Thames Valley 10km K2 Series
First race took place on 25-May at Longridge – results. The remaining dates are as follows

16-June - Falcon
20-July - Reading
11-Aug - Wokingham
20-Oct - Elmbridge

Leighton Buzzard Hasler 16-June [Race Details]
Fancy something different, why not Leighton Buzzard Hasler race. Check out the details

Boat Buoyancy Rule Change
Reminder that rules of buoyancy have changed, construction alone will not be deemed sufficient

Geoff Sanders Trophy standings
Competition hotting up for the U10 and U12 lightning, Mini K2 trophy. Final race will be the Hasler Final

Club	Team	Finishes	Season
Banbury & District	23	64	827
Richmond	15	25	401
Leamington	9	26	372
Southampton	7	29	371
Norwich	8	18	301
Lincoln	6	13	214
Ealing	5	16	206
Leighton Buzzard	5	11	190
Bishops Stortford	7	11	177
Chelmsford	5	10	163
Full Table

Southern Region Standings - 3 Events to Go
Rules for Hasler Final qualification changed at the start of the year meaning that the top 6 clubs will qualify, rather than 4. Who wil take the last slot?

European Championships vilaverdemarathonec2013.com
Old news really, but worth mentioning as the marathon team did very well at the European Championships. Winning three European titles! Well done to all, bring on the Worlds.

Thanks to everyone who came to the event. Particular thanks goes to all Lightning paddlers who had a longer than planned course to do. Many apologies for the miscommunication regarding turn buoys. Not ideal by any means but hopefully racing over the additional distance will encourage more paddling rather than discourage! We believe the results published fairly reflect the positions/times achieved but do let us know if there are any queries.

One request for the future, for all paddlers, at any race, is that if you do not start or do not finish your race you let the race organisers know ASAP. This not only ensures everyone knows you are safe and well but also makes completion of the results and prize giving a lot easier and quicker!

Amended results are here. With the great attendance and results on Sunday and several races to go before the Hasler Final on 6 October at Reading, the competition is hotting up!

Racing is over 200m and 500m, singles and doubles, with national sprint racing classes amalgamated into appropriate ability groups. The entry fee is £12 per paddler for the whole day's races. Entries are not open yet, but will be limited to around 190 paddlers (assuming everyone does all the races available to them), on a first come, first served basis. Finally, there will be a clubs competition and trophy.

Reading Hasler Entries - Pre-Entry update
237 pre-entered seats... late entries taken on the day. Looks like the weather should be favourable too

Results will appear here as races finish

Despite the poor conditions all Reading paddlers gave their best but congratulations in particular to Hafsa who secured her well deserved promotion into Girls C, Carl who got his promotion back into Mens C and Sam who got selected for the Regatta in Piestany.

Sign up sheets for the interclubs on 22nd & 23rd June are out and the deadline is 31st May. If it’s easier just drop me an email and let me know if you are available and what you want to paddle.

The weather was typically Nottingham, although it did try hard on Saturday morning when paddlers arrived and there was only a moderate straight headwind blowing down the course. Everybody was looking quite hopeful…[Read more]

If you are not at the club this week, just email me your entries for May.

Summer Training Programme
As announced at the Comms Meeting after the Time Trial on Monday, we are moving forward with a new Summer Training Programme... please click on the link to see the programme

Longridge Hasler Results
Reading were represented by a strong team, with some good points winning finishes, at the first Hasler of the year yesterday at Longridge CC:

Longridge Hasler Results

Pictures From the DW
Tony Smith has some excellent pictures up on Flickr...see if you can spot some of our star performers:

DW 2013 Day 1 Hungerford to Kintbury
DW 2013 Day 2 Burghfield to Fobney Lock
DW 2013 K2's Newbury to Kintbury

Waitrose Community Matters
This month Reading Canoe Club is one of the 3 featured charities/organisations at Waitrose in Caversham for their Community Matters Scheme
Make sure you pick up your green tokens at the checkout and put them in our box

If you shop at a different Waitrose branch, save your tokens and pass them onto a member who can drop them in to the Caversham branch for you!

Souther Region Training Day [Details]
Reminder for the next Suuthern region training day at Basingstoke Canoe Club on Sunday 14th April

Gent Marathon
Over the weekend of 23/24 March Sara and Hafsa Kabeer from RCC went to Belgium to compete in the Gent Marathon as part of the MRC Development Team. Sara and Hafsa were part of a team 7 girls and 12 boys selected after attending a number of the MRC training days.

