Paddling till the end As usual, Shark activity carried on through the month, with just a short break for the festivities.
Thanks to Co-operation this is possible Collaborative working in Harlesden has been bringing canoeing to a wider audience, getting people active and having fun. We have big plans for 2023, time for you to get involved. call/text 07951 770241 or email: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk.
Richard Davis Congratulations to Richard Davis in becoming the 2023 Over 80s and over 85s National Masters Slalom Champion.
Another Active Month October was a full on month of activities across all Shark sites as we came to the end of Summertime and prepare for Winter sessions.
How many paddlers did we have? October’s Stone Slalom brings to the end another Slalom Season and time to look at the final rankings of Shark Paddlers.
Canalside Improvements and a New Boat. 2023, has been a difficult year for The Sharks at Harlesden as we have not been able to operate properly at the site, whilst prolonged improvements have been undertaken; but now we can see some tangible benefits …
A Busy Month in Sharkland September saw a lot of activity for The Sharks as indeed so do most moths.
Outstanding Contribution Award The Sharks’ Neal Underwood has received the Outstanding Contribution Award by British Canoeing for his contribution to paddlesport over the last 50 years!
What a great event! On Saturday 23rd September The Sharks hosted a Vintage (1985 rules) Slalom at the Lee Valley, along side the World Championships and it was a great day, old boats and some slightly older people having fun.
A very good month for paddling The weather in August was patchy, but the attendance at Shark activities was defiantly not, we were involved in a lot of sessions with partner groups across our sites, delivery Summer holiday activates for people of all ages.
Who missed out on this? Despite a wide invitation, it was only a few paddlers who were able to attend this active weekend, but those who did had lost of fun, some great paddling and other activities.
Fancy a weekend of paddling? We are going to Llandysul next weekend 18th to 20th August, feel free to join us. We are camping and the cost is £5 per person per night. If you are interested in going please email: slalom@thesharks.org.uk or text on 07951 770241
Another Great Shark Month Sessions, races, medals, promotions, and fun, a perfectly normal month in Sharkland.
Supporting Paddling in NW10 We are pleased to announce our partnership with GLi (also know as KSP) is to be extended and expanded. We are very grateful for the support GLi through their Urban Life Project, have given us over the past year and look forward to an exciting Summer in Harlesden.
Another fun event at Harefield The Sharks Division 4 and Open slalom at Harefield was a great event , but would have benefitted form a few more paddlers. Many thanks to those who did paddle, and especially to those who helped run the event.
Sunday 16th April 2023 – 4 & Open The 2023 Harefield Slalom division 4 and Open will take place on Sunday 16th April, races for all abilities and classes. With a special prize for the best multi class paddler! Enter online here. For more information call us on 07951 770241 or email: slalom@thesharks.org.uk.
Moving forward .. Another good month for The Sharks, we were racing and hosting something a bit special.
Getting off to a great start Welcome to 2023, the fifteenth Year of The Sharks and despite the various climatic challenges, The Sharks have been active, have you?
Saturday 17th January 2026 Two races for the price of one, a day out in Burton-on-Trent, a race suitable of all standards, beginners to experience paddlers. Sprint event in the morning (200m) and 2k classic in the afternoon.
Saturday 31st January The first Cedric Avery Mini-Marathon of 2026, takes place on Saturday 31st January at Troy Lake, Harefield. Control open from 10am, racing starts at 11am.
Saturday February 7th Put that date in your diary now! Come and join us for a morning of fun at the Barrow-upon-Soar race, ideal for all standards from beginners to the experienced. It is a 3k race, which you can do in Any boat.
Winter Slaloms, get ready for 2026 The annual Stone Mini Slaloms take place on the Sundays of January 25th, February 8th, and February 22nd, including a slalom cross event on January 25th.
Next Race 7th February The Legendary Barrow Wild Water Race series next race on Saturday February 7th with the series final on Saturday 7th March 2026.
Monthly Mini-Marathons The next race takes place on Saturday 31st January 2026. The last Saturday of each month. Full details are here, with Risk Assessment here.
Our annual Sprint challenge in Harlesden. We have introduced a new challenge at our base in Harlesden, NW10, a monthly Sprint race on the canal with distances of 200m, 500m and 1,000m. Next race is Wednesday April 15th 2026.
Our annual challenge in Southall We have set up a series of Sprint evenings in Southall, running in the Summer moths to give everyone the chance to see how they are progressing, to have some fun and enjoy racing. Great for spectators too.
The Final of the 2025 Series Summer paddling at Harlesden draws in and we hosted our final Sprint races of the season, including a race with and for Harlesden Primary School youngsters attending the after school club.
A new event with a difference A small group of Shark Paddlers tried out an event with a difference, it was more about time on the water and learning new skills, in preparation for competition, although there were some non-ranking races to help.
The Charity Race of the year The second Great Harlesden Charity Canoe Race took part on Wednesday 24th September, raising money for local charities, the Brent Food Bank and Queens Park Rangers Community Trust. Both these charities support local people.
Preparing for Marathon The Sharks have introduced the Harlesden GS Series, the races are 3.5k long and are aimed at preparing youngsters for the Geoff Sanders Races at ranking marathons. However, we also run races for seniors.
We are looking for staff The Sharks are looking for people to teach and coach canoeing at all of our sites. We maybe able to help you get the relevant qualifications, whilst you work for us. Get in touch email: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk, or call: 07951 770241.
What Can we Achieve in 2026? Each yer we set some targets related to the Year number, so what can we don in 2026. If you have any ideas to add to this list, please get in touch by email: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk or call/text 07951 770241.