. His second swim, however, was โintentionalโ. He claimed it was to โcool off.โ Widely regarded as โdedication to temperature management.โ Either way, Karl emerged refreshed, determined, and only slightly more aquatic than originally intended. ๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐-๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ Graham set off with quiet determination as our remaining 8 (plus 25%) milerโa category that sounds less like a race distance and more like a tax bracket. He paddled on, alone with his thoughts, the sun, and approximately 7,000 bends in the river, each one identical to the last. A masterclass in enduranceโand in trusting that eventually, inevitably, the finish line must exist.
๐๐ก๐ ๐-๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐๐
Sue and Helen led the charge for the GSCC โ4-milersโ. They returned strongly, followed closely by Andrew and Phil, all looking like theyโd had a delightful dayโassuming oneโs definition of delight includes perspiration and existential questioning.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐
What a show! Jess, in only her second 4-mile race, didnโt so much compete as blast away from the field with the confidence of someone who hadnโt yet learned that 4 miles on the Derwent actually feels like 12. Mike, meanwhile, approached the course with steady resolve, overcame both distance and heat, and cruised in for a well-earned second place, proving that calm, consistent paddling is sometimes the best strategyโฆ especially when there are added mystery kilometres.
๐๐ก๐ โ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ญโ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐
Finally, we arrive at Francis and John. Described by Paul (with admirable understatement) as โthe most entertaining boat,โ their race featured a bold and innovative route strategy: * Forward * Sideways * Into trees * Around trees * Occasionally through trees. Their prolonged entanglement with overhanging branches transformed the Derwent into something resembling an interactive obstacle course. Spectators, in this case Paul and fellow paddlers, were treated to a performance rich in suspense, improvisation, and light foliage rearrangement. They were the last โ4 mileโ boat homeโฆ but crucially, not the last off the water (that was Grahamโs dubious distinction). A moral victory, if ever there was one. Victory, Glory, and Sunburn
๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ
Medals were shared, stories were exaggerated (slightly), and it appears GSCC may well have secured winning club statusโa remarkable achievement given that part of the team (Francis and John) voluntarily made the race even longer (C2s definitely need a steering wheel). Everyone left: * Exhausted * Victorious * Mildly dehydrated * And impressively sunburnt
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ
Special mention must go to Martin and Ken, whose eagle-eyed photography ensured that every glorious, chaotic moment was captured for posterityโand, more importantly, future embarrassment. Somewhere, we hope, (In a world where Martin and Ken are part of the SBS or Navy Seals), there exists a perfectly timed photograph of Karl mid-swim, or Francis and John negotiating a shrub. These images will be used responsibly. Probably!
๐
๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
The Malton Hasler delivered everything: heat, distance, confusion, triumph, teamwork, and more than one entirely unnecessary kilometre. GSCC paddled hard, laughed harder, and proved once again that while racing is importantโฆ โฆmaking it more difficult than it needs to be is practically a club tradition. Roll on the next one.