By all accounts the weather conditions in Belgium were as bad as they were here. Sara competed in the U18 girls and was the only British girl to do so, and finished a credible 5th over a 12 mike course. Hasfa raced in the U14 race and came 2nd to another British girl, just managing to hold off the 3rd and 4th places by about 10 seconds.

Sara now returns to England to race in the Devizes to Westminster race next weekend.

Longridge Hasler Race
First Hasler race for our region in 2013 - see race details

Waterside Series
Slight old news, but last weekend saw the final race in the Waterside series. With super tough conditions just finishing was an achievement.

Reading was represented small team – Waterside D

K2 JUNIOR LADIES
4 Emily Hewitt & Kate Jayne-Coupe Southampton/Reading 7:20:35
RTD Annelies Flack & Sara Kabeer Banbury/Reading

K2 VETERAN
1 Mike Martin & James Treadgold Reading/LBZ 5:02:18
5 Simon Perry & Martin Richmond Reading 6:16:30

Waterside Series

K2 JUNIOR LADIES
1 Emily Hewitt & Kate Jayne-Coupe Southampton/Reading 16:50:18

It was agreed that the HRM computer program’s function that allows a club to put in pre-entries via email is very useful for both clubs and the Race Organizer, and the MRC encourage its use as the method of entry system to use.

Committee members have investigated other methods of online entry, complete with pre-payment options, but it was felt that for the sums involved in setting up such arrangements these would prove too expensive a solution. The committee therefore recommends the following:

1. Race Organizers should state on their race information a final date by which they want entries to be received.
2. If late entries are found to be awkward on race day they should be discouraged by levying a high late entry fee or disallowed completely. This needs to be stated in the race details so that potential competitors know in advance. It is entirely up to the club organizing the race if they wish to make the race a pre-entry event solely.
3. All racing clubs should ensure they have a named ‘Team Leader’ on race day, who preferably also sends in the club’s entry beforehand, liaises with the organizing club on the day and pays all monies owing for entries made. Each club having one person doing this job makes it easier for all concerned.
4. The Team Leader should be a ‘role’ within a club not necessarily one person who is always on call.
5. The Team Leader for the event should give their mobile phone number to the race organizer so that any problems on the day can be sorted out without delay.
   

The committee is working towards all Hasler entries being made via the HRM software and submitted electronically prior to the event.

- Amended Rule on Buoyancy in Boats
- Hasler Finals Regional Club Qualifications – change of regional club allocation

Check out the Marathon Racing Committee website for the details

How well do you understand the machine in your head and how effective are you in getting it to work optimally?'
At Chimp Management, we specialise in the human mind, with an approach that is grounded in neuroscience. We view the mind as a remarkable machine that represents our greatest asset and our biggest liability in life. Through this metaphor, we work with how the mind operates in reality and not how most people think it works.

To help people progress their understanding and skill we have developed a highly practical and fun working model and development program that can be successfully applied to teams and individuals, in both their personal and professional lives. Through insight and skill a person can learn how to manage the machine effectively, and ultimately be the person they want to be.

The Chimp Model is a simple, fun and highly practical way of understanding the infinitely complex psychological mind. It is a working model that is designed to be applied to daily living and across situations and it has been used to great success within GB Canoeing and British Cycling.

There are two upcoming courses:
• The Female Chimp
• Optimising Performance

Waterside C
Well done to all those who braved the cold yesterday for Waterside. The club was well represented, full results

K2 JUNIOR LADIES
1 Emily Hewitt (Southampton) & Kate Jayne-Coupe 4:16:31
3 Annelies Flack (Banbury) & Sara Kabeer 4:41:36
8 Flora Jayne-Coupe & Molly Regan (Southampton) 5:07:16

K2 VETERAN
2 Mike Martin (Leighton Buzzard) & James Treadgold 3:19:37

JUNIOR/VETERAN
6 Nigel Frankland & Hafsa Kabeer 4:11:17

K1 SENIOR
9 Simon Gallop 4:47:15

K1 LADIES
4 Gail Battison 4:30:33

K1 VETERAN
14 Brian Hammond 4:23:08

Richmond Regatta 29-March [PDF]
Fancy a chance to sharpen your sprint skills before the National Championship regatta at Nottingham (April)? Well Richmond have that covered with their Good Friday Regatta.

Head of River - River Closure
Remember the river closure comes into play at 10:00, the river will be busy than normal before then.

There will be no club sessions this Saturday (2-Mar), so take care on the water.

