The Leighton Buzzard race was able to go ahead on the first attempt this year, with no ice on the canal and the recent floods subsided. As a result there was an excellent turnout of paddlers, well up on the last couple of years.

Special mention should be made of Tim Gannicott-Porter from Chelmsford for stopping to rescue of one of Leighton Buzzard's youngsters. Although it is rare for this to be rewarded with a time allowance, the circumstances of this incident were felt to be exceptional, and a small allowance was agreed which restored Tim to 1st place in the Senior Men's race.

Knowing that paddlers can be relied upon to assist others in distress, whatever the impact on their own race, is part of the core ethos of marathon racing and especially so in the winter. We encourage paddlers to let us know about these incidents so that the rescuers can be publicly commended, even though it is not practical to give a time allowance in most cases.

Class winners were:
Class 1 (K2 16+ M) - Scott Leblanche & Domas Malinauskas (BAD)
Class 2 (K2 16+ Mixed) - Matthew Johnson & Leah Falltrick (CLM)
Class 3 (K2 16+ F) - Kerstin Queeney & Catherine Ayling (BSF/EAL)
Class 4 (Marathon C2) - Mike Thornton & Shrine Voller (LBZ)
Class 5 (K1 Sen M) - Tim Gannicott-Porter (CLM)
Class 6 (K1 Sen F) - Leanne Jordan (MAI)
Class 7 (K1 Vet M) - Stuart Dunn (BAD)
Class 8 (K1 Vet F) - Karen Bradley (BSF)
Class 9 (K1 u18 M) - Ali Kabeer (WOK)
Class 10 (K1 u18 F) - Sienna Payne (CLM)
Class 20 (K1 SuperVet M) - Matthew Villaruel (EAL)
Class 21 (K1 SuperVet F) - Karen Wiemer (CAM)
Class 22 (K2 u16) - Rebecca Perrin & James Johnson (CLM)
Class 23 (K1 u16 M) -  Cassian Payne (CLM)
Class 24 (K1 u16 F) -  Olivia Cooke (CLM)
Class 25 (C1 Advanced) -  Ross Pearton (HEM)
Class 30 (Touring C2) - Adrian Pyke & Chris Howe (CAM)
Class 31 (K1 u14 M) - Matteo Bose (CLM)
Class 32 (K1 u14 F) - Libby Gaulton (BSF)
Class 34 (GP 16+ M) - Tim Chamberlin (CLM)
Class 35 (GP 16+ F) - Helen Green (CLM)
Class 38 (K1 u12 M) - Nathaniel Slade (CLM)
Class 39 (K1 u12 F) - Lucy Myers (LBZ)

See

• full results (including series results so far) on the WS results page
  
• a few other photos on Google Photos
  

The next race (28 Jan at Chelmsford) will be the series finals, when all the trophies for each of the classes  are given out, as well as the club trophies.

The strong showing by the home club's own team brought them second place to Chelmsford CC, with Bishops Stortford CC in third place.

Leighton Buzzard also scored a clear victory on Dick Grieve points (based on unranked juniors), bringing them into equal first place with Bishops Stortford on 35 points, while Cambridge CC has 34. There is very much everything to play for in the final race, as any of these three clubs could be taking the Dick Grieve trophy home.

Class winners at this race were:
Class 9 (Senior K2 & MC2) - John Avery & Dean Williams (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) -Joe Fitzpatrick (BSF)
Class 7 (Vet M K1) - Mike Martin (LBZ)
Class 6 (u18 M K1) - Ali Kabeer (WOK)
Class 5 (u16 M K1) - Cassian Payne (CLM)
Class 4 (16+ K1 & Adv C1) - Sienna Payne (CLM)
Class 3 (u16 K2) - Becky Perrin & Louis Arvary (CLM)
Class 2 (u16 F K1)  - May Perrin (CLM)
Class 1 (TC2) - Paul Stenning & Nigel Dixon (LBZ)
Class Blue (u14 M K1) - Ewan Bates (LBZ)
Class Red (u14 F K1 & C1) - Johanna Milbradt (CAM)
Class GP - Deborah Wilkes (CLM)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Matthew Anderson (LBZ)

Full results can be found on the results page. The home team were out in force and were the winning club by a large margin, with Chelmsford CC second and Bishops Stortford CC third. Leighton Buzzard also scored the most points from unranked juniors,  followed by B. Stortford  and Chelmsford.

Being the last race of the series, the prizegiving for the day was followed by the presentation of the series trophies. Chelmsford CC had won each of the preceding three races, so continued to hold the position of overall series champions. However, Leighton Buzzard took second place, and also won the Dick Grieve trophy (for performance of novice juniors) and Bob Porter Trophy (participation by u12s).

Awards were also made in each class. Engraved glasses were presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd-placed competitors/crews in each class, based on best three scores out of four races. A large number of perpetual trophies were also awarded - one or more for each class.

