Waterside A

There was a good turnout by NKC at Waterside A this weekend with entries in the Senior K1, Ladies K1, Mixed K2, Ladies K2, Veteran Junior K2 and C2. Hopefully there will be some personal reports from some of those taking part. Meanwhile here are a few photos of Ian in Senior K1, Hayleigh & Cathy in Ladies K1 and Mick and Sarah in Veteran/Junior K2.

Photos by Tadek (See also NKC Website Home Page)

Winter Race 4

They were the most challenging conditions of the 2007/8 Series so far. Some of us can remember even more extreme conditions over the years, but this was quite bad enough, with the water nearly to the top step outside the club and a gusty downstream wind. It was very similar to the first one I ever did in 1971 or 2 in a slalom boat. I think I managed some of it backwards and it took over 2 hours! Andy took the longest on this occasion twice as fast as that (I think he's about the same age that I was at the time!) He actually finished and scored points, although several were not so fortunate with 3 swimmers and several rescuers not completing the course and others retiring for other reasons. At this point, special mention must go to Pat, Ady & Ricky, Norman & Alison who helped Geordie & Tony out in a very brambly patch of "The Grove. " Pat in particular deserves thanks as he had already rescued Tom at the first cross over.
The juniors that completed the course deserve special mention, as strength on the last section to Clifton Bridge was the most important asset apart from boat control. Zyggy, Harvey, Laura & Tadek did well with their experienced senior partners, but the two crews who deserve special mention here are Beth & Leanna and Shobhanna & Zyggy as they were all junior crews. Beth and Shobhanna managed to steer & stroke for their younger partners in the most challanging conditions, with their skills developed at the training sessions during the high water in the summer being put to the real test. Sarah was the other junior who completed the race with Harriett and again they deserve a special mention as this was their first time together as a crew.
Two of the Fast Track girls raced and they also deserve paticular mention as they had paddled up from Holme Pierrepont just to start the race. That says something about their determination & skill already. They do need to learn to get closer to the bank going upstream in fierce currents, but it is a comment on their strength, stamina and will power that they made it to the club and finished the race like that.
As you would expect in such conditions, the fastest K1s, who normally find it hard to get to the front and score high points, benefitted from the conditions, with a win for Ian C, and 19 for Matt F & 18 for Jimmy. Altogether 40 people entered in 27 boats - a good turn out for such a day.
Full (as yet unofficial) results can be found at http://uk.geocities.com/nottinghamkayakclub/resultstore/winter_races_07_08.htm.
Please note that the date of Race 5 has changed to 3rd February as there is a rowing event on 17th.

Soar "Resolution" New Year Race

Sub-title: Craig & Tony' swim, Leanna's first race & Beth & Shob's "Big Adventure"

Only 3 Nottie crews made the effort this year, which is a bit sad when we are less than an hour down the A46 from Leicester. Weather - fine. Company - excellent. Paddle - enjoyable. Craig & Tony swam, but after a quick crew re-arrangement continued, Leanna & I had a good steady paddle. In fact I should say excellent as it was Leanna's first ever race apart from Clifton. But Beth's story is more eventful than that! Scroll down to her account of the day!

Soar Valley New Year Race

Before setting out for this 12 mile race I was told to 'think of it as an adventure'. Maybe this was more of a premonition than a piece of advice as the race turned out to be a pretty bizarre experience.
Shob and I got off to a good start, staying with Mick and Leanna and doing some good portages. We worked hard and had a laugh as we went.
Problems started on the way back when you have to remember which way you actually came from and Shob and I seem to have an inability to navigate our way along a fairly simple river. Shob seemed to think that all the giant 'all craft this way' arrows had got it wrong and twice insisted on me taking a wrong turn. I did as I was told and if it weren't for some fisher men telling us to go the other way, who knows where we would have ended up. The second time we made this mistake however (it seems stupid in hindsight but i think there was some sort of logic behind it), there was noone to tell us we'd got it wrong. We soon spotted the lock on the bit of river paralel to us that we should have been on. Deciding to use a bit of initiative, I had a great idea that we should climb up a big muddy hill covered in sticks and nettles and portage back over to the correct side. This might have actually worked if it weren't for Shob dropping her paddles in the water and only realising when they had floated out of reach. Shob ran off with my paddles to try and fish hers out of the water, leaving me to drag a K2 full of water up of a pile of stuff which was gradually collapsing under the weight.
Meanwhile, Shob was unable to reach her paddles and asked a man in a K1, who we later learnt was called Malcolm, to get them for her. He attempted to do so and consequently fell in. Leaving the boat, I went to find Shob looking guilty and Malcolm swimming to the other side. We helped him carry his boat and paddles and get back on the water in an attempt to make up for it all and thankfully, he was ok about it. So we went back, got in our own boat and paddled back with this guy to a crowd of confused NKC paddlers who had long since finnished their race with no such adventures.
Oh well, atleast it will be one to remember and an interesting start to 2008. We even came first in the ladies class! Thanks for another fun day :)
Happy new year!

Winter Race 3 - December

The weather was cold, calm and dry again for the 3rd Winter Race in the 2007/8 series. After the recent high water, the level had returned to nearly normal. Of the 32 paddlers, 11 of them were juniors, with yet another "Lads & Dads" K2 appearing in the shape of Marish and Tadek who took first place and 20 points. Shobhanna & Zyggy were 2nd, Craig & Ricky 3rd followed by Beth & Leanna 4th, as all junior crew.
The equal leaders in the series are now Kath, Beth & Leanna, with Shobhanaa, Craig & Ricky as equal second. A quick glance at the leader board shows that 7 of the top 10 placed paddlers are juniors.
Full Official Results here http://uk.geocities.com/nottinghamkayakclub/resultstore/winter_races_07_08.htm

15km Race

Cold, blustery and a bit dark, but a few hardy crews turned out for today's 15km race. Those in the A & B races did the full 15km or 3 laps of the Toll Bridge - Lady Bay Bridge loop, while the C race did 10km or 2 laps of the same course. Only Tadek & Zyggy turned out for the Hody race which was a much shorter course still.

It was good to see paddlers from Leamington, Lincoln, Solihull & Macclesfield make the trip to join us.

There was just enough light for a few pictures.
























Results at http://uk.geocities.com/nottinghamkayakclub/resultstore/15kmk207.htm

Thanks to Norman for organising it, thanks to Cathy for the hot food.

Winter Race 2 - November

Unlike Race 1, it was a bit of a miserable day for Race 2. Despite that, there were 32 paddlers eager to get out there. 18 of these opted to do the race in K2, 10 of these Juniors. Mick has obviously been asking Kath for tips about how to beat the handicap and paddled with Harvey, who was in a K2 for only the second time & they were back so quickly that they almost finished on Saturday! ... And yes Kath did manage to get back 2nd, paddling with Laura, but only just as it was a dead heat with Craig & Ricky. Perhaps most important was that 6 of the first 10 over the line were juniors.
Hayleigh moved into the top spot for Lady's K1 for the series so far with a time of 37:20 and Tom & Chris were the fastest boat on the water with a time of 37:19

The top of the leader board is now:

Kath Nadal 39 (K2, K2)
Beth Walker 28 (K2, K2)
Leanna Bold 28 (K2, K2)
Max Littlewood 26 (K2, K2)
Rex Littlewood 26 (K2, K2)
Ben Oakley 25 (K2, WWR)
Shaune Hicks 21 (K1, K1)

Full (Unofficial) results at http://uk.geocities.com/nottinghamkayakclub/resultstore/winter_races_07_08.htm