Everything ran pretty smoothly on the day, but as always feedback welcome.

Many thanks to those who helped out with time keeping, lock marshalling and data entry. A special mention goes to Paul Smith from Banbury who recovered a junior ladies K2 after they abandoned it and to the folk who rescued and returned the escaping paddles. RCC and the girls are very grateful.

Also an apology, we got the second K1 start wrong again. Although this only affected couple of paddlers, this is a little embarrassing. We believed we had contacted all the entries beforehand but evidently did not reach you all

The flow on the river is still fast and the river is still on red boards, but the river is the best it’s been for weeks! Buoyancy aids are still advised for all paddlers and a decision on whether the wearing of them will be compulsory will be made on the day, so bring them just in case!

Paddlers should be aware that whilst the majority of the river should be reasonably flat and fast, there will be sections where weir streams enter the main stream whether the river won’t be flat and calm, so if you are not competent in a boat in flowing conditions seriously consider not paddling. There are trees down along the course and these affect the flow also, so do look ahead.

The weather forecast for the weekend is cold and windy. If there is a headwind, the race will be a cold hard slog, so come prepared with warm clothing.

Summary
- Race is on, but be aware river conditions will be challenging
- It will be very cold - see weather
- Everyone to bring buoyancy aid
- Bring your BCU cards
- Strongly recommended: cags, hat and foot wear
- Make a ote of the race control number 07825 505 609
- Additional parking in the Rivermead leisure centre

Pool Sessions 23-Feb & 2-Mar CHANGE OF TIME
Slight change of time to what was oringallya dvertised 16:15 to 17:30

RDG will be faster 2013
Reading Canoe Club paddlers are expected to be amongst the fastest paddlers around in 2013 due to a new training aid which will assist in motivating all paddlers. More details to be found here

Pool Sessions 23-Feb & 2-Mar
Learn to Canoe roll, improve your support strokes, learn new techniques all in a WARM pool! Academy Pool, Northumberland Ave, Whitley, Reading 23-Feb and 2-Mar 16:15 to 17:30 - £6

You can bring your own boat, paddle, spray deck. Just make sure it is all clean. Or use the boats at the pool.

We understand that the pressure on facilities at either end of this race are limited, we are still looking for options to improve this where possible and would welcome any ideas you might have. We also thank are neighbours for their understanding during the busy couple of hours as the race comes to town.

Entry for Thameside 2 is now open online, if you have any problems with using our online system please get in touch.

Thameside 2 runs from Reading to Marlow 19 miles with 8 little portages. Although we will do everything in our power to ensure this race occurs as planned there are limits. So please keep an eye on the website for the latest information. Options available or use include; increase safety measures, restriction on ability levels, change of course.

Thameside Volunteers
We had an outstanding response for help at Thameside 1 which was excellent, This made for a very efficient, well managed event – thank you. Help is still needed though for Thameside 2. Mainly lock marshals, which will only require at most 2 hours of your time. Please check the job list at the club or drop a line to info if you can help.

Thameside 1 - Update Details | Online Entry | Entries | Previous Results
Thameside Race The first course inspection took place yesterday, there will be another one on Saturday.

The canal and river levels are both high and there is a reasonable flow particularly where the river joins and leaves the canal, which require care. The flow on the Thames is quite strong especially where the Kennet joins the Thames.

In light of the conditions, additional safety measure will be enforced.

Buoyancy aids will be compulsory for all juniors (regardless of divisional ranking), and all paddlers that are unranked or in division 7 or below. In boats where one of the paddlers is required to wear a buoyancy aid, the other paddler is required to wear one also i.e. if there is a senior division 6 or above paddler in K2 with junior, both will be required to wear buoyancy aids. There will be no exceptions.

Once on the Thames keep to river left until you can see the finish. Do not cross to the right of the river above Caversham lock (last portage) until you pass under the second bridge before the club.

We will be operating a finish window opens at 12:30. Boats finishing before this time are unlikely to get a time or position. Please ensure that you start at the appropriate time to finish after 12:30.

Summary
- Bring your buoyancy aid - All (Juniors, Seniors, division 1 to 6)
- Bring your BCU card - All
- Bring your BCU card
- Bring your BCU card – just in case you didn’t get the last two notices
- Strongly recommended; cags, hat and foot wear
- Keep an eye on this website

Weather, it will be cool and blustery so make sure you are prepared.

Car parking is limited at both ends, please park considerably and legally, your conduct will determine the future of this race. Consider car sharing were possible.