Latest Racing News

After enduring a thoroughly wet day Rutland was awarded the Best Club trophy in the November Hertford Sprint and Classic wild water races. When all the individual points were added together from the five participating clubs we had one more than our closest rival. So well done to Mike, James, Richard and Lynette.

Richard and Mike put in solid paddling performances with Richard being the fastest Rutland paddler. Lynette and James were true to type with Lynette becoming temporarily entangled in a tree in one of her sprint runs and James capsizing during the Classic while trying to catch Richard.

James did really well and still managed to finish half way up the league table despite having to swim to the side with boat and paddle, empty it and carry on unaided (practice makes perfect as his training buddies will testify). It would have been a blisteringly good time if only he had been the right way up.

Some nice pics of recent sunnier races below:

James at the Burrs race on the River Irwell

Mike in the team race at Slenningford (3 paddlers start together and must finish within 15secs of each other to avoid disqualification)

At least one of the team is going in the right direction!

Popping in a draw stroke at the Burrs to avoid a rock!

Where have RCC paddlers been in 2012?

Overnight camp on the River Slea, Lincolnshire (July 2012)

Send in the best photo of your paddling adventures.

Ian on Lake Titicaca

Lynette paddles into a rainbow on the Misty Isle - Skye (October 2012)

Judith, white-water racing (February 2012)

Devil's Bridge, Rhinns of Galloway (Easter 2012)

RCC Matters - Autumn 2012

The latest edition of Rutland Canoe Club Matters includes reports of sea kayaking trips to the Mull and the Farne Islands, success in white water racing and rescue practice.

Download here.

Olympic Torch Relay paddle

Photo by Richard Adams

A large group of club paddlers took time out of their busy jobs and retirement to ensure the safe progress of the Olympic Torch as it traversed Rutland Water on July 3rd.

There is a brief glimpse of us in the daily video on the Olympic Torch Relay website and more photos in the club gallery.

Photo by Allison Hinch

On the return we stopped for a photo with Sarah Outen, honorary life member, on her return from interesting times on the Pacific.

Sarah Outen sets out to row the Pacific ocean

Sarah Outen, RCC Life Member, has left on her record breaking North Pacific Row. At 7:06am (JST) today (13th May, 2012), she headed off on her record-breaking solo row across the North Pacific Ocean, from Choshi in Japan to Vancouver in Canada.  And in doing so, is set to become the first woman to ever row across the North Pacific Ocean.

This is an epic 4,500 nautical mile journey across the world’s largest ocean and will mean between 150 and 200 days alone out at sea.  Only two men have previously rowed solo across this northern route from Japan to North America.

 This North Pacific row is part of Sarah’s wider, two and half year expedition, “London2London: Via the World” that will see her cycle, row and kayak a continuous loop of the planet – that’s over 20,000 miles.  She is sharing her stories along the way through her website and social media (Facebook/Twitter/blog) to hopefully inspire young people to follow their dreams and believe that anything is possible.  She is also hoping to raise £100,000 for her four chosen charities – CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid.

 Sarah, who has a fear of deep water, says of the row:

“The North Pacific will be the most gruelling part of my whole London2London expedition. Physically and mentally, I expect to be exhausted most of the time – the distance, the solitude, the weather conditions and my complete isolation will make it hugely challenging.  In spite of the challenges and dangers ahead, I still can’t wait to get out there.”

She adds: “I am an ocean girl at heart and love being so close to the water and living to the rhythms of the wild. The energy out there is magic and the dynamics so exciting. I am hoping for some special wildlife moments and hopefully not too many storms.  But I am especially looking forward to the sunsets and the stars.”

Sarah will be rowing completely on her own and will be 100% self-sufficient, taking all her food with her on her 7metre customised rowing boat, Gulliver.  Also on board will be a desalination machine, with which she can convert seawater into drinking water.

She will have a full suite of communications equipment on board, which will allow her to do interviews, blog and tweet while out on the ocean.  She will also have an iPod for music, a Kindle for books and will be tracked live using GPS technology. Everything will be charged using the on-board solar panels.

Racing News

Richard, Judi, Mike and Lynette joined the Sharks Canoe Club for the Hertford Wild Water Race, which took place on mostly flat water with a small weir. Thanks to the Sharks for the loan of Wavehoppers for Richard and Judi to race in. Participants ranged in ages from children to over seventies! A very friendly and enjoyable day with good results.

