A Sharkingly Great Year
2005 was a pivotal year in the history of The Sharks …
January and February
To the outside World, it was a normal start to the year, racing ahead as usual, with Three Eastern Regional Age Group Champions.
However, Behind the scenes changes were being made to enable the Club to operate in a completely different way, to enable us to grow and to promote water sports to a significantly wider audience, whilst maintaining our competitive edge, as The Sharks became a Community Interest Company.
March
Was another competitive month.
April
The annual reboot as we re-open evening paddling at all of our sites and welcome the schools back.
More opportunities for competition as more events are staged.
May it all Begin …
Where do you start? On top of the regular competitions, The Sharks were officially crowned London Champions in the first ever London Wild Water Racing Championships, everyone knew we were The Pride of London, but now it is official.
The event linked up with The Sharks at Shepperton slalom. Including the End Cockpit C2 Slalom Championships.
Our first Marathon race of the season at Elmbridge.
As well as other events!
And if that was not enough …
We launched the Thamesmead Sessions.
June
Basking in the heat at Cardington.
July
The Heatwave continued as the sun shone on The Sharks as we launched the Southall Super Sprints, an open Sprint Competition in Southall, which proved to be a huge attraction with local youngsters.
As well as other events …
August
Some people have a holiday in August, maybe Sharkland is just one big holiday, we were involved in …
- The Hurley Marathon
- Llandysul Slalom
- Southall Sprints
- Harlesden Sprints
- Cardington Slalom
- The Peak Paddle Challenge
- Holiday Clubs at Thamesmead
- Holiday Club at Southall
- Holiday sessions at Harlesden
- As well as our regular sessions at Harefield.
Picture by Peak Uk 
Pictures by Peak Uk 
Pictures by Peak Uk 
Pictures from Peak Uk 
September
The Inaugural “Become the Legacy” race at Thamesmead , as we showed what our Thamesmead project was all about, as reported by Paddle UK.
Our first ever appearance at the Interclubs Slalom Race.
The Great Harlesden Charity Canoe Race, now an annual event.
New Schools added to the list of those who paddle regularly with the Sharks.
October
It was inevitable we would become the Talk of Thamesmead.
The finals of the Southall Super Sprints and the Harlesden Hurtle.
The Start of the Winter Cedric Avery Mini-Marathons at Harefield.
Back to the Barrow, and Shepperton Slalom both on the same weekend.
And of course the Nene Wavehopper Challenge …
November
The second Barrow Race of the series.
The start of the building of the boat shed at Harefield
December
The final WWR of the year, hosted by us at Thamesmead.
Picture by – Grant Underwood 
Picture by – Grant Underwood 
Picture by – Grant Underwood 
Picture by Grant Underwood
And further work on the boat house at Harefield
An amazing Year, which saw us have:
- 50 ranked paddlers in Wild Water Racing
- 31 Slalom paddlers
- 22 Paddlers involved in Marathon
- 74 Paddlers in our local Sprint events.
- raised over £2,000 for good causes
- Hosted 5 ranking events
What do you think we will achieve in 2026?
Published 1st January 2026