2017 – Consolidation and Building our Racing Section

The Sharks have been involved in racing since the Club started and have gradually been building success in different racing disciplines.

One of the great things about racing disciplines is you can do more than one of them, you can take part in Sprint, Marathon and Wild Water. Much of the training is the same, although you do need to gain the different experiences of each to race at a high level.

In 207, The Sharks need to bring their racing sections together to train together, most of the time the training will be in sprint/marathon boats as on flat water this is the best training for WWR as well, although obviously WWR paddlers need to experience the rough water as well and that experience is good for marathon paddlers (don’t think all marathons are on perfectly flat water) and is good experience and fun for sprint paddlers.

When the clocks spring forward and we have some good evening daylight time we will have regular racing sessions with progression groups based at Osterley Park, Southall Activity Centre (Sac) and Harefield. Details will be published soon. In the meantime we have water based sessions at Sac on Sunday mornings at 10am and land based training (using paddling machines and more) on Wednesday evenings from 5pm inwards. Wednesday evening sessions are free.

Wild Water Racing

Has been our most successful discipline, we are London’s number one Wild Water Racing Club and have regularly been in the top half-a-dozen in the Country. In the past year our participation in this area has dropped and now we need to start to rebuild.

Wild Water Racing is an exciting discipline, you start off in races that have moving water, nit too rough and as you progress not only does the water get tougher, so does the competition.

The Sharks already run a number of entry level Wild Water Races in the South of England, we have previously run a number of more local races. In 2017 the Club will resurrect the local races and build a big squad for WWR.

If you want to be part of the team, or want to find out more information; please contact us on 07951 770241 or email canoeing@thesharks.org.uk.

If we are to re-establish ourselves as one of the top WWR clubs in Britain then we need help to manage and co-ordinate this, you do not nee any experience, just a desire and motivation to help. If so please contact Neal on 07951 770241 or email neal@thesharks.org.uk.

We provide all the kit, we have very experienced coaches and all we need is you!

Sprint Racing

Over the past few years The Sharks have invested heavily in Sprint Racing, employing top quality coaches and buying lots of kit. Now in 2017 we have to show it was worth it. Since we started out in Sprint our squad has gradually grown and we have had some success along the way. in 2016 we came third in the London Regional Regatta and Joel Gunnery won the gold at the London Youth Games in 2016.

Not only do we want as many people as possible to race for us at as many sprint regattas as possible, we want to start organising our own Sprint events locally, so that our paddlers can gain experience at fun events that are local. Maybe you could help with this? We are not looking for experienced paddlers or race organisers, jut motivated people who want to be part of the success story. Do you think you can help or want more information? then call us on 07951 770241, or email sprint@thesharks.org.uk.

During the Summer we will be holding Sprint sessions on a Wednesday evening and a Saturday morning at Osterley Park for beginners and more advanced, there will also be sessions at Sac. During the Winter we hold land based sessions at Sac on a Wednesday evening from 5pm and they are free.

We have the kit, we have the coaches, do you have the desire to enjoy the fun of racing? Contact us, come and visit us.

Marathon Racing

This is an area where The Sharks want to be more active, we have i the past run very successful monthly mini-marathon series (all year round) at Harefield, in 2017, we need to re-establish these races. To do this we need help from parents and volunteers, no experience is needed and the work is lots of fun. If you are interested and want to find out more, please contact us on 07951 770241, or email canoeing@thesharks.org.uk.

We also want to enter more races and specifically ranking races. We have had a number of paddlers taking part in races, but we have not until now had a Marathon Racing Team. We can arrange training sessions at Sac and Harefield, you can start off by paddling racing boats at Osterley.

Ranking Marathons start off with short distances for youngsters building up to 13 miles at Division 1, there are also a large number of other challenging races including the 125mile Devizes to Westminster Race each Easter.

Marathon races are a lot of fun, the whole club can enter them (each person doing different distances) and they are usually on a Sunday morning. They have races for all standards and all ages.

Want to know more? The call in on a Wednesday evening during the Winter at Sac or contact us on 07951 770241, email canoeing@thesharks.org.uk.

Racing

We have great plans for 2017 and beyond, be part of it get involved in the Club that is going places and when we say going places, we mean not just being successful but travelling all over the places entering competitions not just in Britain but regularly abroad as well.

There is no excuse