Words by Holly Mobbs | Image by Greg Spencer
A mix of sunshine and sudden showers welcomed more than 600 paddlers to Norwich Canoe Club last weekend for the 2025 National Canoe Marathon Championships. Flatwater athletes from Under-10s through Over-74s lined up head-to-head for age-group national medals, delivering tight finishes, surprising swims, and dominant title defenses.
View the provisional results here >>
Senior and Open Races
In the 24km Senior Men’s K1 race, James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) cemented his status by breaking away early and securing his fourth consecutive national title. He crossed the line two minutes ahead of Matthew Johnson (Nottingham Kayak Club). Russell’s winning run this year also includes a European Championship gold and a short-course silver earlier in 2025.
Teaming up with Charlie Smith (Nottingham Kayak Club), Russell took another top spot despite crowded portages and shifting pacelines. The duo edged out junior up-and-comers Will Short (Elmbridge Canoe Club) and Alex Worgan (Richmond Canoe Club), who are preparing for September’s World Championships after European bronze. In the 19km Senior C1 race, Owen Chisholm (Richmond Canoe Club) put in a strong performance to finish in 01:06:44.
In the 24km Senior Women’s races, Samantha Rees-Clark (Nottingham Kayak Club) made a triumphant return after a two-year hiatus, chasing down reigning champ Melissa Johnson over the final sprint. Johnson’s late-race swim handed Rees-Clark the gold and bumped Melissa to third when Brynde Kreft (Falcon Canoe Club) capitalised on the mishap. In a race decided by inches, Jessie Urquhart and Brynde Kreft (both Nottingham Kayak Club) out-sprinted Fay Lamph and Greta Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) at the finish, clinching a dramatic victory. In the 19km Senior Women C1 race, Beth Gill (Nottingham Kayak Club) completed the course in 01:09:31 to take first place.
The final race of the weekend is commonly a personal highlight for many who compete: The Mixed K2. With over 68 boats on one start line, it can be great entertainment whether you are taking part or watching on the banks. The 2025 edition was won by Charlie Smith and Samantha Rees-Clark (Nottingham Kayak Club), with James Russell (Chelmsford Canoe Club) and Kerry Christie (Nottingham Kayak Club) a second behind and Matthew Collinge (Fowey River Canoe Club) and Freya Peters (Nottingham Kayak Club) another second back. The fastest junior crew of the race was Imogen Field (Elmbridge Canoe Club) and Doogal Barnett (Reading Canoe Club) in 22nd. Both are still under 16, which shows the achievement (and bravery!) of the result.
Para Races
With the official formalisation of para races at the 2025 World Championships in September, the National para classes are growing in strength, with record breaking numbers at this year’s edition. Timothy Lodge (Wey Kayak Club) built on his European silver by outpacing Jon Tarrant (Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club) in a thrilling head-to-head to claim the national KL3 title. Charlotte Creamer (Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club) took the women’s KL3 title after her gold medal at the Europeans in June. Jack Ross (Addlestone Canoe Club), in his para-marathon debut, was the fastest junior in KL3, finishing an impressive fourth overall.
Shaun Cook (Norwich Canoe Club) extended his dominance in the men’s VL2, while para-sport pioneer Jeanette Chippington (Bisham Abbey Paddlesports Club) added another national title to her storied career by winning the women’s VL2.
We look forward to these exceptional athletes showcasing their talents at the inaugural Para World Championships in early September.
Junior and Under 23 Races
The Junior and Under 23 races of the day were slightly depleted in numbers due to the canoe sprint World Championships taking place the same weekend but this did not prevent some exciting racing from taking place. From neck-and-neck sprints to commanding solo breaks, these younger categories served up plenty of drama and emerging talent.
The 24km Under 23 Men K1 race was won by Joseph Enoch (Nottingham Kayak Club) three seconds ahead of Harry Freeland (Elmbridge Canoe Club) in second place. The 24km Under 23 Women K1 race was won by Greta Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) by just under a minute with Katie Brookes (Richmond Canoe Club) in second. A dominant performance from the younger sibling Will Roeser (Wey Kayak Club) saw him take the 19km Under 18 Boys K1 race win by over 3 minutes with another year left in the category. Kamila Sklenarova (Norwich Canoe Club) took the sprint finish in the 19km Under 18 Girls K1 race ahead of Frankie Scrivener (Falcon Canoe Club). Isabella Keane (Richmond Canoe Club) made her debut appearance at a canoe marathon National Championships by taking the 6.5km Junior C1 National Title in 00:36:15.
The 19km Under 18 Girls K2 race was just as tight of a battle. Sophie Dunlop and Matilda Burton (Elmbridge Canoe Club) took the sprint finish ahead of Kamila and Frankie. A strong performance from the Chelmsford Canoe Club crew of George Hamption and Cassian Payne saw them take the 19km Under 18 Boys K2 race by a minute.
The Under 16 Boy’s K1 National Title was won by Marcell Nagy (Reading Canoe Club) and he took the K2 title the next day when he partnered up with Henry Pitt (Royal Canoe Club). Matilda Burton (Elmbridge Canoe Club) took the Under 16 Girls K1 National Title and Ruth Shephard (Reading Canoe Club) and Kyla Holt (Richmond Canoe Club) took the Under 16 Girls K2 National Title.
