The turnout for race three at Chelmsford was lower than usual (thanks to the high prevalence of Covid) but, for those who were able to make it, having fewer boats in the event may have made things a little more pleasant in the channels through the town, where the water easily becomes choppy.

The senior K2 race consisted of only 10 boats for a change, and there was also a surprisingly small field of just three competitors in the u18/Sen/Vet ladies race. However, some other classes were particularly well-represented, including the Vet Men (18 boats), Touring C2s (5), GPs (5) and u12s (8).

Class winners were:
Class 9 (Senior K2/MC2) - Matthew Johnson & Leah Falltrick (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) - Tim Gannicott Porter (CLM)
Class 7 (Vet M K1) - Doug Herbert (CLM)
Class 6 (u18 M K1) - Adam Baker (LBZ)
Class 5 (u16 M K1) -  Ali Kabeer (WOK)
Class 4 (16+ K1 & Adv C1) - Leanne Brown (BAD)
Class 3 (u16 K2) - Naomi Fuller & Tara Kathikeyan (CLM)
Class 2 (u16 F K1)  - Sienna Payne (CLM)
Class 1 (TC2) - Adrian Pyke & Graham Ellis (CAM)
Class Blue (u14 M K1) - Cassian Payne (CLM)
Class Red (u14 F K1 & C1) - May Perrin (CAM)
Class GP - Lilly Stratford (CLM)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Matteo Bose (CLM)

Chelmsford was the overall wining club, with Stortford second and Cambridge third. The full race results are on the Winter Series results page and some photos of the race on Flickr here.

The final race of this series will take place on 23 January at Leighton Buzzard. As well as all the usual medals for racing on the day, there will also be the presentation of the end of season awards for first, second and third place in each class, and the perpetual trophies across a host of categories.

To see how you are doing in the series, check out the class results so far on the WS results page. Because there have only been four races this season, awards will be made on the basis of your best three scores, and as always you must have taken part in three races to be eligible.

The event was notable for several close finishes. Tim Gannicott-Porter came in just 3 second behind Keith Moule to take silver in the K1 Open race, in his bid to become the first person in twenty years to claim the series trophy for this class other than Keith Moule or Danny Beazley.

There was an even closer photo-finish on the 5 mile course in the girls u16 K1 race between Hannah Gallagher (Gold, 47:41) and Franchesca Williamson (Silver, 47:42).

Wokingham's Ali Kabeer continues to battle it out with Cambridge's Rupert Tideswell for dominance of the Boys U14 K1 class, Ali taking the gold on this occasion.

Chelmsford's Sienna Payne (u16 girls) and Cassian Payne (u12s) each clocked up their fourth consecutive win in their respective classes. The mixed u12s class was particularly well supported, with a total of 15 entries.

Class winners were:
Class 9 (Senior K2) - James Walkinton & Will Stroud (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) - Keith Moule (CLM)
Class 7 (Vet M K1) - Mike Martin (LZB)
Class 6 (u18 M K1) - David Gurney (CLM)
Class 5 (u16 M K1) -  Sebastian Tideswell (CAM)
Class 4 (16+ K1) - Emma Russell (CLM)
Class 3 (u16 K2) - Joseph Galliers & Ollie Power (LBZ)
Class 2 (u16 F K1)  - Hannah Gallagher (IND)
Class 1 (TC2) - Andy Porter & Blaize Green (CLM)
Class Blue (u14 M K1) - Ali Kabeer (IND)
Class Red (u14 F K1) - Sienna Payne (CLM)
Class GP - Mo Moule (CLM)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Cassian Payne (CLM)

The medals were presented by Chelmsford's Emma Russell who is a member of the GB Sprint Team.

The event was won by the host club with Leighton Buzzard second and Bishops Stortford third.

The full race results are on the Winter Series results page. There are also a few photos of the race on Flickr, and you can also experience the race in video from the K2 paddled by Chris Sze and Richie Winstanley on You-Tube.

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)

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)

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 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)

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.

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

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.