Category: Chelmsford - Flatwater Racing

SS 2019, Regatta 2: Chelmsford

17/5/2019

The second Sprint Regatta of the season took place at Chelmsford in fine dry weather.

Thanks to some inconveniently located nesting swans, the distances for the K1 heats were curtailed to 300m and 100m, but this did have the advantage of concentrating the racing to the stretch in front of the clubhouse and making a good spectacle for those watching from the bank.

After lunch there was a demonstration K4 race between some of Chelmsford's own paddlers. The day was rounded off by a relay event between teams drawn up on the basis of the morning's results, although not itself contributing to the class awards, this event proved very popular with almost everyone staying to take part and getting caught up in the excitement.

Class winners were:
u10 girls: Libby Gaulton (BSF)
u12 girls: May Perrin (CLM)
u12 boys: John Morris (HYM)
u14 girls: Sienna Payne (CLM)
u14 boys: Jamie McAdam (HYM)
u16 girls: Kathryn Comben (CLM)
u16 boys: Jonathan Pirmuhamedov (CLM)
u18 boys: David Gurney (BSF)
Sen Ladies: Catherine Robinson (BSF)

See the Sprint Series results page for the full results.

WS 2018-19 Race 4: Chelmsford Results

13/1/2019

There were 133 competitors at the Chelmsford Winter Series race. The races on the short (3 mile) course went off at 11am and the long/middle distance races (8/5 miles) at 12. Again, there was a large field for the senior doubles - 24 boats.

Class winners were:
Class 9 (Senior K2) - Emma Russell & William Stroud (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) - Keith Moule (CLM)
Class 7 (Vet M K1) - Doug Herbert (CLM)
Class 6 (u18 M K1) - Max Pickering (LBZ)
Class 5 (u16 M K1) -Jonathan Pirmuhamedov (CLM)
Class 4 (16+ K1 & Adv C1) - Octavia Abbott (BSF)
Class 3 (u16 K2 & MC2) - Chris Blackmore & Jack Skippings (CLM)
Class 2 (u16 F K1) - Kathryn Comben (CLM)
Class 1 (TC2) - Lee Menday & Les Thompson (IND)
Class Blue (u14 M K1) - Louis Jacq (CAM)
Class Red (u14 F K1 & C1) - Sienna Payne (CLM)
Class GP - Oliver Lancashire (CLM)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Rupert Tideswell (CAM)

Full results can be found on the results page. Chelmsford CC were the overall winners, Leighton Buzzard CC were second and Cambridge CC third. For the Dick Grieve Trophy, the team from Royal Hospital School gained the highest total of points from novice juniors, followed by Chelmsford and HYM-COPS third.

The next race will be on 3 February 2019, at Leighton Buzzard - see race details here.

SS 2018, Regatta 4: Chelmsford

24/9/2018

The Chelmsford Regatta, postponed from due to the snow back in March, finally went ahead in September. But the organisers again found themselves watching the weather forecasts intently, with fierce storms predicted. In the end the event was able to go ahead, but in low temperatures and persistent heavy raid rain. This did not stop 46 determined paddlers from turning out for the event.

Due to heavy weed growth the races had to be moved to a distance from the clubhouse, adding to the difficulties faced by the marshals and spectators. By the time the K1 races were completed the younger competitors were beginning to feel the cold and it was decided to wind the event up early and let everyone get off home.

The class winners on the day were:
u10 Girls - Libby Gaulton (BSF)
u10 Boys - Cally Da Silva (HYM)
u12 Girls - Sienna Payne (CLM)
u12 Boys - Rupert Tideswell (CAM)
u14 Girls - Imogen Hunter (CAM)
u14 Boys - Sebastian Tideswell (CAM)
u16 Girls - Imogen Hill (CLM)
u16 Boys - Ben Clayton-Harris (LEE)
u18 Boys - Finn O'Brien (LEA)
u23 Men - Lochlan Chamberlin (CLM)
Sen Ladies - Catherine Sanderson (LBZ)
Sen Men - Sean Woodley (CLM)

The medals will be presented at the Chelmsford Hasler, together with the awards for the summer series as a whole.