Ruth Shephard was equally victorious in her Under 14 age category where she also took the National Title in the K1 race as well as the K2 race, partnering with Ariana Manley (Wey Kayak Club). The Under 14 Boy’s K1 National Title was claimed by Finn Meredith (Elmbridge Canoe Club). The Under 14 Boy’s K2 National Title was won by Henry Hartland (Banbury & District Canoe Club) and Edward Stroud (Wey Kayak Club).
In the young age categories, Marcell-Barat Farkas (Elmbridge Canoe Club) was victorious in the Under 12 Boy’s K1 race as well as the K2 race where he partnered with fellow clubmate George Ockendon. Edith Morrissey (Nottingham Kayak Club) took the National titles in the Under 12 Girl’s K1 and the K2 races, partnering with Florence Enoch (Exeter Canoe Club). In the Under 10 category, Noel Barat-Farkas (Elmbridge Canoe Club) took the Boy’s K1 title and Taran Lotay (Ealing Canoe Club) took the Girl’s K1 title. They also both took the K2 titles as well. Noel partnered with Max Burt (Newbury Canoe Club) in the boy’s race and Taran partnered with Ayesha Kashif (Ealing Canoe Club) in the girl’s race.
The Under 16 and Under 14 races were particularly competitive at this year’s National Championships and the Marathon Racing Committee were very impressed with all the resilience but also determination from many of the young athletes competing.
Masters Races
There were plenty of medals to be won in the masters classes too. In the single boats, masters race in five year age-categories. In the doubles races, masters race in ten year age-categories.
Athletes in the O34 and O39 Men’s races took on a 19km course, consisting of three short laps and four portages. The O34 and O39 women took on a 13km course alongside the O44 and O49 races classes. Their race consisted of two short laps and two portages. The remaining race classes competed over 6.5km, completing one lap of the course.
In the Over 34 class, Billy Butler (Falcon Canoe Club took the overall Men’s National title in a close battle against Tim Pendle (Norwich Canoe Club). In the Women’s race, Leanne Jordan (Maidstone Canoe Club) took the win by over a minute. In the K2 races, Billy Butler was victorious in the men’s race again in a crew boat with Jon O’Grady (Runcorn Canoe Club) and Rebecca Bird (Newbury Canoe Club) and Anja Whelan (Gloucester Canoe Club) took the national title in the women’s race.
Daniel Seaford (Reading Canoe Club) took the Over 39 Men’s National Title meer seconds ahead of Jeremy Freeland (Falcon Canoe Club), with Joanne Bates (Falcon Canoe Club) taking the Over 39 Women’s National Title one second ahead of Lynne Fender (Nottingham Kayak Club).
An 11-boat race in the Over 44 Men’s race was won by Matthew Enoch (Nottingham Kayak Club) with Kate Golder (Nottingham Kayak Club) taking the National Title in the Over 44 Women’s race by over three minutes! In the K2 races, brothers David Oliver and Matthew Oliver (Lincoln Canoe Club) took the men’s title, with Fiona Grady and Stefania Rosalba (Norwich Canoe Club) taking the women’s title.
The largest start line in the Masters race went to the Men’s Over 49 race with over 24 boats lining up. This was won by James Mayer (Runcorn Canoe Club), one second ahead of James Butler (Nottingham Kayak Club). The Over 49 Women’s race was won by Fiona Grady (Norwich Canoe Club) confidently.
James Block (Shrewsbury Canoe Club) took the Over 54 Men’s National title in a tight sprint finish against Paul Enoch (Exeter Canoe Club) in second and Duncan Capps (Army Canoe Union) in third. Rebecca Bird (Newbury Canoe Club) won the Over 54 Women’s National Title ahead of Kerstin Queeney (Bishop Stortford Canoe Club) in second. In the K2 races, Howard Blackman (Burton Phoenix Racers) and Neil Blackman (Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club) claimed the men’s title, with Alison Chmiel and Caroline Jones (Nottingham Kayak Club)taking the women’s title.
In the Over 59 Men’s race, Neil Blackman (Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club) was the champion ahead of David Belbin (Nottingham Kayak Club) in second. Lynne Fender (Nottingham Kayak Club) was victorious in the Over 59 Women’s race ahead of club mate Tina Parsons (Nottingham Kayak Club) a second behind.
In the Over 64 races, it was a reclaim of the titles for both Stan Missen (Bradford-on-Avon Canoe Club) in the men’s race and Mocha Pilkington (Poole Harbour Canoe Club) in the women’s race. Stan Missen partnered with John Escott (also Bradford-on-Avon Canoe Club) to take the men’s K2 title, and Jane Millar and Julia Mietus (Nottingham Kayak Club) took the women’s K2 title.
Gilbert Speirs (Llinthgow Kayak Club) won the National Title in the Over 69 Men’s race, and John Wesley (Nottingham Kayak Club) took the win in the Over 74 Men’s race. In the K2, Clifford Lee-Smith and Christopher Sharp (Norwich Canoe Club) won the Over 74’s title.
SUP Races
Continuing on from the introduction of SUP classes at the 2024 edition of the National Championship, two SUP races were held at the 2025 edition. Andrew Ross (Norwich Canoe Club) won the men’s race in 00:28:57 and Gemma Budgen (Norwich Canoe Club) won the women’s race in 00:35:11.
Coming up…
The next big event for Marathon racing in the UK is the Hasler Finals (Club Championships) in Worcester on the 5th October. We’re also looking forward to cheering on the World Games team, as well as the World Championship team in early September.
Head over to the Marathon Racing Committe website to find out more about marathon racing in the UK.