This season's trophy winners were:
Sen K2 - Sienna Payne & William Stroud (CLM)
Ladies K2 - Kerstin Queeney & Catherine Ayling (BSF)
u16 K2 - Eddie Kirtland & Libby Gaulton (BSF)
Sen M K1 - David Gurney (CLM)
Vet M K1 - Doug Herbert (CLM)
Vet F K1 - Pepi Cuenca (NOR)
u18 M K1 - Ali Kabeer (WOK)
u18 F K1 - Rachael Hampton (CLM)
u16 M K1 - Jack Rayment (LBZ)
u16 F K1 - May Perrin (CLM)
u14 M K1  - Matteo Bose (CLM)
u14 F K1 - Rebecca Perrin (CLM)
u12 M K1  - Noah Nobbs (NOR)
u12 F K1 - Lucy Myers (LBZ)
Novice C1 - Shan Zheng Tan (CAM)
M GP - Tim Chamberlin (CLM)
F GP - Deborah Wilkes (CLM)
u15 M GP - Oliver Klumpler (BSF)
See also the full class & club results for 2022-23 Winter Series.

The Winter Series will be back in Autumn 2023. To be alerted when the programme of races is announced, sign up to the FRA mailing list.

Class winners at this race were:
Class 9 (Senior K2 & MC2) - Owain Herbert & Doug Herbert (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) -Tim Gannicott-Porter (CLM)
Class 7 (Vet M K1) - Mike Martin (LBZ)
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 & Philip Moulden (CAM)
Class Blue (u14 M K1) - Cassian Payne (CLM)
Class Red (u14 F K1 & C1) - May Perrin (CLM)
Class GP - Dave Cayford (BSF)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Libby Gaulton (BSF)

Full results can be found on the results page. The event was won by Chelmsford CC; Bishops Stortford CC were second and Leighton Buzzard CC third. Stortford also scored the most points from unranked juniors,  followed by Leighton Buzzard  and Chelmsford.

This was the last race for this series, so the day was completed by the presentation of the series trophies. As Chelmsford CC had won all four races, they were of course the overall series champions, with Bishops Stortford CC in second place. There was a tie for third between Cambridge CC and Leighton Buzzard CC.

The Dick Grieve Trophy (based on performance of unranked juniors across the series) went to Bishops Stortford. Chelmsford CC was in second place and again Cambridge CC and Leighton Buzzzard CC tied for third.

As this series had consisted of only four races, the trophies were awarded on the basis of the competitors' best three results only. Three is also the minimum number of events (in the same class/crew) that a paddler must have competed in to be eligible for an award. Engraved glasses were presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd-placed competitors/crews in each class. The series also awards a large number of perpetual trophies - in many case more than one in each class.

This season's trophy winners were:
Sen K2 - Matt Johnson & Leah Faltrick (CLM)
Ladies K2 - Kerstin Queeney & Catherine Ayling (BSF)
u16 K2 - Naomi Fuller & Tara Kathikeyan (CLM)
Sen M K1 - Tim Gannicott Porter (CLM)
Vet M K1 - Doug Herbert (CLM)
u18 M K1 - Adam Baker (LBZ)
u16 M K1 - Ali Kabeer (WOK)
Sen F K1 - Leanne Brown (BAD)
Vet F K1 - Karen Bradley (BSF)
u16 K1 - Sienna Payne (CLM)
u14 M K1  - Cassian Payne (CLM)
u14 F K1 - May Perrin (CLM)
u12 M K1  - Jasper Kirtland (BSF)
u12 F K1 - Libby Gaulton (BSF)
MC2 - Richard Stirling & Nick Onley (PRC)
Adv C1 - Ross Pearton (HEM)
M GP - Mike Head (CLM)
F GP - Deborah Wilkes (CLM)
See also the full class & club results for 2021-22 Winter Series.

Photos from the day can be found on Flickr here.

Class winners were:
Class 9 (Senior K2) - James Walkinton & Will Stroud (CLM)
Class 8 (K1 Open) - Matt Johnson (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) - Caroline Banson (NOR)
Class 3 (u16 K2) - Joseph Galliers & Ollie Power (LBZ)
Class 2 (u16 F K1)  - Amelia Thompson (CLM)
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 - Deborah Wilkes (CLM)
Class Yellow (u12 K1) - Cassian Payne (CLM)

Lydia Oxtoby, Leighton Buzzard's wildwater star, presented the medals.

The overall club result on the day could not have been closer. Hosts Leighton Buzzard CC finished only one race point shy of Chelmsford's winning total. Most significantly, by finishing ahead of Bishops Stortford CC Leighton Buzzard are now in a good position to take overall second place for the series.

The full race results, including series positions to date, are on the Winter Series results page. There are also a few photos of the race on Flickr, and Chris Sze's video from his boat Go-Pro is on You-Tube.

The Leighton Buzzard race certainly put the "Winter" into Winter Series, with snow falling from before the start of booking in. This eventually gave way to icy rain whilst most people were out on the water - conditions which persisted for the rest of the day. Despite the weather, 107 competitors checked in, and though there were a few retirements, most were able to complete the course.

The home club put up a good team, for most of whom it was their first experience of the Winter Series. Such a good team in fact that they were the overall winners - the first time since 2009 that a team has managed to beat Chelmsford in a WS race!

Buzzard paddlers also took individual medals in six classes: three golds, two silvers and a bronze.

One distinctive feature that sets the Winter Series marathons apart from the Hasler series is the accumulation of points from race to race, with end-of-series awards and perpetual trophies presented at the final race of the each series. It is even possible to win a class without ever winning a race because the scoring system rewards persistence.  The cumulated class points for each paddler to date can be seen on the WS Results page  together with the results from the Leighton Buzzard race.