We couldn't be prouder of the Richmond Canoe Club members who took part in this year's ThruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race

Two weekends ago, we participated in the first National regatta of the season in Nottingham. Despite the challenging conditions, with winds so strong they transformed the event into what felt like a sailing rather than a canoeing competition, our team faced the elements with determination. The lightweight division found themselves particularly battling a veritable wind tunnel, leading to some of the slowest times on record for many.

In a remarkable display of skill and endurance, Tom Sharpe and Anoushka Freeman emerged as the victors of the 2024 Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race, marking a historic win as only the third mixed crew ever to clinch the title. The race, known for its grueling demands, was particularly challenging this year due to adverse weather conditions that led to a curtailed course, finishing at Teddington lock instead of the traditional Westminster endpoint.

We are thrilled to share the news of our club members who recently competed in the National Canoe Marathon Championships 2023, held in Norwich. Our paddlers demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, with standout performances from Freya Peters, who secured the K1 U23 silver and senior K2 silver medals, and Owen Chisholm, who was crowned the U18 Junior Men’s Canoe champion.

The canoeing world recently witnessed a remarkable event at the stunning regatta course in the Italian Alps. With its breathtaking scenery, anyone attending the World Championships would have been left in awe. The Richmond Canoe Club (RCC) had the privilege of sending five talented individuals, Arthur, Dylan, Nelson, Shirav, and Owen, to represent Team GB, along with myself as their team coach. This achievement marked the highest number of junior/U23 paddlers from our club to

Dylan (U17), Areg (U16), Owen (U16) and Fabio (U15) represented us at this year Olympic Hopes in Bratislava. This year the Olympic Hopes was more competitive than ever with 40 Countries, 800 participants (2 boats/nation were allowed to enter) We had people from all the big canoe nations from Europe, and all over the World from Canada, Brazil, Japan, USA, Argentine…etc Some events had 6 heats as the crowded entries. Team GB (inc Scottish perf squad) achieved 7 A finals and 13