We also enjoyed the Derwent Classic WWR race in February which comprised 7km of (for us) challenging water with rocky rapids and fast currents. Lynette capsized on the practice run after colliding with a fast moving bridge pillar - she was unable to get out of the current quickly enough to avoid it - and with the help of Richard, just managed to get back in time for the start of the race. We all stayed upright and enjoyed the race proper however, despite a few bumps with rocks. A great experience and learning curve on a proper River Race.

James joined Trevor, Christine, Mike, Lynette, Judi and Richard for the final race of the Barrow Series and was pleased to win his first ever gold medal (not to mention the mug) to show off to his family, much to their merriment. As the Division B Wild Water results for the series were published, there were some good results for the Rutland paddlers, so well done everybody.

 

Mike and Lynette also travelled up to the Burrs Country Park for a sprint race on the River Irwell. This is a very popular race on an interesting little natural river course comprising numerous small drops. A very pretty location and well worth the journey.

If any other club members are interested in joining us for future races please contact Lynette for details.

Dove Paddle 2012 (or ‘up the creek without a paddle’)

Battling through driving snow we arrived at the start wondering what we had let ourselves in for – however the snow stopped and the weather improved as the day progressed.

We were soon on the water – Ben & Richard in an open, Lynette in her wavehopper, Mike, Judi and James in GPs. There was quite a flow on the river which was soon speeding us along towards the first weir while we enjoyed small rapids – and the odd shallow bit - along the way.

We all took the weir in our own inimitable fashions although it has to be said that Richard and Ben had the most interesting method heeled well over towards one side! James on the other hand uniquely shot over the steepest side of the weir more or less sideways!

After an early lunch we sped on to the next weir which we all shot at speed, although James then chose to try out his drysuit in the bubbly stuff below the weir! (He was apparently trying out his new edging technique in what he claimed was a rather unpredictable boat.) 

James got immense pleasure out of floating blissfully in the Nirvana like waters which he insisted were fantastically warm and relaxing, hence the rather long time taken to return him to his boat.

 

The final weir came and went with various members launching themselves blindly into the abyss! Then we arrived at the crux of the trip!!

  

As the river narrowed, the group was sped through with one of the paddlers being unceremoniously bundled into the trees by a large orange open canoe! To add interest James felt like another dip and while he was being recovered Lynette’s paddle came floating by. Ben gallantly went to return the paddle only to find it’s owner hanging from a tree! Shortly afterwards a red wavehopper floated past all on its own! Lynette was eventually recovered and with some assistance from another passing open canoe reunited with her boat which Judi had rescued.

 

We sped unscathed to the finish!

More photos can be found here.

3rd. Barrow on Soar river race 2012

From our correspondent Trevor -

It was a very cold morning with lots of ice around but no grit on the roads. However they were dry and the day started sunny. Almost all the Rutland team turned up for the race with just a couple doubting the race would run or was it too cold!!!!! The canal was frozen over so it meant a long portage to the start point. The river was flowing and there was no ice however it was very slow and little help making times on the slow side.

All four of us finished the race with Lynette and Christine getting 3^rd place in their classes which is good as there were some quick men in their classes. Mike and I managed a 1^st place in our classes keeping up the club reputation.

As you will see from the photo, two of the regulars were absent. Since Raymond has donned the title Wussimus Maximus, we decided the missing paddlers would be Wussimus Minimus.

Looking forward to the 4^th race on the 25^th when we hope we have a full team.

My thanks to WM for letting me get the Gold.

Trevor

Barrow Winter Series

News and photos from the ongoing Winter Race Series!

Over 40 paddlers turned up for each of the first two races with Rutland fielding Charlotte, Judith, Christine, Lynette, Richard, Michael and Trevor. The series attracts everyone from experienced WWR racers to families with young children and even a dog!

 

A sunny, but frosty, start!

Michael warming up!

Lynette and Judith clinging to a more stable paddler before start !

Trevor at start.

Richard ready to go.

A photo finish!

We collected six medals in different classes over the two events.

We look forward to seeing you at the next race on 4th February – it’s great fun!