The full results for the Chelmsford Regatta and the series can be found on the Summer Series results page.

The winners of the classes across the whole of the FRA Summer Series were:
u10 Girls - Libby Gaulton (BSF)
u10 Boys - Henry Fry (LEA)
u12 Girls - Nichole Pirmuhamedov (CLM)
u12 Boys - Jack Rayment (LBZ)
u14 Girls - Franchesca Williamson (CLM)
u14 Boys -Jason Dockerill (CLM)
u16 Girls - Kathryn Comben (CLM)
u16 Boys - Ben Clayton-Harris (LEE)
u18 Girls - Lexie White (BSF)
u18 Boys - Finn O'Brien (LEA)
u23 Men - Lochlan Chamberlin (CLM)
Sen Ladies - Catherine Robinson (BSF)
Sen Men - Ashley Townsend (LBZ)

WS 2017-18 Race 4: Chelmsford Results

15/1/2018

The Winter Series resumed after the Christmas break with 147 contestants battling it out on the Chelmer. The course extended along the River Can through Chelmsford park and back, with racers on the short, middle and long courses completing one, two or three laps respectively.

A team from the Royal Hospital School swelled the numbers of the K2 and C2 classes, and took 4th place overall as well as coming second to Chelmsford on Dick Grieves points (based on performance by novice juniors only). Chelmsford CC were the overall winners, B Stortford CC second and Barking & Dagenham CC third.

The full individual and team results can be seen on the WS Results page. Find out how you are doing in the series overall by checking the cumulated class points. But remember that in order to be eligible for a series trophy you must have competed in three races, and that when calculating your total at the end of the series, only your best 5 races count!

The next race will be at Leighton Buzzard on 21 January - see L.Buzzard race information page.

SS 2017, Regatta 3: Chelmsford

17/9/2017

The final sprint of the 2017 Summer Series took place at Chelmsford. The home team were out in force, with three other clubs represented, and a total of 48 paddlers in all.

The morning was given over to 500m and 200m K1 heats. After the lunch break there were 200m and 3000m K2 races. The forecast rain held off and by prize-giving there was even a little sunshine.

The class winners for the day were:
u10 Girls - Naomi Fuller (CLM)
u10 Boys - Lewis Williams (BSF)
u12 Girls - Eilidh White (BSF)
u12 Boys - Ilirian Bushi (HYM)
u14 Girls- Kathryn Comben(CLM)
u14 Boys - Jonathan Pirmuhamedov (CLM)
u16 Girls - Imogen Hill (CLM)
u16 Boys - Murdo White (BSF)
u18 Girls - Francesca Dulake (CLM)
u18 Boys - Lochlan Chamberlain (CLM)
u23 Men - Joe Webb (HYM)
Sen Ladies - Siobhan Latham (BSF)
Vet Men - Mitch Barclay (BSF)
PaddleAbility - Francesca Dulake (CLM)

After the medals for the day had been given out, there were more awards for performance across the series (based on best two scores for the three-race series).

The neck-and-neck battle between Leaside's Finn O'Brien and Stortford's Murdo White ended in a overall tie for Gold in under 16 Boys.

The overall winners for 2017 were:
u10 Boys - Lewis Williams (BSF)
u12 Girls - Eilidh White (BSF)
u12 Boys - Ilirian Bushi (HYM)
u14 Boys - Jonathan Pirmuhamedov (CLM)
u16 Girls - Imogen Hill (CLM)
u16 Boys - Finn O'Brien (LEA) & Murdo White (BSF)
u18 Girls - Lexie White (BSF)
u18 Boys - Lawrence Minter (HYM)
u23 Men - Joe Webb (HYM)
Senior Ladies - Catherine Robinson (BSF)
Vet Men - Mitch Barclay (BSF)

The full results can be found on the Summer Series results page.
Photos of the event can be found in Angela's Flickr album.

Chelmer Regatta POSTPONED

17/6/2017

The regatta due to take place at Chelmsford on Sunday 25 June 2017 has had to be POSTPONED due to a heavy weed growth in their river.

The organisers hope to reschedule for a later date this season - the new date will appear on the Summer Series page and will be be circulated to those on the FRA mailing list (sign up for mailing list) as soon as it is decided.

WS 2016-17 Race 5: Chelmer Results

29/1/2017

Recent freezing conditions created a very real threat that the race would have to be postponed, but after a careful review of the river on Saturday the organisers felt confident in giving the go-ahead. This turned out to be fully justified and a good showing of 150 competitors came along to take part.

Mixed K2s continued to be well-represented in Class 1, comprising 10 of the 22 boats, in addition to the two all-female crews. The fastest four crews were all mixed.

There were an unusually large number of C2 entries at this event, and the field of 7 boats in Marathon C2 (Class 12) was the biggest seen in the last 5 years. Again, the MC2s included a mixed crew (2nd) and an all-female crew (3rd).

As well as a number of independent paddlers, 11 different clubs/teams were represented. It was particularly pleasing to see a large team from The Royal Hospital School. The RHS crews all performed very well against the strong and experienced fields in Classes 1 and 12, including an impressive 8th and 10th places in Class 1.

The results of the race can be seen on the WS Results page. Host club Chelmsford were the overall winners, and also came first in Dick Grieve points (points scored by novice juniors) for the first time this season.

The final race of the series will take place at Leaside on 12 February. The usual prizegiving will be followed directly by the presentation of the series awards and trophies.

A full run-down of series results to date for both individuals (class trophies) and teams (club results) can also be found on the WS Results page. Please remember that any paddler/crew who has competed in three or more races may be eligible for a series prize, but that final class positions will be based on each paddler/crew's best five results only.

SS 2016, Regatta 1: Chelmsford

23/4/2016

The Summer Series opened at Chelmsford on 23rd April. There were 39 entries in the key events: the 500m and 200m heats. Apart from a few sunny intervals the day was largely chilly but even a short icy shower did not seem to dampen the paddlers' enthusiasm. A few extra paddlers joined in to make up crews for the K2 200m races. The racing finished with a 3000m K1 time trial.

The results can be found on the Summer Series Results page.

The next Summer Series Regatta will take place at Herts Young Mariners Base on 15th May. Series points from each race will be cumulated across the four races of the season, and series trophies will be awarded at the last race.

WS 2015-16 Race 5: Chelmer results

26/1/2016

The Chelmsford race attracted the biggest field of the series so far, and with 163 paddlers this was also Chelmsford's second highest number of entries in the last ten years. A sizeable team from the Royal Hospital School boosted the numbers in the senior K2 and Marathon C2 classes.

This year the organisers opted for a split start, with the short-course classes going off at 11am and everyone else at 12:00. Both courses ran through the town, making the race quite different from October's Hasler. Thanks to some very efficient finish marshalling it was possible to get the results all done in time for an early prize-giving.

The full results of the Chelmer Winter Series are available to download. Some photos can be found on Flickr.

Below, videos of start/finishes by Chris (BSCC) and from K2 camera by David & Penny (Cambridge CC)

A number of perpetual trophies are already in the bag for some high-performers. Leanne Brown & Aaron Jordan (Senior K2), Keith Moule (Mens K1), Danny Beazley (Vet Mens K1), James Russell (u18 Mens K1), Melissa Johnson (u18 Ladies K1), Caitlin Field O'Hanlon & Danielle Clifford (u16 K2), and Katy Dixon (12 Girls K1) have each managed to win all five of their races so far, and are therefore unassailable. In most other cases though, the winners of the class trophies (engraved glasses for first, second and third place) and the perpetual trophies hang on the outcome of the last race. Check how you are doing in the series results so far. Please remember that it is your best 5 results only that count, and each paddler/crew must have entered at least three races to be eligible.

The series trophies will be presented at the final race - Leaside on 6th March.